A Guide to Vendors that Support IP Business Phones

By Ryan Ayers
Updated: May 09, 2011

Finding the service provider that best fits your business IP telephony needs is of paramount importance in today’s business world. Your provider will help your business utilize your IP system in the most effective manner and enable your business networks to run as efficiently as possible.

Below are several hosted IP vendors that specialize in Business phone systems and are among the best available to help your business design, deploy, and maintain your IP network.

8X8

8X8, Inc. provides Unified Communications (UC) solutions for business. They provide full-service hosting arrangements and pride themselves on their U.S. based customer service programs. 8X8 focuses mainly on comprehensive hosting plans, emergent technology, and cost effectiveness.

8X8 clients enjoy state-of the art technology within their hosted UC platform, such as:

• Industry leading routing/compression
• HD audio
• Managed dedicated servers
• Fortune 500 calling features

Along with the technological amenities, 8X8 ensures superior customer service and support and does this all while maintaining lower overall costs than many hosted IP phone providers.

Fonality

Fonality provides UC solutions for business with an eye toward cloud technology. Their main focus is on the hosted nature of their service and allowing businesses to adapt and change their service without having much in the way of on-premise physical hardware. Fonality’s customers benefit from their focus on integration of communications and productivity platforms.

Fonality provides a full-service UC suite that contains:

• Unified Communications solutions
• CRM/Contact center integration
• Cloud Communications Platform

Fonality caters to businesses that require a high percentage of uptime and need both a reliable network and one that can adapt and grow over time. They offer many solutions that can be modified and improved upon as business needs change while keeping the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) as low as possible.

Call Tower

Call Tower is acutely aware that many businesses start with one IP phone solution and eventually outgrow it. Their main focus is in the area of being a true hosted provider. Call Tower provides its clients with Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), enabling their customers to benefit from cutting-edge technologies without the costs involved with maintenance.

Call Tower provides:

• UCaaS
• Hosted IP PBX services
• Access to emergent technologies
• Proprietary technologies such as Call Tower Voice Cube

Additionally, Call Tower allows its customers to evolve their IP solutions as their companies grow. There are many options available within Call Tower’s hosting plans that allow for growth and adaptation to meet changing business needs.

Vocalocity

Vocalocity is a company that fulfills a very important need in the business market. Their focus is solely on smaller companies in need of IP and communications solutions. With an understanding that smaller businesses have a different set of needs than their larger counterparts, Vocalocity offers services that cater to these specifically different needs.

Small businesses using Vocalocity can benefit from:

• No contract business VoIP hosting services
• Hosted IP PBX technology
• Impressive feature packages
• Ability to completely customize a business IP system

Vocalocity does not offer residential service, nor does it cater to large businesses. With its focus squarely with smaller businesses, and with an intensive customer support program in place, Vocalocity is positioned to help smaller business succeed and grow.

Using your VoIP telephone systems to help your business function more productively and efficiently is a key component for any business. Finding the right provider to fit your business’ unique needs and challenges and to become your partner is among the most important factors in the efficacy of your IP systems.