6 Common VoIP Deployment Mistakes to Avoid

Moving to a  VoIP system has lots of benefits. Not only will it help your business to save money due to the low cost of calls, but its numerous features and better accessibility will allow you to improve efficiency.

However, transitioning to a VoIP system can be challenging. In fact, there are many cases in which businesses end up facing countless issues due to mistakes that are made when deploying their new VoIP system. In some cases, those issues may even cause disruptions that result in lost time and revenue.

If you want to ensure that everything goes smoothly and without a hitch, here are some of the more common VoIP deployment mistakes that you need to avoid:

Incorrectly estimating the bandwidth required

As a type of Internet Protocol telephony, VoIP requires a certain amount of available bandwidth for its calls. If you underestimate the amount of bandwidth required, the call quality will suffer and the connection may be inconsistent. On the other hand, if you overestimate it you may end up spending money on bandwidth you don’t need.

To ensure that your estimate is accurate, you must factor in the bandwidth needs of your company’s regular internet usage as well as the peak call volume. That way you’ll be able to avoid any issues even when its consumption is at its highest.

Choosing the wrong type of VoIP system

Typically there are two types of VoIP systems that businesses use: In-house or hosted. The difference between them is simply that hosted VoIP is run and managed by a provider, while you’ll have to purchase, implement, operate, and maintain in-house VoIP.

Both types of VoIP systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. In-house VoIP systems cost more upfront and require technical expertise to operate and maintain, but offer greater control. In contrast, hosted VoIP systems are cheaper and easier to install at first, but may cost more in the long term and provide less control.

Underestimating the costs involved

While it is true that VoIP offers more cost-effective call rates, there are other costs you need to take into account when you first deploy it. For example, you may need to buy desk phones, mobile phones, or new computers in order to give your staff access to the system.

Keep in mind that you may also need to hire someone to manage the system and fix any issues that may come up.

Overlooking security

Just like anything else that is network-based, VoIP systems are vulnerable to attacks such as malware, viruses, and so on. It is important that you don’t overlook the security of your system and take steps to ensure it is protected.

Some of the best ways to start improving the security of your VoIP system is by implementing password access, setting up a firewall, and ensuring that your traffic is encrypted.

Not consulting employees beforehand

At the end of the day, your employees are going to be the ones who use the VoIP system that you implement most frequently – so you should talk to them about it beforehand. By getting the opinions of your employees you can identify their requirements and what features they value most.

Not setting up Qualify of Service (QoS)

As mentioned previously, the quality of VoIP calls depends heavily on your internet connection – which makes it susceptible to bandwidth issues and network congestion. That is why it is essential that you set up QoS protocols so that you prioritize voice traffic as well as reserve sufficient bandwidth.

If you don’t set up QoS, your call quality may be poor and in some cases the calls may even be dropped. Setting up QoS can be a bit complicated, however, which is why it is recommended that you hire someone experienced to get the job done.

By avoiding these six common mistakes, you should be able to deploy your VoIP system more smoothly and ensure that there aren’t any unwanted surprises once you’re done. Just make sure that you allocate enough time for the deployment, and ideally have someone in charge who is familiar with VoIP systems and has the right expertise to check that everything is fine.

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