Hosted Phone System

When exploring VoIP solutions, it’s important to consider several key factors that affect pricing: the number of users or lines needed, the variety and sophistication of features (such as advanced call management and integration capabilities), the nature of your calling plans (including international calling costs), initial setup and equipment expenses, the level of service and support guaranteed by your provider, and the system’s ability to scale and adapt to your business’s evolving needs.

Additionally, the cost can vary based on the need for enhanced security measures, compliance with regulations, and the potential for system integration with existing business tools. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in determining the overall cost and value of a VoIP service, ensuring you choose a solution that aligns with your business objectives and budget constraints.

Here are some factors that contribute to its pricing:  

1. Users: Prices range from $18-$35 per month/user  

2. Phone options: Desk top phones vary from $100 to $400. Conference room phones range from $200-$1,500.  

3. Add-on features: Calling features can range from $5-$15 per feature monthly (Call recording, auto attendants), software packages range from $20-$100 per package per month (AI support tools, analytics)   

4. Hardware: We recommend PoE switches (Power over Ethernet). The overall cost of hardware per user for a phone system range from $75 – $500, depending on the number of users and whether or not new infrastructure is needed.  

5. Internet: Internet prices are the most variable cost factor, depending on a mix of users, business requirements, availability, carrier, and geographic location. However, most of our clients have 2, sometimes 3 circuits ranging from $500/mo.-$2500/mo.

6. Initial Setup Costs: Some providers may apply a one-time charge for account creation and system configuration depending on the size and scope. 

Learn more about Universal Connectivity’s VoIP services for business.

Yes, switching to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution can lead to significant savings for your business and is often cheaper than an analog phone system. Studies have demonstrated that small businesses can reduce their phone bills by up to 45% each month after transitioning to VoIP. Beyond cost savings, VoIP offers several advantages over traditional landline systems, including increased flexibility, scalability, enhanced mobility, features & integrations (like call analytics, CRM), and improved security. Additionally, VoIP services support both traditional voice calls and video calling, providing a versatile communication platform for modern businesses. Given these benefits, VoIP presents a compelling value proposition for companies looking to optimize their communication expenses and capabilities. 

Learn more about a VoIP solution for your business.

When considering a move to cloud-based collaboration and communication solutions, businesses often evaluate the three market leaders: Zoom, Cisco Webex, and Microsoft Teams. These platforms offer many similar features via the cloud, including chat, collaboration, meetings, webinars, events, and phone services. However, distinct differences exist that can significantly impact which platform best aligns with an organization’s unique requirements. While their core functionalities are largely comparable, there are distinct differences worth noting:

• Contact Center Solutions
• CPaaS Offerings
• Office 365 Integration
• Licensing Complexity
• Productivity Suite Extensions
• On-Premises Deployment Option
• Adding Phones and Phone Numbers to Zoom, Cisco Webex, and Teams

Learn more about the difference between Zoom vs. Webex vs. Teams.

The choice between physical desk phones, leveraging apps on existing devices, or investing in video phones depends on your business’s specific needs, budget, and the desired flexibility of your cloud collaboration system. Considering the necessary hardware is crucial when adopting a cloud-hosted calling system or any call system. For your cloud collaboration system, you have several options regarding phones.   

• App-Based Calling: One of the major advantages of cloud-hosted calling systems is the ability to use a desktop or smartphone app. This option allows you to utilize existing technology, avoiding the significant costs often associated with deploying cloud-hosted calling systems. It also offers the flexibility for users to take their business phones anywhere. For optimal audio quality, investing in reliable headsets, which cost between $100 and $400, is advisable and remains more cost-effective than traditional desk phones.  

• Purchase Desk Phones: Traditional desk phones remain a favored choice for many businesses. Each Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform supports specific phone models (e.g., Webex Calling is compatible with their 7800 and 8800 series phones). Prices start at about $150 for a basic model and can exceed $1,000 for models with advanced features like call monitoring, video, and Bluetooth capabilities. Compatibility varies across UCaaS providers, with support for brands like Cisco, Poly, and Grandstream and pricing reflects the feature set of each device.  

• Invest in Video Phones: For businesses aiming to enable video calls via dedicated video phones, there are numerous options across a spectrum of costs. Video-enabled desk phones typically range from $400 to $600, whereas external monitor video phones are priced around $12,000. For larger video conferencing needs, camera kits designed for meeting spaces start at approximately $12,000 and can go up to $80,000 for more extensive setups.  

  Learn more about Universal Connectivity’s business phone systems.

Here is a summary of how Universal Connectivity compares in each of the main considerations when choosing a telecommunications partner:

Security: Universal Connectivity deploys its platform across ISO27001 audited data centers, SOC2 certified, 24/7 network monitoring, FCC Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) compliance. Ring Central, Nextiva 8×8 and Cisco Webex Calling also have SOC2 & ISO 27001 certifications.

Support: Universal Connectivity offers a significant advantage with its 24/7 US-based support and high Net Promoter Score (NPS). Nextiva also receives positive reviews for support, while Ring Central and 8X8 rely largely on international support teams.

Uptime: Universal Connectivity’s uptime is 100%. Nextiva, Ring Central, 8X8 and Cisco Webex publish uptimes of 99.99%.

Phone Compatibility: Universal Connectivity supports multiple manufacturers of phones including Poly, Cisco and Grandstream to fit any use case. Nextiva and Ring Central also support multiple phone manufacturers, while Cisco Webex Calling limits phone options to their own devices or a select few from other manufacturers.

