How Quickly Can You Get Started With Hosted VoIP?

One of the reasons that many enterprises choose to go with hosted VoIP instead of implementing their own system with SIP trunks is because it is far quicker to get started with the former than the latter.

For a business, communication between employees, partners, customers and suppliers is the key to success and any interruption can have drastic consequences. So for organizations that need a quick solution for the sake of business continuity, hosted VoIP is a good choice – all other things being equal.

Nevertheless the time needed for a company to get started with hosted VoIP is not always the same. Although providers like to advertise that implementing hosted VoIP is as simple as signing up for a subscription plan, there are many factors involved which can delay the transition.

While some businesses may be able to sign up for VoIP in just a few hours, it can often take several days or weeks depending on the state of the network infrastructure.

Factors Affecting Hosted VoIP Implementation

1. Business needs

A company may require phone services in multiple locations and support several different types of devices while allowing employees to work remotely from home or on site in which case the process of implementing VoIP can take several days.

On the other hand, a small business that functions out of a single office may need nothing more than the basic, entry level subscription plan from the vendor. The time taken to get started with VoIP can – and will – vary according to individual circumstances.

2. Network infrastructure

Organizations that already have robust wired and wireless networks along with high speed Internet access with plenty of bandwidth should be able to make the transition much quicker than those companies that are already struggling with poorly designed IP networks or slow Internet connections.

For instance, if an enterprise needs to upgrade to a business class Internet connection, it can easily take a couple of days to provision the lines from their ISP.

3. Level of employee awareness/education

Companies operating in industries that require highly educated workers generally find that they are able to train employees to use the new system quite easily.

However, a business with older employees or one whose core function has nothing to do with technology may need more time to educate workers. This process can dramatically affect how quickly the company can effectively use hosted VoIP, although it should not take more than a few days in the majority of cases.

4. Integration with other applications

If the VoIP system is supposed to function as a standalone platform without much integration with other enterprise software, it will take less time to set up.

However if a business needs to integrate CRM, internal business tools or their website with the VoIP system, it can take much longer.

These are not the only factors that affect project implementation, though they are the most common. In general, a company with very specific or advanced needs will take much more time to get started with VoIP than someone with only basic requirements.