Section Title - 1

Choosing the Right

VoIP SolutionHow to Make the Best Choice for Your Business

Introduction 3

What is VoIP? Why Do I Need It?CH. 1 4

What Type of VoIP Solutions Will Help My Organization?CH. 2 6

What Should I Look for in a VoIP Provider?CH. 3 8

Conclusion 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction - 3

Growing small- and mid-size organizations are increasingly turning to VoIP solutions to expand and improve the capabilities of their telecommu-nications systems. They know that businesses don’t just save a little money on VoIP. They can save a lot.

IT decision makers are choosing VoIP as a cost- effective, simplified way to connect multiple locations to high-quality voice services and other business-focused features. Many are also handing off VoIP implementation and management to vendors who specialize in VoIP solutions.

Introduction

In this guide, we will explain why VoIP may be the ideal solution for your company, and how choosing the right partner with the right solutions for your business will help ensure a successful transition from traditional voice to VoIP service.

Those same small businesses

reduce the cost of their international calls by up to 90%

VoIP can cut startup costs for a new business by up to 90%

Small businesses that switch to VoIP

reduce the cost of their local calls by up to 40%

Section Title - 4

What is VoIP? Why Do I Need It?Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has become a popular choice for IT decision makers, whether they’re supporting small single-site companies or large organizations with multiple sites. VoIP is especially beneficial to organizations with legacy phone and data networks that are seeking to consolidate, simplify and more effectively scale to changing business needs.

VoIP utilizes digitized packets to deliver voice calls over broadband connections rather than Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). VoIP technology enables advanced telephony features that today’s mobile businesses require, with high quality, lower costs and virtually anywhere availability on any connected device.

VoIP solutions are an excellent point of entry for new businesses opening their doors for the first time, as well as companies that want to upgrade their legacy telephony systems and realize the boost in productivity that results. And with VoIP, you only pay for the services you need today, and adjust or increase service as your business needs change. So you not only save money, you free up capital for more strategic and immediate IT projects.

VoIP enables network providers to deliver voice services over their broadband and private net-works. Cloud providers can deliver voice through over-the-top (OTT) applications. Enterprise customers can use VoIP to operate a single voice

and data network. And smaller businesses can take advantage of a fully managed voice solution with little to no capital investment.

“Because it’s upgradable, we have more confidence in the phone system. We know that in the future we can grow it as required and we can in-corporate new technologies as they become available.

George Peck, VP, Aurora, CO, Chamber of Commerce “

VoIP enables companies to greatly enhance their existing voice and data services. VoIP provides popular voice features, enhanced collaboration tools and a unified communication environment where voice is just one of many business-critical applications, such as email, instant messaging, and video and web conferencing. It also reduces network infrastructure costs by leveraging the highly scalable and available IP-based network platform to transmit voice and data traffic between endpoints and diverse networks.

CH. 1

What is VoIP? Why Do I Need It? 5

On-net calls, including international calls, are less expensive with VoIP.

Reduced costs

VoIP enables organizations to extend voice services to all devices, including desktops and laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Enhanced functionality

Even if traditional land lines are down, or cell service is interrupted, if you’re using a carrier that offers QoS for dedicated voice bandwidth, you can still make calls using VoIP.

Improved reliability

It’s easy to add new features, users and locations at much lower cost and labor than adding and changing traditional phone systems.

Simplified scalability

VoIP makes it easier than ever to conduct business on the road since all that’s required to make calls is a VoIP application downloaded to an Internet-connected device.

Increased productivity

COMPANIES UTILIZING VoIP REALIZE A NUMBER OF BENEFITS TO THEIR BUSINESS, INCLUDING:

With VoIP, companies can integrate voice with digital-based applications, such as instant messaging, conferencing, voicemail through email, as well as collaborative applications. With VoIP, branch locations and mobile users can now be part of the company phone network, and remote offices can be anywhere as long as there is high-speed Internet access.

What Type of VoIP Solutions Will Help My Organization? 6

What Type of VoIP Solutions Will Help My Organization?

HOSTED VoIP SOLUTIONS

If your phone system is aging or if you’re opening a new business, but you don’t want the expense of new equipment, Hosted VoIP may be the answer. New phones for this cloud-based solution are included in the seat price. You maintain administrative control without having to manage two separate networks, have predictable monthly communications costs, and can scale your service to match business needs.

With Hosted VoIP, you can:

VoIP solutions can be designed and implemented to meet the specific business and communications needs of your organization.

Let’s take a closer look at some different VoIP options.

CH. 2

• Remove the expense of maintaining equipment

• Receive automatic software updates and maintenance without the added expense

• Get the latest voice and unified communication and collaboration (UCC) features available without the need for research and additional IT support

• Greatly simplify the Move, Add, Change or Deletion (MACD) of services

What Type of VoIP Solutions Will Help My Organization? 7

VoIP NETWORK SOLUTIONS

ON-PREMISE MANAGED VOIP SOLUTIONS

Maybe your recently purchased voice system is just a few years old. VoIP Network Solutions with SIP Trunk consolidates your dedicated voice and data network investments into a single solution that allows you to more efficiently and cost-effectively use your bandwidth and existing voice equipment.

