Studies suggest that switching to hosted VoIP systems can save companies between 50 and 70% on their communication stack.

Using a service that transmits audio and multi-media data through the internet is an excellent way to reduce the fees associated with long-distance and local calling. However, not all VoIP providers will necessarily offer the same deals.

When you’re looking for the ideal business telecoms solution, you’ll need to consider a lot of different things, including the reliability of the company, the simplicity of the system, and the features. However, before anything else, most organisations will need to make sure that the VoIP prices they’ll be paying match their budget.

How much do hosted VoIP systems cost?

The majority of business telecoms vendors offer packages for their VoIP services. These packages include things like a monthly line rental fee, and the costs of the services that you might use, such as call recording, and IVR systems.

Some VoIP companies will also include minute or call packages in their fees. This means that you get a certain number of calls for free before you start having to pay for extras.

The price that you’ll need to pay for your business telecoms will depend on several factors, including:

The features you want to access
The number of users you have to support
Whether you’re using softphones or desk phones
The length of your agreement/contract

Let’s take a look at VoIP prices in more depth.

How VoIP providers charge per user

Technology, because VoIP communications are delivered over the internet, they’re a form of technology service. Many of these IT services are priced based on the number of active users that they serve.

Usually, VoIP users aren’t calculated based on the number of employees that might pick up a phone or use the service. Instead, your provider will calculate your fee based on the number of lines you need at any time. For instance, if you want to be able to communicate with ten customers at once, you’ll need ten lines, which equates to ten paid users.

Many leading VoIP companies offer discounts for businesses that need to support a greater number of lines.

VoIP prices and feature sets

Aside from the number of users that you need to support, the kind of features you can access from your VoIP provider will also have a significant impact on how much you spend. The simpler your package is, the less expensive it will be. For instance, basic features may include:

Consistent customer service
Number management
High reliability and resiliency
The ability to make calls from any device
Number on hold and call routing
Encrypting and security

Depending on the demands of your business, you may also need additional capabilities like customisable IVR systems that direct your customers to the right agents at the correct times. You may also want things like call recording, predictive analytics, and machine learning. Those high-level features will come with a bigger bill.

Hosted VoIP systems and contracts

Most VoIP providers want their customers to stay with them for as long as possible. This means that they’ll offer lower prices if you’re willing to commit to a contract for a longer period.

Despite this, a lot of organisations won’t want to be locked into an agreement with a specific provider. It’s up to you whether you’d prefer to commit to a service and save a little extra or choose a shorter contact and have the freedom to switch to another provider if you have any problems. Some VoIP companies can even offer month-to-month contracts.

Phone choices and VoIP prices

Finally, one of the significant elements that will affect the cost of your business telecoms is how much you spend on endpoints. One of the reasons that VoIP is so popular is that you can keep endpoint costs to a minimum. While you’re free to buy the most advanced desk phones on the market, complete with touch-screens and video-conferencing features, you can also keep costs low by using a softphone instead.

With softphones, you only pay for the software that your employees will use, so there’s no need to buy and install any additional equipment. Many of today’s employees use their softphones on their business computers. With the help of mobile device management, you can also transform an employee’s smartphone into a business phone too.

For companies seeking the lowest possible prices for their business telecoms, softphones are usually the best choice.

Want to learn more about your Telecom and VoIP options? Contact Nice Network today!