The world has become a very small place indeed. More and more businesses are able to compete globally, mainly thanks to the pervasive nature of the internet. Competition is fierce and only those that provide superior products and services, highly efficient customer service and effective communication abilities can hope to thrive. Old technology is simply not good enough to compete in the modern world. It is no wonder that, for business telephone systems Courtenay businesses are seriously considering VoIP.

VoIP has been available for a few years, but it never found a ready market initially. The main reason for its slow start is that it requires access to internet internet. In years gone by internet access was not available everywhere and it was often slow and intermittent. All that has changed and internet access is now possible in even the most remote location. This has give VoIP a new boost and a tremendous increase in popularity.

Service providers boast that their clients will save significantly on their communication bills when they switch over. This has certainly proved to be the case and many new users are surprised to find that their monthly bills have been halved. It is therefore understandable that new users site cost savings as their overriding reason for switching, but they quickly discover that there are numerous other advantages too.

One of the biggest drawbacks of a traditional PABX has always been the fact that it chains users to their desks. Calls can be made or received only if the caller is physically present at the place where his extension is installed. This had a devastating effect on productivity. Users were restricted in their movements, calls were missed and messages got lost. VoIP allows users to communicate wherever they are.

VoIP users save even more money because there is no need for an installation at every location, branch or building, as was the case with a PABX system. Instead, VoIP is installed centrally and the software is hosted by the service provider. This means that the cost of maintenance is extremely low and there is no need to employ switchboard operators. A central installation also means that downtime is most unlikely.

VoIP does not just free users from their desks. It also frees them from the need to use a specific device in order to communicate. With VoIP, users can use any device capable of accessing the internet. It is not even necessary to always use the same device. This is because the full record of every user is stored in the cloud and accessible at any time and from anywhere.

Many corporate employees have become used to features such as call holding, call forwarding, voice mail and even limited conference call capabilities. VoIP users still have all these features, but they also enjoy many other features designed to make them more productive. There are voice to fax, voice to email, email to voice and even file transmitting features that further enhances the popularity of internet based communication.

It is not surprising that the popularity of VoIP is rocketing. It offers numerous benefits and at the same time users enjoy significant savings. It may just be the future of communication.