Spotting a poor VoIP provider

Have you ever wondered if it’s truly delivering what you need it to or whether you’re benefitting from all the features it includes?

The telecoms market is saturated with VoIP providers offering cheap as chips deals which simply don’t deliver. And you know the old adage – buy cheap, buy twice?

Our tips below will help you spot any potential problems with your provider:

• If they’re promising to beat any quote you’ve had – check they’re delivering like for like. Often if they’re offering much cheaper rates or upfront costs, you may not be getting all the features and benefits you need and may at risk from being scammed. Companies who offer very low prices increase them as the contract starts, to get the money back at a later date. So over the term of the contract, you have no idea how much money you will actually be paying and it usually ends up being much more in the end.
• Make sure the deal you’re getting is providing exactly what your team needs.
• And check out the small print. This is vital. They might promise the earth when they’re trying to sign you up but once you’ve signed the contract you may not get the support you need. The small print might mean you simply can’t just walk out -there could be a get out clause which could be costly or they could hit you with expensive penalties. Read everything before you sign anything.
• What do their service level agreements look like? If you have a problem, you need it sorting quickly so that it doesn’t affect your business performance. Poor communication or issues can lead to bad reviews and that’s the last thing you want. Before you sign on the dotted line – do your research. What does their support service look like, what are their response times?
• Remember VoIP means that your phone line is delivered through the internet, rather than a telephone line – before you switch over – make sure you test your connection speed to ensure it can manage a bigger bandwidth. Also make contingency plans for what might happen if your internet goes down, such as 4G/5G backup.

If you’re still unsure and you know some of their clients – speak to them – there’s nothing like an honest review to help you make a decision on who the best supplier is for you and your company.

Written on 11/06/2022 by Juliet Moran

As the Technical Director at TelephoneSystems.cloud, I bring over 27 years of extensive experience in cloud technology. As a woman in the tech industry, I am committed to paving the way for the next generation, demonstrating that innovation in technology should be inclusive of both women and men. My goal is to inspire and empower future generations to actively contribute to the advancement of technology regardless of gender.