Where many people get confused, however, is whether they should go for a hosted VoIP solution or an on-premise VoIP system.
What is Hosted VoIP?
A hosted PBX system is one in which your phone systems connect through the Internet to a provider that hosts your PBX system in the cloud or that gives you an option to host your PBX in the cloud (with 3CX for example, you can host your PBX on Amazon, Google, Microsoft Azure, and more). Alternatively, you can get it hosted by 3CX and enjoy 1 year free hosting!
So what are the benefits of using this setup?
Here are five benefits of using hosted VoIP:
- You save on installation costs: One of the main benefits of hosted VoIP comes during setup: there’s nothing really to install on-site, so setting things up costs little or nothing.
- You save on maintenance costs: Unlike on-premise VoIP, maintenance of hosted VoIP is much more wallet-friendly. Maintenance is done automatically by your hosted VoIP provider, and is often included in the overall cost.
- You don’t need to have dedicated IT staff/teams: Besides the initial cost of an on-premise VoIP setup, one of the major expenses is in payroll due to the need to have an IT staff/team that can manage your VoIP system. With hosted VoIP, regardless of the size of your organization, there is rarely the need for dedicated IT staff.
- It’s a lot easier to expand/scale without moving things or buying additional equipment: While many love the perceived control an on-premise VoIP service gives them, one of the costs of using on-premise VoIP is delay when you want to scale or expand your VoIP system. This problem doesn’t exist with hosted VoIP. You can scale your VoIP system without purchasing/setting up additional equipment; you only have to talk to your provider and click some buttons.
- Upgrades and maintenance are usually fast and automated: One of the most significant advantages of using hosted VoIP is that you get fast and automated updates — usually done in the background without you knowing. This ensures you’re always using a reliable and secure VoIP setup.