Cloud computing is revolutionizing business operations. Companies can now carry out business transactions in real time at separate, often distant, locations, without losing control over their networked services. The cloud’s revolutionary potential is especially evident in the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services it offers businesses in place of traditional in-house phone systems.

As communication speed and quality become top corporate priorities, cloud-based VoIP phone systems are emerging as the most practical and affordable solution due to the following reasons:

Lower Service Costs

VoIP phone systems allow companies to effectively outsource telecommunications costs. With VoIP, the primary switching and routing is done in the cloud, so service options increase and operational costs decrease. Also, VoIP reduces physical in-house equipment requirements without compromising on the sound quality which equals that of traditional phone systems.

Scalability and Control

Cloud-based VoIP phones are more flexible than a traditional system and give the in-house administrator more control. Making changes in the system once required weeks or even months of planning, but now these can be set up online in a matter of minutes. This is because cloud-based VoIP systems are not constrained by hardwiring or phone-company switching.

VoIP’s flexibility also has other benefits, such as:

• No limit on number of phone connections.
• Automatic call-routing to any online terminal or phone.
• Different numbers, or blocks of numbers, can be designated for different services.
• Moving to a new location, or operating from multiple ones, is easy.

Reduced IT Requirements

The growing need for larger IT departments has become a burden for many small- and medium-sized companies. Through VoIP and other cloud services, a company’s IT infrastructure can be frozen or even reduced in size. Without extensive phone equipment to maintain, IT departments would have fewer demands on their time and services. Additionally, introducing cloud computing into company operations eliminates many software upgrades so that IT responsibilities can be reduced to the most essential in-house network services.

Full Mobile Communications

Traditional phone systems are limited and require a great deal of support. Cloud-based telephony allows businesses to redirect communications to any viable phone number or group of numbers. Full mobile communications, including voice or video conferencing, can take place between any location points around the world. Cloud computing turns the office desk into a virtual office that can go anywhere, resulting in increased productivity from mobile staff.

The Cloud is Reliable

With an in-house phone system, establishing a dependable disaster recovery plan can be almost impossible. In contrast, using the cloud and VoIP services means that the infrastructure is already decentralized, so business communications are not susceptible to local emergency situations. Even if the office building is inaccessible, calls can still be routed transparently to temporary offices or other locations.

Cloud computing is ushering in a new age of global business transactions. Cloud communications have the ability to increase productivity, eliminate downtime, and reduce company overhead. It is easy to see how cloud computing and VoIP phone systems are the perfect match for a company’s bottom line.