Integrated Internet Telephony (VoIP) in Your Company – How to Start 

1. Why should you use Internet telephony – VoIP in your company? 

VoIP telephony has all the advantages of landline telephony – a number in any dialing area, stability, and call quality – while being cheaper. Despite the ongoing price competition among operators and the gradual leveling of prices, VoIP can still reduce call costs by up to several dozen percent. For example, PWN Scientific Publishing reduced their telecommunication costs by half thanks to VoIP. 

Moreover, VoIP offers access to services missing from mobile operators’ offerings, which are very important for businesses. One of them is IVR, a service that generates automatic voice prompts, also using voice synthesis. Using a very clear graphical interface, the client can set up notifications in a few seconds using a web browser, which will be emitted after the customer selects a specific phone number. These prompts can inform, for example, about the unavailability of a subscriber at certain hours and the possibility of redirecting the call to a specific department. A company using VoIP can also configure internal numbers and set up call forwarding independently. This allows a caller from the Mazowieckie Voivodeship to be automatically redirected to the Warsaw branch instead of, for example, the Krakow branch. 

VoIP also allows for call recording, forwarding, queuing, and receiving calls directed to a landline number via a mobile phone. This practically enables the creation of a virtual office. 

Another interesting service available to VoIP customers is the hotline service. A caller dialing a nationwide 80x number is seamlessly redirected to a predefined landline or mobile number by the hotline owner. This is an excellent solution, especially for customers operating in multiple locations. 

In the age of the digital economy, where customer-company relationships are becoming increasingly anonymous, a landline phone is, for many consumers, a confirmation of the company’s position and a clear signal that the company has a physical location and is not a virtual entity. Companies that want to have a landline number increasingly choose VoIP. It provides a landline number while being cheaper and more functional than traditional telephony. 

IP telephony will coexist with mobile telephony, complementing it, for example, where the operator’s coverage is insufficient. At the same time, it will increasingly replace traditional landline telephony. This trend is observed in the United States, EU countries, and Poland, as confirmed by UKE data. 

2. How to implement VoIP in your company. Recommended way to implement VoIP telephony in your company.

There are several ways to implement VoIP – the simplest is to expand the existing telecommunication infrastructure in the company with Internet telephony using VoIP gateways, which can be connected to existing phones or exchanges. This solution allows retaining existing devices (e.g., system phones) and employee habits while taking advantage of Internet telephony’s benefits – cheaper or even free calls. 

A more advanced implementation involves purchasing VoIP phones and a new telephone exchange, which is worth considering when creating a new telecommunication system. This solution reduces costs and brings new possibilities such as a central phone book, tele- and video conferences, the ability to connect branches, logging into a phone with a PIN code so that an employee traveling to another branch can use any phone as if they were at their desk. 

In many cases, a physical telephone exchange can be replaced with cloud-based solutions maintained by the operator. This is particularly interesting for small and medium-sized companies that do not have specialists to manage a physical exchange. Cloud solutions are often offered at the price of a telecommunication service, which is also significant when determining the budget for the entire implementation. 

Cloud-based solutions (so-called SaaS – software as a service) are recommended for small and medium-sized enterprises, which will not bear the costs of maintaining and developing telecommunication infrastructure in the future, and all functions of a physical exchange will be taken over by a cloud service managed via a web browser (e.g., voice prompts, call forwarding, queuing, simple integrations with external systems, internal numbers). EasyCall has an innovative tool for managing virtual exchange functions using drag and drop. 

For larger enterprises with a multi-branch structure or a significant number of employees in many locations, we recommend purchasing an exchange adapted to increased needs in both performance and functionality. However, this solution is much more expensive than the SaaS model offered by the operator. 

It should be emphasized that after choosing the implementation method or during the implementation, you should select a telecommunication operator that will provide the virtual exchange as a service or integrate and launch the purchased telephone exchange. To launch Internet telephony in the company, an internet connection is also required. 

EasyCall, after analyzing and auditing the client’s telecommunication needs, can provide both a cloud VoIP solution, integrate with existing client exchanges, or deliver a ready-made exchange tailored to the client’s specific needs. This means that the implementation method is always adapted to the client’s needs and financial capabilities. Our company will also provide an internet connection if the company does not have one. 

3. What is your opinion on solutions like Skype? Many users believe that Skype is sufficient for them. Is it better to use VoIP? What are the main benefits of VoIP?

Skype is a good consumer solution, but from a business user’s perspective, it has more disadvantages than advantages. There are many arguments for VoIP. Firstly, we offer a Polish VAT invoice and prices in zlotys – this is a significant advantage for entrepreneurs. Additionally, we offer post-paid settlements based on a monthly invoice, enable calls to emergency numbers, and number portability from other networks. We also offer fax support – both through fax machines and fax2mail solutions, a virtual exchange service, and a range of additional services such as a central phone book displayed on the phone or a secretary phone (i.e., signaling the occupancy of individual numbers within the company). 

We also provide technical support – our salespeople can visit the client, advise on equipment selection, connect and configure it, and offer support in case of problems. We also offer equipment that integrates with existing solutions in the company. This makes the investment in such an implementation pay off faster, as the client does not have to replace all the equipment in the company when deciding on VoIP. Lastly, with EasyCall, you can call Skype for free, but the opposite is not possible. 

4. Does VoIP allow for video conferencing for group calls?

VoIP telephony is well-prepared for video conferencing – depending on the operator’s capabilities, they can be supported by their infrastructure or require a special teleconference server. It is also important to equip participants with appropriate equipment – video phones or dedicated conference sets. 

Recently, representatives of a large development company wanted to ensure the participation of people from all over Poland in a business conference, including those who could not attend the agreed place and time. The company wanted 800 people to participate remotely in the meeting simultaneously. We took on the task and provided the necessary resources for the teleconference practically overnight. Participants dialed a specific number to participate remotely in the meeting. The client could specify in real-time who could speak and whose voice would not be transmitted to the other participants. After the conference, we made the recording available under a specific phone number. Connecting to this number allowed listening to the lecture and the accompanying discussion, regardless of the time of day or location. 

This example shows that VoIP is increasingly becoming the basis for tele and video conferencing systems. This is due to the rapid development of broadband technology and IP telephony itself, which allows for quick voice and video transmission over long distances. Today, it is possible to establish simultaneous connections with hundreds of people from many countries without worrying about call costs. A remote meeting participant on-site can connect with people from other countries without incurring international call costs. 

The applications of teleconferencing systems include not only business meetings and conferences but also training. The solutions used allow for voice transmission and video – both live and slideshows or a remote computer screen. At the same time, we can also run a parallel chat. 

We can send an email, SMS, or voice message to participants about the scheduled conference. No additional equipment or software installation is needed for voice transmission and conference participation. The entire teleconference system is operated through a web browser. 

In the future, we can expect teleconferencing systems to adapt to general meeting requirements. This will allow participation in various types of voting. 

5. What distinguishes EasyCall services from the telecommunication market, and why should companies be interested in them?

We have been operating in the telecommunication market for over 10 years and are listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Our services are used by small and medium-sized businesses, public administration, and telecoms such as Netia, TK Telekom, and GTS. We continuously introduce new, proprietary solutions with SMEs in mind. An example is the virtual exchange – a cloud computing product that allows managing a company’s phone network via a web browser. We offer it for free as part of the subscription, and anyone who uses the internet can handle it. It is currently the most intuitive solution offered in Poland.