4 FACTORS IMPACTING THE COST OF PHONE SYSTEM UPGRADES

Phone technology for business purposes has come a long way in recent years. By integrating office phones with mobile data and other accessibility features, it is now easier than ever before to take care of business on the go without missing a beat. When choosing which phone system upgrades to make, there are a few important factors that will ultimately influence the price you pay going forward.

  • Your Current Network: If there is one thing that cannot be avoided in the world of phone technology for business, it is the need for a very reliable network. No matter which modern phone system you choose to go with, you will almost certainly need to have a solid network already in place to handle the increased data and call traffic. Assessing your current network conditions for use with VoIP and other cloud-based phone technologies can have a huge impact on how much it costs to upgrade your phones.
  • Advanced Features: Most basic phone technology already comes with a number of built-in features like voice mail and call forwarding – technologies that were a premium in years past. However, as those have become standard fare, a whole new suite of advanced features has been added to the list. Fax-to-email support, video conferencing, and other recent advancements will add a few extra dollars to your phone bill each month.
  • Scalability: Your newly upgraded phone system needs to be ready to change as your business evolves. Clearly, you are already going through an upgrade because your old system is outdated. Choosing phone technology that can grow with your company will keep you from having to make another large phone system investment in the near future.
  • Mobility: Now that the majority of your employees have access to mobile technology, providing app integration and business phone support in the field is an important factor. You can decide how much data and access you want employees to have when they are away from their desks. Your decision to add support for extended reach will mean paying close attention to the quality of calls and the bandwidth needed to support employees abroad. If you need to increase your available bandwidth to accommodate telecommuters or reduce their mobile functionalities to retain call quality, you can expect to spend a little extra money.

Upgrading your phone technology will help you maintain better control over your operation and handle customer calls more effectively. The four main factors that impact the cost of a phone system upgrade will be the network you currently have in place, the number of specialty features you decide to implement, your projections for future growth, and your ability to support more and more mobile functionalities without losing quality and clarity during phone calls. Fortunately, many of these upgrades show a high return on investment in the long term, and your actual phone bill will decrease over time with VoIP-based technology as well.


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