The main selling point of Internet phones is savings on phone services which is, of course, very appealing to any small business; because your phone call travels over the internet rather than over regular phone lines, your call bypasses regular Telco tolls making broadband phone services less expensive than "regular" phone services.
But is an internet phone good enough to replace your small business's landline and serve as your one and only business phone? Let's consider some of the problems with internet phone services and their possible solutions.
Problems with Internet Phones
Problem: You have to have a high-speed Internet connection (DSL, Cable, T1 line or greater access) to use internet phone services.
Solution: This is a you-have-it-or-you-don't situation. If you don't, and you want to use an internet phone, an internet connection upgrade is a must.
Problem: Contrary to what many people think, long distance calls are not free using internet phone services. While some plans offer unlimited minutes of long-distance calling in Canada and the U.S., calling other places will cost you. And some plans charge separate long-distance rates, even if you are calling someone in Canada or the U.S.
Solution: Read the details of any internet phone service plan you're considering carefully and be sure you know what all the charges are. Compare internet service plans to choose the one that’s the best fit with your usage habits. I, for instance, make international calls very rarely, so charges for such calls are not an issue for me.
Problem: Sound quality is still an issue. Internet phone users may experience distortion and clipped sentences.
Solution: With VoIP internet phone services, such as Vonage or NetTalk Duo, connecting the VoIP device directly to your router, rather than to a computer's USB port, will provide better call quality. (It also eliminates the problem of having to have your computer running all the time to take or make phone calls.)
You will also get superior quality with internet phone services that run over dedicated networks rather than over broadband. Shaw's digital phone is one such example.
Problem: Internet phone services are subject to all of the same security and reliability issues as anything else that's internet based – power outages or viruses could knock out your internet phone.
Solution: None. This is the internet phone problem that causes me to say that internet phones are not good enough to replace landlines for small businesses. Small businesses need reliability. The possible client who tries to phone you and can’t get through isn’t necessarily going to bother to try to call you back later; there are so many competitors he can call right now.
The Verdict
While I can certainly see using an internet phone as a home phone or as a second line, because of their dependence on the internet, they're still not reliable enough for me to recommend them for business use as a primary or only phone. For now, hang onto your cell or landline so you can be sure to get all your business calls.
