Telecoms for Small Offices

 

 

 

 

 The increasing availability of Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) solutions has some specific advantages for micro businesses.

 

 

 

Scenario 1 Micro business run from home

Traditionally a home business would have bought a second line from BT and fed that line to a handset in the office.  More recently the handset  would have been a Dect cordless enabling the phone to be answered from anywhere in the house. The problem is in the cost, a second line is costly to install and the monthly rental for a business line is high.

Nowadays most businesses have a broadband connection to the internet. (If you don't speak to us!) This broadband connection enables you to have:-

  • A line with a geographic (e.g. 01223xxxx for Cambridge), 0845 or 0870 number for a very small fee.
  • A software 'phone on your PC for nothing, plus perhaps a handset that acts the same as a normal phone for much the same price as as a normal 'phone. Or
  • If you have a network you can have an IP phone which is independent of your computer

Note that even if you only have one PC connected direct to broadband it is cheaper to install a network than install a BT line.

 

 

 

 

 Scenario 2 - Portfolio Worker regularly working in clients' offices

 

Currently most people who work at several workplaces rely on the mobile 'phone for their voice communication - at a price.  Now-a-days the independant consultant or portfolio worker can set up a small VOIP enabled switchboard at their home or base office and can then connect through their clients' internet connection to their switchboard, thus ensuring that they always appear to be in the office.  This is done with a softphone and USB handset.

 

This technique can also be used in wireless hotspots.

 

 

 
 

 

 Scenario 3 - Micro Company of several workers all working at home

 

For companies that comprise several colleagues all working from their own homes, there is the issue of which home to direct the telephones to.  Using the right equipment a call to one home office can ring 'phones in all homes and it can appear to the client that they are all in the same office.

The use of  arrangement gives full PBX functionality acroos the home offices, and can also be deployed in wireless hotspots or client premises.

 

 

 

 
 

Scenario 4 - Micro Company of several workers all working at home using a virtual switchboard

 

With the introduction of virtual VOIP switchboards companies can now run without having their switchboard in their offices.  Vitual switchboards are available commercially and for free, and for the micro company, especially during start up, the free option is especially attractive. Analogue (BT) lines can be connected in using an adapter with FXO and FXS connections which then gives very similar functionality to Scenario 3 above, but at a reduced price.

 

 

 

 

To see a user maunal for Asterix at Home click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Information:

 

 

 

 

Phone: 0703 194 1134
Fax: 08700 685 129