Issues with VoIP Hosted PBX Implementation

Thousands of businesses are upgrading their on-site phone systems to a VoIP or cloud hosted PBX. This change can be tough. Yet a lot of businesses are surprised by the issues which arise while implementing a cloud hosted PBX. This is particularly true if they are new to the software as a service (SaaS) technology.

However, with just a little preparation and training, businesses can avoid such issues and can focus better on what actually matters: customers. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the most common issues which arise while moving to a cloud hosted PBX.

Insufficient Bandwidth

One of the most significant steps for upgrading to a VoIP is having a good quality internet connection. If your office has a poor internet connection, then get ready to face some serious drop in call quality.

If you want to know how much internet bandwidth your business will require in order to support call routing through a cloud PBX then you just have to answer the following two questions:

1.         How many concurrent (simultaneous) calls does your business experience at the peak business hours?

2.         What codec does your cloud hosted PBX phone system provider uses?

Typically, you will require anywhere from 85 to 100 kb of data for every simultaneous call.  If your business makes 5 simultaneous calls at the peak business hours, then you will require a connection of 500 kbps to maintain a high quality of call. If your business handles 20 simultaneous calls at the peak hours, then you will require an internet connection with 2 mbps of upload speed at least.

This way of estimating bandwidth requires work for most standard codecs like G.729. But if you are still unsure about the bandwidth which your business requires then you will need to talk to your cloud service provider. They will help you in determining the type of internet connection you will need for a first-class call quality.

Incompatible Equipment and Hardware

In terms of the router, your old router might not be compatible with your cloud phone system. The old routers just do not have the same functionality as the routers made particularly for VoIP services. If you do not have updated hardware to handle the VoIP traffic, then the switch to cloud-hosted PBX will become tougher than it should be.

 The same principle is applicable to all out-of-date equipment such as desk phones. Some of the service providers offer phones which are already configured and all set for ‘plug and play’. Other providers offer softphones which install on your computer and your mobile devices. Softphones are relatively inexpensive than desk phones and they allow your team to work in the office and also while traveling.

 In conclusion, when you upgrade your telephone system you have to make certain that you upgrade the in-house equipment too.

Quality of Service (QoS)

Another important factor about maintaining a good call quality is the QoS. Interruptions, jitter, and even dropped calls can occur if the QoS is not handled properly.

The first step for maintaining a high QoS is to pick a cloud service provider who can provide a Service Level Agreement (SLA). The SLA is common among the industry. Particularly, they make sure that everything works on the provider’s end. If you have heard providers talk about the 99.9% uptime, then they are probably referring to the guarantee made in the SLA.

However, the rest is up to our business. You will have to make sure that you have a QoS enabled router. The QoS enabled routers to have a built-in mechanism which allows you to prioritize the voice traffic over the other types of data.

Customer Support

In an ideal situation, you wouldn’t need to pick up the phone and call your service provider for support. However, problems can arrive and when they do, your business will be on hold until you get in contact with the customer support services who can help.

Fortunately, the majority of cloud service providers offer 24/7 support. In addition, more and more service providers are providing support via a diversity of channels, such as email, phone, and live chat. As you evaluate a potential Ip pbx, you must remember to inquire about their customer support hours and policies. This can help you get a better understanding of how and who to contact, then how soon you can get a reply if you run into any problems.

Training Your Team

When you have a new cloud-hosted phone system, you will have all the latest and robust features along with top-class functionality. It will allow your tea to work from the office and also while on the go. However, what if no one knows how to use it?

If yes, then you are not alone. The good news is that cloud service providers can handle the heavy lifting, such as system upgrades and maintenance. All your team will need to know is how to handle the features which they use every day. Majority of service providers offer a user-friendly web portal, where the users can manage all their personal settings along with other features such as call groups, call forwarding, call recording, call conference and much more.

With the help of this article, you can be better prepared and switch to the cloud-hosted PBX services.