Business Phone Service in West Kennebunk, ME

Picking The Best Phone Service for Your West Kennebunk, ME Business

Due to the rising popularity of commercial VoIP, you will find there are a lot of providers eager to nab your business. Even though this could complicate the selection process, it can also be a useful advantage.

To begin, give some thought to your company's communication needs. Try to determine things like which functions you'll need to use during the day, how many extensions you'll need to buy, whether you have plans to develop your organization further in the foreseeable future, and what your phone budget looks like.

Then you'll be prepared to check on the plans available from the myriad of company VoIP providers in West Kennebunk, ME. Take note of the packages they have available, their costs, and also the all-around trustworthiness of the provider. Using a functional phone service is an indispensable component in your business's success, so it's important to choose a provider with a favorable reputation for stability and fine customer support.

What is Traditional Business Phone Service in West Kennebunk, ME?

A traditional phone service, calls are transferred over a public switched telephone network or PSTN system. The PSTN is available all over the country and is a network of phone lines, satellites, cables, and mobile networks. At over 100 years old, PSTN is the oldest type of phone network.

This large and old infrastructure is expensive to support. This is why using traditional phones is so much more expensive than VoIP in West Kennebunk, ME. The network requires regular maintenance and is analog, meaning it is inefficient when it comes to transferring long distance messages.

The reasons long distance transmissions take so long is that they make several stops along the way. These stops occur at various locations owned by different phone companies. Although some of the equipment at these locations digitizes the information so it can be sent faster, the final stretch to the central switch is still analog, making the overall transmission time longer than what you'd get with VoIP.

Analog Private Branch Exchange Systems in West Kennebunk, ME

Many businesses have PBX systems that handle calls internally. This makes it possible to send calls to different phones depending on the extension. Analog PBX systems also facilitate voice mail, forwarding, conference calls and other sophisticated functions. They are popular among businesses that have multiple staff members with separate offices. A company can put the PBX equipment in its own building or pay a separate facility to host it.

The main downside of PSTN-based PBX systems in West Kennebunk, ME is that they cost considerable amounts of money. Most companies spend $1,000 or more when they buy the equipment. It can also be costly to set up this system and conduct the necessary maintenance. Some firms have employees with the appropriate expertise to perform these tasks. Others need to pay contractors who charge at least $100 per hour.

It often proves costly to upgrade analog PBX hardware. This may become necessary if a company hires more staff members or desires the latest technology. Most systems cap the number of extensions. Consequently, businesses must pay for expensive new equipment when they want to connect additional phones. Upgrades are sometimes complex, so installers need to have extensive technical expertise.

Private branch exchange systems occasionally malfunction or fail as they age. This can result in significant expenses when technicians need to replace or fix the equipment. Technical difficulties may also disrupt communications from time to time. Many of the above-mentioned problems can be avoided when companies opt to use business VoIP services instead of analog PBX systems.