Six Myths About Cloud Phone Systems Debunked

Unless you want to reach out and hug your phone system, here are six myths that I would like to de-bunk once and for all about a premise system versus a cloud or hosted solution.

Cloud Phone System Myth # 1

If my old phone system works OK, isn’t it cheaper to stick with it until the old system dies?

When you factor in PBX maintenance, increasing carrier fees, and the cost of changes made during expansion and relocation, as well as being unable to exploit many new VoIP features that integrate with office productivity tools, you might be losing money by sticking with outdated systems.

Waiting for a forced change, such as discontinued equipment or the closing or merging of your current telephony provider, can result in a rushed changeover and possible costly downtime. By switching to Cloud Phone System, you can stay ahead of the game and remain competitive without hitting a bump in day-to-day operations. Making the switch can be easy and far less painful than propping up an old, outdated system.

Cloud Phone System Myth # 2

Isn’t VoIP just a consumer solution? I see ads for Vonage on TV all the time.

Today there are business-class VoIP providers with solutions specifically tailored for business use with high-quality IP phones and PBX features such as extension dialing, auto attendants, ring groups, conference calling and more. These solutions can now deliver crystal-clear audio anywhere in the world.

Integrating voice, video and data on a single, secure network keeps employees productive from wherever they work, without compromising security or quality of service.

Cloud Phone System Myth # 3

Why do we need a Cloud Phone System service? Can’t we all just use our cell phones?

The best VoIP providers already have apps that connect your cell phone into the office phone system, giving you mobility and all the advantages of a full business phone system. You can then use your smartphone as a business extension whenever you want to, and reroute the calls when you don’t. You never have to give out your personal cell number for business, and you can get business calls on your smartphone when you travel.

Cloud Phone System Myth #4

We can manage our system fine by ourselves. Won’t it cost us less and be more reliable?

Actually, most premise based systems now are sold with almost mandatory maintenance agreements. The agreements cover software patches and hardware defects. They don’t cover upgrades. They don’t cover moves adds and changes. In most cases, they don’t cover the labor involved to make basic changes. When you take a look at the total cost of ownership of a system, over the course of ten years, you will probably be paying as much in maintenance as procuring another whole system! If you factor in the cost of the labor involved, you are looking at a much larger cost of ownership.

Reliability is really where a cloud phone system shines through. Cloud companies house their systems in data centers. A data center has multiple forms of redundancy- power redundancy between multiple grids and failover to back up generators, multiple redundancy to backbone carriers, and proper ventilation and cooling. An average business cannot even begin to approach this level of redundancy economically. Additionally, data centers are secure from unauthorized physical access with sophisticated biometric security systems and manned 24.7.365 professional security personnel restricting entrance and egress.

As a result cloud service providers can provide a service level agreement that will guarantee quality of service to you- in writing and enforceable.

Cloud Phone System Myth #5

Won’t I have to re-cable my premises to accommodate a cloud phone system?

Most IP phones today have built in pass through hubs so that you can install phones wherever you have a Category 5 or better network computer cable. Additionally, most cloud providers now have apps that you can install on smartphones like the iPhone or Android platform that will make your network enabled smartphone operate as a cordless set-frequently at no extra cost.

Cloud Phone System Myth #6

A phone system is a phone system. They’re all the same. If they go down, I am out of service, right?

If your premise based system goes down for whatever, you will have to redirect your main number to a cell phone from your carrier. If you experience a cable cut, you will be down. If you experience a equipment malfunction from hardware or software, you will be down.

On a hosted platform, with 99.999% reliability in writing from the cloud service provider, you can have your extension ring to a cell phone and frequently that is either done through an online user portal or via a quick call to customer service. On many hosted systems, you can log in remotely via an app on a smartphone or via a dial in from a plain ordinary telephone line. Net result: you are never down.