Originally published on August 16, 2009 in our free SmallLaw newsletter.
The FCC defines Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as "a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line." I define it as a way for small law firms like ours to reduce our telephone costs. In this issue of SmallLaw, I'll tell you everything you need to know about making the switch to VoIP.GETTING UP AND RUNNING
I use multiple flavors of VoIP, but let's speak in terms of some of the more standard services such as Vonage, which you may find less daunting for your initial entry into the world of VoIP.
Think of Vonage as a replacement for your "regular" phone company. You sign up with Vonage (while leaving some overlap with your regular old phone service — often referred to as POTS for "Plain Old Telephone Service") just to be on the safe side until everything is up and running well.
Vonage will give you a new number, which can be either a regular or "toll free" number. However, you can transfer your existing telephone number to Vonage. It may take a few days to accomplish, but from a practical standpoint you can make it appear to work immediately by "forwarding" calls to your temporarily-still-in-existence POTS line to your new Vonage number until the change-over is complete. Note also that there are cheaper and perhaps more satisfactory alternatives to obtaining an 800 number from Vonage that you can use while still using Vonage as your carrier.
Vonage will provide you with a small adapter (perhaps the size of two cigarette packages, if any of you remember those) that you plug into your Internet modem or switch. This equipment must remain on all the time for your phones to work, but individual computers on your network may be turned off. Also, most standard VoIP services (such as Vonage) provide voicemail so you can receive message in the event your Internet modem is inadvertently (or even intentionally) disconnected.
VOICE, FAX, AND COSTS
Once you have connected the adapter provided to you by Vonage to your Internet connection, you can plug any old phone or phone system into that adapter, just as you would previously have plugged such a phone or phone system into your POTS line. You could (but almost certainly should not) use an old fashioned regular "desk phone," which you could use only that one single location. More likely, you will want to plug into the adapter the "base" unit of a multiple handset phone system (the very same kind you would install in your home or small office if you wanted a multiple handset system, and plugged the "base" unit into a POTS line).
You then proceed precisely as if the base unit were plugged into a POTS line instead of into a VoIP line. If the telephone system you plug in would require you to go through some routine for the handsets to locate and recognize the base unit if plugged in to a POTS line, you do exactly the same if the base unit is plugged into a VoIP line.
Vonage will also supply you also with a fax line. Frankly, you would probably have reasonable success using a Vonage voice line for faxing, but Vonage says their lines intended especially for "faxing" are far better and more reliable for that purpose. With some Vonage plans, a fax line is a "free" included extra. With other plans, it costs an extra $10 or so per month.
VoIP is typically far less expensive that traditional POTS service. The basic monthly fee often covers unlimited calls to the U.S., Canada, and Europe — with calls outside those areas at a very low rate. Furthermore, if you want to travel with your small adapter, you can hook it up anywhere in the world and incur no charges beyond your monthly flat fee, and anyone can call you as though you were at home. If you get stuck, you will find that Vonage customer service and support will help you out.
AUTO ATTENDANT AND CALL HANDLING
Once everything is set up as aforesaid, using your telephone is, at least in theory, indistinguishable from using a "regular" telephone. In fact it may be even better. Some VoIP services function like a PBX service. You can set up an auto-attendant to answer, saying "Thanks for calling, press 1 to speak with Joe Lawyer, press 2 for directions to our office," etc.
There are many options for call handling, and these may be adjusted by time of day (business v. off hours), or even by individual Caller ID (send that pesky stalker straight to voice mail, or better yet, give him a message saying the phone has been disconnected and there is no new number). One of the very nice perks is that you can for a modest fee add "virtual numbers" anywhere so that residents there can call you for the same price to them as making a local call, and it will ring on your regular VoIP number. Good for Mom residing back East, or for distant business contacts for whom you would like to create the feel of a presence in their locale.
VOIP ISN'T PERFECT PLUS A FEW CAVEATS
You can experience variances in quality, dropped calls, etc., but such problems no longer occur as frequently as in the early days. They are not so significant as to prevent many businesses from exclusively using VoIP. However, VoIP is put completely out by the very rare Internet outage. Most VoIP services (including Vonage) however, will obtain from you an alternate number (e.g. cell phone) to use in the event of such an outage.
All in all, a VoIP system is pretty easy to get up and running, and once you have done so, the user experience is pretty indistinguishable from POTS (although you should bear in mind that some of the other services dependent upon the use of computers directly, rather than just a connection to the Internet — e.g. Skype — are quite different from what is discussed above.
I use Skype, and have heard good things about the usefulness of magicJack. But I would not consider using either as my primary business telephone service provider. You need to give consideration to your professional image and to the impression created in the minds of potential and existing clients, as well as other counsel and court personnel, when they attempt to communicate with you by telephone.
WHAT'S NEXT?
You will soon be able to (and to some extent and in some circumstances with some carriers already can) use VoIP services to carry on conversations over your cell phone. The upshot is that you can use the data capabilities from your cell provider for your calls, instead of using up (and paying for) cell voice minutes. Alas, having seen the future, many carriers have begun putting an end to unlimited data plans.
Written by Yvonne M. Renfrew.
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