Some companies prefer managed on-premise equipment solutions with a vendor-provided support team dedicated to handling all of your VoIP services. From remote implementation and fault manage-ment to web-based reporting, managed VoIP handles all your voice communications so you can focus on the IT needs of your core business.

With VoIP Network Solutions, you can:

On-Premise Managed VoIP Solutions provide:

• Use existing equipment to save money

• Stop wasting expensive bandwidth

• Pay only for time spent using the network (especially beneficial for seasonal businesses)

• Get the latest mobility features your users demand with the optional Business Communicator application

• Easily manage and configure users online

• Share your existing PBX investment with all connected locations and users

• A complete communications system solution (hardware and software) from industry-leading manufacturers

• End-to-end design and implementation

• Network-based security solutions with round-the-clock monitoring, administration of firewalls, updated intrusion detection signatures, filters, patches and servers

What Should I Look for in a VoIP Provider? 8

What Should I Look for in a VoIP Provider?3

It’s important to do your research and choose a VoIP provider that offers a secure telecommunication network, superb call quality, and VoIP reliability.

Other vital criteria to consider when selecting a VoIP provider include:

RELIABILITY

SECURE NETWORK

Provider should offer QoS packet prioritization.

Availability should be 99% or above and backed by service level agreements (SLAs).

Network access points should be firewalled and full security measures in place.

Redundant network functionality should be available to maintain call quality. Ask about QoS prioritization of voice packets.

Application patches should be updated frequently to keep pace with emerging malware threats.

End-to-end network visibility.

APPLICATIONS

EXPERTISE

REPUTATION

Popular and customized business productivity and collaboration applications should be available.

Standardized VoIP integration of hosted applications.

The provider’s strengths should align with your company’s needs.

They’ve distinguished themselves from other providers.

They are proven experts in telephony.

Customers consider them not just a provider, but a business partner.

They can readily provide references and relevant case studies. 

They’ve proven their ability to meet deadlines and budgets.

They’re a single, trusted partner for the entire solution (not just parts of it).

What Should I Look for in a VoIP Provider? 10

Most phone systems of small and growing businesses are not equipped to handle the ever- increasing surge of next-generation communica-tions features, a growing mobile workforce, and the fiscal and operational limitations of today’s business environment.

CenturyLink VoIP solutions are designed and implemented for one reason: to help businesses succeed and grow.

VoIP offers higher performance standards, helps companies simplify network operations, and provides the flexibility needed to seamlessly incorporate new communications applications as they come online. 

From reducing costs to increasing efficiency and improving productivity, CenturyLink VoIP solutions have options that work for your business no matter its size or budget. CenturyLink offers the power and scope of a range of VoIP solutions, along with a dedicated account team to help you strategize and reach your business and commu-nications goals.

And with CenturyLink, you can eliminate the hassle of dealing with multiple providers and instead rely on one trusted partner for your entire solution.

YOUR BUSINESS IS ONLY AS STRONG AS ITS CONNECTIONS.

Connections to virtually every major metro area across the US

Flexible and scalable VoIP options from fully managed to IP networks

NETWORK

THE CENTURYLINK NETWORK AND VoIP PRODUCT PORTFOLIO FEATURES:

VOIP

99.99% SLA-guaranteed availability

Ranking as the third largest telco carrier in North America

Fastest growing Ethernet services

Unified communications connects all users, in the office or on the road

Seamless migration from legacy voice services to feature-rich communications

99.99%

#3

What Should I Look for in a VoIP Provider? 11

CENTURYLINK VoIP OFFERINGS INCLUDE:

HOSTED VoIP

NETWORK VoIP

ON-PREMISE MANAGED VoIP

The perfect solution for new, single to multi-site businesses. Ideal for established businesses looking for a fully-managed voice solution requiring little or no IT support.

For businesses seeking lower network costs and more efficient use of valuable bandwidth, CenturyLink Network VoIP with SIP Trunk provides both while providing a single voice and feature platform that all of your connected users can share.

A voice system you can fully-manage yourself or allow CenturyLink to manage upgrades and maintenance for you. Perfect for businesses seeking control of their voice infrastructure.

• Cloud-based solution that enables IT pros to maintain administrative control without having to manage two separate networks

• Service can be easily scaled to match business needs

• Enables the feature-rich experience of VoIP while using your existing equipment

• Saves you money with session-based billing vs. dedicated lines

• Provides the latest mobility features your users demand

• Dedicated support team

• 24/7 proactive management

• Remote implementation

• Enables you to easily manage and configure users online

• Routes all calls seamlessly without dropping them over a secure IP network

• Connects all your locations, employees and cus-tomers to a consistently reliable voice experience

• Eliminates expense of maintaining equipment

• Connects mobile workforce to the corporate office

• Frees up IT resources to focus on core business

• Fault management

• Change management

• Web-based reporting

Conclusion 12

ConclusionYour business can’t afford to wait any longer to update its communications. Every day you delay can be costing your organization money, time and lost opportunities for growth.

Now is the time to increase efficiency and employee productivity simply by updating your phone system with a cloud-based, on-premises or fully managed solution from CenturyLink.

Discover the full value of CenturyLink VoIP solutions.

LEARN MORE

1 5 Reasons VoIP is Essential for Business Today. TECH.CO, March 1, 2015. https://tech.co/voip-essential-business-today-2015-03

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