Start-up sticker shock:  I thought VoIP was supposed to save money?

Posted by: Guest Author

Making the switch to VoIP hosted PBX often costs more you bargained for.

The entire sales call is about free on-net calls and the long-term savings. Once the VoIP system is installed, the ongoing costs tend to be lower. Much lower. The total cost of owning a hosted PBX solution is far easier and cheaper to maintain than an IP-PBX.

These savings are very real, but do be aware and prepare yourself for the switch.

Costs include upgrading your Internet access to support the increased traffic of phone calls and a new router to prioritize voice traffic. Your office manager skill set may not be enough to make these decisions, so you might have to hire an IT person to consult you through setup and delivery. Oh, and you also need to buy SIP phones. Customers who postpone or skimp on internet access, phones or the router are the ones who run into problems with voice quality.

Don’t have the budget for making the change in the near term?

Ask your provider if you can subscribe to the hosted PBX services without the VoIP. It will get you the powerful call management features and auto-attendant while you plan for the transition to small business VoIP when your office is ready.