Embracing VoIP: Navigating the PSTN Switch-Off and Ensuring Business Resilience

VoIP is taking the world by storm, especially because of the PSTN switch-off at the end of 2025. If you haven’t heard about that, in a nutshell, landlines are going to become obsolete by the end of 2025. In fact, as of September 5, 2023, BT Openreach began it’s initiative to stop selling the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). That will continue until the end of 2025. By then, VoIP will be the only means of wireless communication in the states. That's why know the most important VoIP questions before deciding the right provider is crucial.

Since then, many people have been migrating towards VoIP. Even though the technology is not new and has been around for quite a while, most people don’t know what it is or how it works. And more importantly, they do not know the most important questions to ask their provider before purchasing to ensure that they’re getting a good deal.

More importantly, to ensure that they’re getting something that will rather cripple their business. But how can VoIP cripple one’s business? And how can one avoid that? In today’s article, we will touch on these questions and many more.

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. It means that it is the transfer of voice bits over packets of the internet from one point to another. Back in the day, these voice bits traveled through cords to a main switch, and from there, they were redirected to reach another point. Now, all of this is done through the internet.

At one point, when a person speaks, the internet breaks down the voice particles and then reassembles them on the receiving end for the other person to hear. And since the Internet is readily available in most parts of the world, VoIP has grown in popularity over the last few years to establish itself as one of the most reliable communication methods.

Now that you know how the technology works, it’s time to know what the most important questions are to make sure that you get the best VoIP service and do not break your bank.

Questions to Ask Before Buying VoIP Services

How much does it cost?

Of course, one of the most important factors, and quite often the deciding one, is how much the service costs. But what’s more important than cost is the next question that you should be asking:

How am I getting billed?

Most people do not know that VoIP companies charge differently. Some of them charge a fixed fee per month per user for “unlimited calls,” and at the end of the month, you get struck with a bill that has a lot of add-ons and extra charges that you weren’t aware of. Because a lot of these companies have hidden fees not disclosed in their terms.

Some other companies charge you as you go. Which means you only pay for what you use. If your usage is low, you will not be charged a lot. Most companies tend to stray away from this option because it isn’t that profitable for them. They would rather charge you a lump sum for each user, regardless of their usage. And in reality, that user ends up barely using the service at all.

At Tonet, we make sure that we charge our clients fairly. Following the pricing model of pay as you go. We only charge our clients for what they use—nothing more, nothing less.

How reliable is your VoIP network?

While most buyers focus on cost, a lot of them tend to forget one of the more important VoIP questions: reliability. What good is a VoIP service that costs very little but breaks up when you’re having your most important client on the phone? Definitely not worth the risk. That’s why our third factor is how reliable the VoIP network of the provider is.

But how can I tell? You may ask. Well, there are two ways to verify that. Firstly, take a look at their reviews online and what other clients are saying about them. You will suprisingly find a lot of companies notorious for their bad connectivity. Or, better yet, you can ask for a free trial and try it yourself! Not a lot of companies will give you that option, because that will incur costs for them to open up a new account. At Tonet, we make sure that the client is 100% sure of their decision. Upon request, we provide our clients with free credit so that they can test the system and check the connectivity themselves. Ensuring they are content with their choice of provider.

What kind of customer support do you offer?

Support is the most crucial aspect of any business. This is what often breaks or makes it. Often times, the product is top-notch, but when the support doesn’t meet the quality of the product, it doesn’t really matter, and clients tend to find another provider. This is not a strong suit for big players like RingCentral, 8x8, and Nextiva because of the huge number of accounts under them. And if you ask me, it’s quite understandable because you can only keep up with so many accounts.

On the other hand, you have small players out there, like Tonet. We pride ourselves on the fact that our customer support is unmatched. Every client is important, and every request is crucial, no matter how big or small. We offer call support and chat support almost instantly. And because our team works from different parts of the world, we’re always online!

Aside from our exceptional reply time, our extensive documentation offers you a step-by-step guide to everything in our system. From the dashboard to the phone client. We want to make sure that you’re well informed of everything to ensure a smooth experience free from any frustrations.

Is there a contract?

Finally, you have to make sure you know what you’re getting into. Contracts will lock you up in a long-term deal that you might not need. Big companies will attract you with a hefty discount if you sign a long-term contract, and while the deal might be attractive, you have to make sure that all the VoIP questions that we asked have a positive answer, or else you will be locked in for a long time and unable to change your provider.

At Tonet, we do not lock you into any long-term contracts. One of the best features of our company is that you get to pay as you go and cancel anytime without any cancellation fees whatsoever. That will give you the peace of mind of controlling your budget and knowing exactly where each dollar you spent went.

In Summary

Choosing a VoIP provider is not as easy as it might seem. But after knowing the right VoIP questions to ask your potential provider, it will be a walk in the park. Make sure that you know the overall cost and how you will be charged. Have sufficient knowledge of the quality of calls, preferably by trying them yourself. Ask what kind of support they have. And finally, be sure to know if you’re getting into a long-term deal or a pay-as-you-go one. Be sure to know the answers to all these VoIP questions, and you’re golden!