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To take full advantage of all the benefits that VoIP has to offer, it is necessary to evaluate different VoIP equipment options. Some basic items to consider are listed as follows:
The good news is that your service provider will be able to help answer some of these questions with you. The bad news is that you need to research and confirm that the equipment that is being recommended is right for your business, as well as pricing.
If you are considering changing your phone service provider and your business is already using a hosted VoIP solution or an on-premise VoIP phone system, then there is a good chance that you do not need to purchase new phones. However, it is critical that you confirm phone compatibility with the new service provider that you are considering switching to or it could be a costly mistake.
If your business is switching to hosted VoIP or an on-premise IP enabled phone system, then you will need to either purchase or rent IP phones that support the call control protocols used by the phone service provider you choose. Often, you can purchase equipment directly from the service provider at a good price. Keep an eye out for providers that offer free phones or 2 for the price of 1 deals. This can save you on up front costs and make the switch more viable financially.
Visit our IP Phones section for extensive information on makes and models like Cisco, Polycom and Yealink, plus reviews and more. To see how these manufacturers match up against each other check out our Yealink versus Polycom versus Cisco phone comparison guide.
Even the most basic IP phones have a good number of features so a business can save a lot of money by selecting the most appropriate phone for its needs. Some popular devices are listed as follows to give you an idea, along with a price guide, number of lines supported and Protocols supported.
| Make | Model | Price* | Lines | Protocols |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco | SPA303 | $ | 3 | SIP, SIP 2.0, SPCP |
| Yealink | T22P | $ | 3 | SIP, SIP 1.0, SIP 2.0 |
| Polycom | IP335 | $$ | 2 | SIP 2.0, Lync |
| Cisco | SPA504G | $$ | 4 | SIP, SIP 2.0 |
| Yealink | T41S | $$ | 6 | SIP, SIP 1.0, SIP 2.0 |
| Polycom | IP550 | $$$ | 4 | SIP, SIP 2.0 |
| Cisco | SPA525G2 | $$$ | 5 | SIP, SIP 2.0, SPCP |
| Polycom | IP650 | $$$$ | 6 | SIP, SIP 2.0 |
* $ = lower cost to $$$$ = Highest cost
Some other items of equipment that you may need to consider purchasing are listed as follows:
Average Price Range: < $50
Although IP phones have excellent speakerphones, the majority of employees will likely prefer to use a headset to keep conversations private and respect their work neighbors
Average Price Range: < $50
Required if Power over Ethernet (PoE) is not available in your setup.
Average Price Range: Varies
Preferred method of powering IP phones and avoids the extra cost of power supplies. Pricing depends on port count and software features. Quality of service (QoS) feature support should be evaluated to ensure voice packets are properly prioritized over data in the IP packet. QoS helps avoid choppy or dropped calls.
Average Price Range: Varies
New or upgraded routers may be required to ensure redundancy, throughput and packet prioritization.
Average Price Range: $50 to $100
You can continue to use your existing analog phones but they will need an ATA to work. That means you need to purchase an ATA for every existing Analog phone that you want to keep and use. Due to the cost and the productivity benefits of IP phones this may not work out a good choice in the long run. Check out our Obihai Obi200 Review, it is one of the most popular ATA's in the market today.
Compare popular phone adaptors (ATAs) >>
Average Price Range: Varies
Purchasing and installing CAT5e Ethernet cable can be expensive depending on the size of the installation. Most offices will already have this cabling installed but it is definitely worth checking to avoid a costly surprise.
Average Price Range: Varies
Network equipment should already be connected to a UPS to avoid issues during power outages. If no UPS currently exists, then it is recommended that a UPS is installed to ensure that phones (and service) keep working during a power outage.
If you are seeking an on-premise system, then it is likely that you will need to perform a very thorough evaluation of your existing network. Most service providers can help with this and advise on any recommendations.
In the case that you decide that your small business requires additional online support you may find our 10 Best Online Tech Support Services guide useful.
Although additional equipment is often required to be purchased when upgrading to a VoIP solution, the overall benefits typically far outweigh this cost. Businesses should evaluate the annual cost savings that such a solution can offer while considering any up front equipment expenses. In most cases the overall cost savings and productivity increases that VoIP provides will easily justify any potential equipment upgrades.
For businesses that are currently researching to find the best service solution, please take a look at our table of popular providers below, or use our FREE quote matching tool below the table.
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