Cost: Universal Connectivity offers competitive rates and easy-to-understand pricing compared with the multi-tiered plans of Nextiva, Ring Central, Cisco and 8X8. This transparency makes it easier to plan and scale solutions to meet your business needs.

Learn more about the difference between Nextiva vs. Ring Central vs. 8X8 vs. Webex.

Why choose VoIP phone services over traditional phone lines? Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP is crucial for businesses considering a switch. Here’s a quick overview to help start the conversation in exploring whether it’s the right solution for your communication needs.  

Advantages of VoIP

• Cost Savings: Generally cheaper than traditional phone lines, especially for long-distance and international calls.
• Support for unified communications: Capability to combine multiple communication tools (like voice, video conferencing, messaging, and collaboration features) into a single, cohesive platform.
• Secure connections: VoIP systems can offer encrypted communication, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected from unauthorized access.
• Functionality: Can be used on various devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets, allowing for easy communication anywhere with internet access, providing complete portability.
• Scalability: Easy to add or remove lines as your business grows or changes.
• Advanced Features: Includes features like voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, and video conferencing that aren’t typically available with traditional phone systems.
• Easy Integration: Can be integrated with other business systems like CRM software, improving efficiency.

Disadvantages of VoIP

• Security Concerns: VoIP calls can be vulnerable to cyber threats like hacking or eavesdropping if not properly secured.
• Internet Dependency: Requires a stable internet connection; poor internet quality can lead to dropped calls or poor voice quality.
• Power Outages: If the power goes out, VoIP services may not work unless there is a backup power source.
• Latency Issues: Can experience delays or lag in communication, especially with poor internet connections or network congestion.

Critical note: A properly designed network is important as it will improve VoIP call quality by minimizing delay and sound issues. Latency (delay) can cause pauses in conversations, while jitter (distortion) can result in choppy or unclear speech. Reducing or eliminating these problems ensures clearer and more reliable communication, which is essential in professional settings.

Understanding the difference between CPaaS and UCaaS is crucial when selecting the right communication solution for your business. CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) and UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) are both cloud-based communication solutions, but they serve different purposes.

CPaaS provides developers with the tools and APIs to add real-time communication features like voice, video, and messaging to their apps and websites. It’s flexible and customizable, allowing businesses to integrate specific communication functionalities as needed.

UCaaS, on the other hand, offers a complete suite of communication tools, including voice calls, video conferencing, messaging, and collaboration, all in one platform. It’s designed to be an all-in-one solution for business communications, simplifying setup and management.

When deciding between CPaaS and UCaaS, businesses should assess their specific communication needs and technical capabilities. If a company needs highly customizable solutions or wants to integrate communication features into existing apps, CPaaS is ideal. However, if the goal is to streamline communications with a ready-to-use, comprehensive suite of tools, UCaaS is the better choice.

BYOB, or Bring Your Own Bandwidth refers to internet services. A business can subscribe to our VoIP service (for example) but use their choice of internet provider.

OTT, or Over-the-Top, refers to the delivery of media content and communication services directly to users via the internet, bypassing traditional distribution methods like cable or satellite television. This includes streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, as well as internet-based communication services like VoIP (Voice over IP) and messaging apps.

OTT services do not require users to subscribe to traditional cable or satellite packages, providing more flexibility and often lower costs for accessing content and communication tools. 

Enhanced 911 (E911) service automatically transmits a caller’s location to emergency responders when dialing 911. Universal Connectivity provides mandatory E911 service for all U.S. inbound/outbound voice and fax lines, excluding virtual and toll-free numbers. The E911 Service Fee is a monthly charge per qualifying line to recover Universal Connectivity’s direct costs in providing this critical service. Additionally, state and local E911 taxes may apply based on the customer’s service address to fund local emergency programs. While the E911 Service Fee is set by Universal Connectivity, E911 taxes are government-mandated and vary by location. Understanding these fees helps ensure reliable access to emergency services while using VoIP technology. 

NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a customer satisfaction metric based on feedback received from surveys given to customers based on one question; on a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend our product and service to a friend and colleague? We are very proud that Universal Connectivity’s Net Promoter Score is 83 in an industry average of 31. 

Quality of Service (QoS) is a technology that helps ensure your internet connection runs smoothly, especially when multiple devices are using it simultaneously. It manages and prioritizes different types of network traffic, ensuring that important applications get the bandwidth and performance they need. Businesses use QoS to prioritize critical data—such as VoIP (internet phone calls), video conferences, or other latency and jitter sensitive applications—over less critical or latency and jitter sensitive data, like file downloads. This helps reduce delays and improve performance for the activities that matter most. 

Quality of Service (QoS) is particularly useful if your business runs multiple services on the same network, especially when some are more important or time-sensitive than others. It helps prevent disruptions and ensures that key services (VoIP or video conferencing) run smoothly, even when the network is congested. If your business has plenty of bandwidth and doesn’t rely on these types of services, QoS might not be as necessary. However, for many companies, it’s a vital tool to keep communications and operations running effectively.

The main difference between PBX and hosted PBX lies in where the system is located and who manages it.  

A PBX (Private Branch Exchange): This is a phone system used by businesses to manage internal and external calls. Traditional PBX systems are installed and maintained on-site, requiring hardware and infrastructure within your office. 

A Hosted PBX: This is a cloud-based phone system. This means your phone system is managed by a provider over the internet, eliminating the need for on-site hardware. It’s easier to maintain, offers more flexibility for remote work, and often reduces costs. 

In short, PBX is on-site and self-managed, while hosted PBX is cloud-based and managed for you.