VoIP is an attractive technology because it provides a novel way to communicate through the Internet.  When we way out the pros and cons, sometimes it can be difficult to decide whether the move makes sense.

VoIP is cheaper in the long run, once all the infrastructure is in place. Of course, the long term cost depends on a lot of factors - mainly the initial costs of setting up for VoIP infrastructure. For large companies, this may prove to be challenging, because a new configuration (or re-configuration) of the existing network to support VoIP protocols might prove to be a tall order. Sometimes it is recommended that VoIP run on an independent network. In addition, the number of lines also needs to be considered with respect to bandwidth to avoid latency.

A big advantage over traditional POTS services are the features that come with VoIP. With the infrastructure in place, companies now have a single point to refer to when managing their communication infrastructure. Considering this is an advantage, it can also prove to be a single point of failure. In comparison it is extremely rare for a POTS service to go down and bring all the lines with it - usually a few of the lines are still operable. VoIP server support e-mails, fax instant messaging, and of course telephone. In this manner, adding new functionality, such as voicemail, is fairly easy as compared to adding it to existing POTS services.

In addition, VoIP is portable. You can use your connection as long as a high speed Internet connection is available, using the same phone number internationally. What you gain in portability, you might lose in accessibility, as power outages will cut your Internet connection unless back up power is available.

A common work around the single point of failure issue is to use a well known provider like Skype. In this case, the processes are running from the peers that run the software. This is the main difference between traditional VoIP and Skype.

When deciding to choose between traditional POTS and VoIP solutions, some evaluations need to be made on several levels. Potential employee growth and usage is important, but the networks behind the scenes as well as maintenance and deployment crew needs to be in place. Cost can be larger up front when implementing a VoIP solution, but with respect to monthly charges and maintenance can  prove to be a lot cheaper in the long run.

For more information on an affordable VoIP solution, visit I.T. Montreal (http://www.itmontreal.com/) , a leading web development company located in Montreal, Quebec.

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