2017 – the Year Ahead in Business VoIP

In a bid to remain competitive, more enterprises are upgrading to business VoIP systems than ever before. Last year we saw some spectacular growth in the hosted VoIP market and a growing awareness of security concerns related to communication networks. There is no doubt that VoIP will become the standard for voice communication very quickly and it is already replacing the PSTN in many parts of the world.

With an industry that is changing by the day, what can you look forward to in 2017? Let’s take a look at the roadmap for business VoIP systems in the next year.

Comprehensive and Robust Security

Security is becoming a growing concern for every organization, regardless of the industry they operate in. With increasing digitization of data, privacy concerns are mounting. In their rush to implement VoIP systems, many businesses have overlooked security. Sometimes security is given a backseat because it is too expensive at the moment but the more common reason is that organizations are simply unaware of the potential pitfalls.

Similar to other services that rely on the Internet, business VoIP is also vulnerable to threats like hackers, malware, fraud etc. Security breaches and lost data have dominated headlines in 2016. As a result of more organizations switching to VoIP, we will see an increased focus on security measures in 2017. Security tools include encrypting data (in transit and at rest), securing account credentials using strong passwords, real-time monitoring of data networks and so on.

Mobility and Next-Generation Wireless Networking

Business VoIP systems are giving organizations the flexibility and mobility they have long wanted for their workers. It allows employees to work from home, on the road, from client sites and so on. It doesn’t matter which phone they have with them at the moment or where they are right now. They can make sure that certain phones ring only during certain hours or all phones ring whenever a call comes through. Users can configure their accounts in such a way that they can always answer a call.

All this has been possible thanks to faster data connections or mobile devices like phones and tablets. But a greater number of users on the network means slower speeds for everyone. It’s no wonder that phone operators are already looking at the next-generation of wireless networking technology. Although 5G networks are not predicted to come online until 2020, we will most likely see some testing over the next year.

More Integrations between Business VoIP and Enterprise Software

One of the biggest advantages of business VoIP over the PSTN is its ability to integrate with other cloud based software services. One of the most popular integrations today is connecting your phone system to CRM software like Salesforce. This gives your organization a degree of flexibility and data sharing that were simply not possible before. Sales teams no longer have to switch between different software just to make a call to a client. You can configure the system to automatically capture call details like duration, timestamps and notes.

It is likely that we will see many more of these integrations becoming a reality in 2017. Any business uses a variety of enterprise applications and services in practically every sphere. There is incredible potential in connecting all of them so that data in one system is freely available in another. 2017 will see the emergence of many more APIs by business VoIP vendors, allowing customers to further extend the use of their phone systems.

The Continued Development of Unified Communication Tools

Unified Communication has been a buzzword in enterprise circles for a few years now. Business VoIP systems are a common foundation and stepping stone for organizations that are planning for the future. Just as there is value in connecting phone systems to enterprise software, companies are finding out that integrating all types of communication can yield benefits as well. This trend is likely to continue in 2017 and we will see more organizations adopt UC suites.

UC is not just about a unified interface and ease-of-use. Providers are constantly refining their set of communication tools to provide new and innovative features to their customers. Imagine a future where users no longer need to remember which device or service to use if they want to communicate with each other. Depending on the time, location and other parameters, the call will automatically detect your message to the person you want to reach. In 2017, the business VoIP industry will take another step forward in making this into reality.

These are the major trends that we will see in 2017. Other developments like the proliferation of Internet connected devices, advancements in the underlying VoIP technology etc. will also influence the intensity of the trends. 2017 promises to be an exciting year for business VoIP – whether you are a user, provider or corporation.