In the World Wide Web, there are numerous sources and references that describe the benefits of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) such as allowing people to communicate with each other for free. It also provides the corporate world flexibility through many features that address their business communication needs. However, there are also downsides when using voice over IP.VoIP And Its Flaws
- Dependent On Bandwidth:
VoIP could also be called Internet Telephony. Having an IP phone lets you to talk with someone over the Internet. Bandwidth is a requirement when using the Internet and a VoIP system requires a fast and stable connection to have quality communication between you and the person you are talking with. A broadband connection is ideal because a dial-up connection is slow and would lead to unstable communication between you and the person you are talking to.
- Quality Control:
Your call’s quality is highly reliant on your Internet provider’s services. If you have subscribed to a substandard service, you are then expected to have choppy or unstable calls.
- No Connection, No Service:
VoIP uses the Internet to allow you to make calls via your home phone since the “I” in VoIP stands for “Internet”. In other words (unlike a landline connection), if you do not have Internet then there is no phone. Your VoIP-reliant phones or gadgets are useless without Internet connectivity.
- Corporate Context:
Most likely, you are using VoIP to communicate with your clients and/or employees which means that you are sharing the Internet connection with hundreds of other people. Sharing connection means sharing bandwidth, and since you cannot keep an eye on what other people are doing with their connection, you cannot assure a stable Internet connectivity. If your employees are streaming videos or downloading large files, your connection will be slower. Since VoIP relies on Internet connection, there is a possibility that the quality of your calls would be affected.
- VoIP Needs To Be Plugged In:
Not only does VoIP require Internet, it requires power. So if the electricity goes down, so will your phone. If you want to use VoIP for your communication solutions, you should prepare a back-up power supply in case you experience a blackout.
- Calling Emergency Services:
VoIP providers are not obligated to connect to 911 emergency calls so a business IP phone may not be able to contact emergency services during urgent situations. When you are looking for a VoIP system, you have to make sure that it allows you to contact these emergency services in case your company experiences any disasters.
- Security:
Just like all technology connected to the Internet, VoIP still faces security threats such as viruses and malwares. Certain precautions can help you avoid these cyber threats. Download reliable anti-virus software to protect your VoIP and computer from viruses.
With these cons, it is clear that VoIP also has its share of flaws. The purpose of detailing these disadvantages is not to discourage people from using this communication feature. Rather, it lets people know the disadvantages when they use their VoIP phones. This way, VoIP-users can avoid future problems after they use a internet phone system like the RingCentral VoIP.
Over-All Voice over IP Advantages
Nevertheless, its advantages still make it essential and beneficial to all sectors of society especially in the business world. VoIP communication systems give business entities an edge by providing a better means to communicate with present business partners as well as other organizations. It is also easier to use, more flexible and more convenient compared to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). They are also cheaper because you can use any business IP phone available in the market and wiring costs are negligible because it relies on LAN (Local Area Network) or an Internet connection. Thus, businesses can rely on having an IP phone for good communication even when those disadvantages occur.