Sunday, February 1, 2015

VoIP 2015: What to Look Forward To

The past few years have been great for VoIP. The technology made headway to become telecommunications' leader. There's more room for growth, and it looks like 2015 is another big year for VoIP.

Cloud VoIP
Cloud-hosted VoIP is going to be bigger this 2015. Cloud computing has become reliable and more affordable, of late. This is good for VoIP, particularly small- and medium-scale businesses that want to benefit from the cost advantages of the technology but do not have enough funds for on-premises IP-PBX and other requisite hardware, plus dedicated manpower to manage these.

And it's not just about the price. Cloud-hosted VoIP comes with other advantages.

The transition to VoIP can be implemented swiftly, at a scale fitting the size of the organization. A company can switch to VoIP within a month. Management and maintenance are responsibilities of the service provider, saving you from needing to hire a dedicated staff for it.

Another important advantage here is its scalability and easy integration. You can add or subtract users, as needed. Support applications can be integrated, again, as needed.

Integration On The Cloud
Like what's said earlier, integration is simple and fast when it comes to VoIP, especially cloud-hosted VoIP.

Communications convergence, where a singular device can facilitate the flow of voice and data, can mean more efficiency in information handling and processing, and coordination among stakeholders. Examples of what can be integrated into VoIP include CRM and productivity software.

Mobile VoIP
The popularity of smartphones has also paved the way for the boom in mobile VoIP. Expect more of this in 2015, particularly because of businesses that want their members to be more accessible.

Mobile VoIP can increase accessibility when installed in BYOD or corporate-owned devices. As Wi-Fi and data services become more reliable and wide-ranging, it becomes harder to be “out of reach.” Mobile devices become tools for increasing productivity and connection between partners ad co-workers.

VoIP Security
VoIP will also be increasingly under threat of attack and intrusion. As it gains traction with more and more users, malicious elements will want to take advantage of the technology's vulnerabilities for financial gain, control and information.

Threats can be as common as stolen account information and malware infiltration. Or, it can be targeted and vicious, such as call interception and denial of service (DoS) attacks.

Securing your VoIP becomes a requisite. This is not just something that your service provider needs to do. Users and system manager should also implement safety measures. It could be as basic as protecting computers that connect to voice services with anti-virus software, and physically securing servers and network connections. VoIP encryption can also be implemented from the user's side through the use of zfone, an encryption software that works alongside VoIP clients.

VoIP Monitoring
As dependence on VoIP increases, it becomes more and more necessary to have safeguards in place.

First in line here is VoIP monitoring from 3rd service providers, such as VoIP Spear. Service monitoring lets you stay on top of your VoIP's performance. You are alerted about performance dips and suspicious activities, and can potentially address issues ASAP.

Next, think about security when it comes to everything that you do online, be it voice or data-centric. Secure your system by installing an anti-virus software and regularly screening for malware infiltration. Get zfone and implement on top of your VoIP client.


Of course, it also pays to be selective when it comes to choosing your VoIP service provider. Don't just look at the cost. Ask questions about security measures, as well as backup plans.  

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