Internet phones herald new era for small business

Internet telephony will revolutionise working practices for small firms, offering them greater flexibility and more power to compete in the marketplace, according to a new telecoms service, VoIP Traders.

VoIP Traders believes small businesses and sole traders are currently missing out on the benefits of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), such as the ability to make and receive calls on your business number while out of the office, set up a ‘virtual office’ linking workers or associates operating from different sites, and ring home for free from anywhere in the world.

Using VoIP, voice calls are sent over the internet, largely bypassing fixed telephone lines. As a result it offers free or lower cost calls and significantly reduced telephone bills. However it also has a number of other key advantages:

? Businesses can use their office phones as usual from any location, provided there is access to an internet connection. Therefore it is ideal for people who spend a lot of time out of the office, work from different sites or travel overseas.

? One phone network provides a seamless link between people in different places. This is good news for small firms with homeworkers or staff at different sites, or for freelancers who can come together under the guise of one organisation to service a big client.

? One standard broadband connection will support up to five simultaneous telephone conversations, so it is possible to have multiple telephones with no extra line rental charge – ideal for growing businesses or home offices which need both a business and domestic line.

Gerald Freeman, director of VoIP Traders, says: “VoIP opens up new possibilities for small enterprises, offering them greater flexibility than ever before. It makes it easier to run your business while you are on the move and relocating office is just a matter of unplugging the phone and plugging it in at the new location.

“It supports the move towards flexible working by allowing staff to work from different locations, call other colleagues free of charge and transfer phone calls to each other just as they would in a conventional office. And it is a powerful tool for freelancers and sole traders, allowing them to join forces and present a unified front to win business from larger clients.

“VoIP offers significant savings. While some calls are free of charge, others are at a lower cost and there is also less need to rely on mobiles. It is of particular benefit to overseas travellers as they can ring the office free of charge and keep in touch with UK clients for the cost of a local call.”

VoIP is available to all businesses with a broadband connection and start-up costs are low. Prices for a standalone VoIP phone start at around £50 while a ‘soft phone’ (which runs on a computer) costs nothing.

VoIP Traders, a division of UK Corporate Telecom, has been set up specifically to provide VoIP services to the small business sector and offers line rental charges from less than £6 per month. For further information contact VoIP Traders on 0845 026 4721 or see www.voiptraders.co.uk.

VoIP Traders is a division of UK Corporate Telecom. Established in 2000, UK Corporate Telecom is an independent broker providing organisations in both the public and private sector with a complete range of telecoms services.