Voice over Internet Protcol (VOIP) is a protocol that enables the sending of voice communications over IP networks. Calls are converted to tiny packets of information which are capable of travelling over a broadband conection to a destination where they are converted back to voice at the receiving end.

VOIP can be achieved through a dedicated piece of hardware such as an IP phone system or a server running specialised software.

A VOIP telephone system can save money if you have more than one location or if you are putting in a new cabling scheme. It does require a lot more bandwidth than data and therefore it is recommended that you ensure your network is up to the job before considering VOIP.

The best solution for you might be a telephone system that can use existing phone wiring within the main office and VOIP for calls between locations. This combination works well if you have relatively new telecoms equipment – many phone systems can be VOIP enabled with software upgrades or hardware additions. If you are ready to replace an aging telephone system then it might be a good time to move to a VOIP enabled phone system.

Panasonic NCP500 and NCP1000 systems are VOIP enabled telephone systems that can be configured as a traditional  phonesystem and easily adapted to VOIP when required. These  phone systems also provide a platform to converge all of your communication devices and become more efficient.

Panasonic KXTDE 100,200 and 600 models are also VOIP enabled telephone systems for larger users

If you prefer a more scalable solution then we would recommend Swyxware, an award winning software based product designed to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses. A full range of telephony features are available direct from yor desktop PC or laptop and features such as conference bridging, call recording and mobile phone integration can be added when your business is ready for them.