Why is IP telephony replacing analogue communications and who offers similar services on the Russian market. Softphone or hardware IP phone, which is better? The advantage of Internet telephony compared to traditional

Long gone are the days when IP telephony was considered an unattainable dream for business. Previously this technology communication layouts at the enterprise could be afforded by large operators with multimillion-dollar capital. Today this is an ordinary technology that can be connected by all companies without exception, including representatives of small and medium-sized businesses.

The connection is made using the SIP protocol, ensuring fast data transfer and security. Each call center offering operator services uses the latest developments to improve the quality of services and reduce overall communication costs.

Advantages of Internet telephony

The use of new technology is justified minimal costs and additional benefits, which are the main reason to switch to the new standard.

Scaling. When using a classic PBX, there is a limitation on the number of numbers and communication points. When using an IP system, scaling up is possible by using new ports, which will not be a costly solution for the business.
The versatility of technology. Connection can be made different ways, and the work can be done as personal computers, and on laptops.
Saving. Using several operators will allow you to serve a large number of clients, generating additional income. When ordering several tariffs, the operator will provide favorable discounts.

With proper system design and equipment selection, there will be no distortion or metallic sounds during communication. It is also important to maintain the system so that telephone sales can be carried out at any time.

Comparison of classic telephony and IP systems

When using IP telephony, packets are compressed and transmitted over the global network to high speed, ensuring no interference or problems. This is also a cheaper option with obvious advantages:

Classic telephone lines have excessive performance, while in modern telephony all packets are compressed.
Everyone has an Internet connection, which reduces overall telephony design and installation costs.
When making calls over a local network, there is no need to use an external PBX station.

The quality of communication is much better thanks to the constant use of new technologies and capabilities. Autoresponders, forwarding and the use of multiple numbers are created without any problems.

Lately there are more and more technical innovations, and people do not have time to keep up with the constant changes in technology. Because of this, the communications market simultaneously offers both outdated and technically more advanced telephony technologies, the difference between which is vaguely understood by users. Let's look at what the characteristics are, what are the advantages of IP telephony, and what opportunities this system provides to the user.

This is what IP telephony provides in the office, its benefits and advantages over analog communication systems:

reducing the cost of any kind of incoming or outgoing calls, especially for international and long-distance calls;
high signal quality: clear sound, complete absence of voice delay, no echo;
lack of the concept of “busy”. The great advantage of IP telephony is the almost unlimited number of lines used under one number. This quality has been enthusiastically embraced and is widely used in call centers and website support;
integration abilities. You can easily add new devices, mobile phones, regular analog phones, etc. to a working IP network, but networks of earlier generations are not capable of this. In addition, networks of different enterprises mounted on different equipment and using different software products can easily be combined into one network;
and, probably, the most important advantage: an IP telephony network can do everything that the Internet can. For communication systems, this means linking a number to a website, a customizable answering machine, intelligent forwarding, video conferencing, free unlimited calls within an organization, free choice of number and other delights of the information age.

To grasp all the possibilities of IP telephony and the advantages of digital communication, you need to understand the basis of its operation. If telephone communication of the previous generation used an analog data transmission system (with the help of amplifying devices, vibrations from one subscriber reached another), then IP communication is digital. This means that the sound vibrations of the speaker's voice are converted into computer language, and then, at the recipient, back into sound.

Analog communication can only be made more powerful, but with digital data a computer can do whatever it wants, and what it does with it depends on software and the programmer's imagination.

You can always consult with us about Internet communication functions, and we will be happy to help you create, install and configure IP telephony and take your company to a new level of working with clients and staff!

Recently, an increasing number of subscribers, both private and corporate, are trying to use VoIP telephony services. This is due to a number of technological advantages that IP telephony offers over conventional wired communications. When IP telephony technology has already been implemented in the office or as a home solution, any user is faced with the question, what is better to choose: a softphone or a hardware IP phone? We will try to give a number of tips and recommendations for choosing communication terminals, as well as determine the pros and cons of each of these solutions.

So, we will begin our research into the market for VoIP telephony devices directly from softphones. Softphone- this is actually a software product that allows the user to make calls over the Internet or through any IP network. The softphone does not require additional hardware solutions, with the possible exception of a computer headset or webcam for making video calls. Softphone software is typically developed based on the open communication protocols SIP or H.323. But there are certain companies that have developed their softphones based on specialized closed communication protocols, for example, such as Skype, ICQ or Mail.ru Agent.

A softphone is essentially a program that replaces your hardware IP phone on your computer. As we already wrote above, for the softphone to work fully, you need a telephone headset (in extreme cases, headphones and external microphone). The advantages of a softphone are the following: firstly, it is an expanded interface that cannot be limited to a small phone screen. Secondly, it's big phone book, which is physically impossible to implement on hardware phone. You can also add to the advantages of softphones the function of your online status, the ability to send text messages and faxes, and video calls. Softphones come in both paid and free versions. The most common programs for IP telephony are 3CX, iSoftphone, Bria, ZoiPer, ShoreTel Sky Softphone, Octofon and others. It would seem that software clients for IP telephony are an ideal solution for any subscriber, but as with all purely software solutions, there are “ underwater rocks" What disadvantages can we find in softphones?

I would also like to note the fact that, like any software, a softphone can “freeze”, “fail to boot”, “require updates via the Internet”, “give an error”, etc. Also, the quality of such programs directly depends on the power of your computer and optimal settings operating system. For example, if you are in this moment process video, work with graphic programs or you are performing other resource-intensive tasks, and suddenly they call you on a softphone, the quality of the connection may turn out to be simply terrible or unstable, the sound will periodically disappear. In the case of a home subscriber, you can “turn a blind eye” to these shortcomings, given the availability, simplicity and even sometimes freeness of such software solutions. If you are an office subscriber, then it is still optimal for you to use a hardware VoIP solution.

An IP phone is a hardware device for communication between remote subscribers, which provides voice communication over the Internet or corporate local networks. Externally, VoIP communication devices look quite ordinary telephone sets. They have a handset, a dialing keyboard, an LCD display, and an interface for connecting to IP networks. This phone operates using SIP or H.323 protocols.

IP phones typically have the following functionality: voice mail, speakerphone, auto redial, call transfer and forwarding options, call hold. A convenient telephone headset can also be purchased for such a device. An advanced IP device can also support a number of additional options, such as Various types call transfer (“blind” transfer, transfer with notification), turning on background music in call hold mode (music on hold) and conferences with several subscribers on the phone.

The main advantage of an IP phone over a softphone is that it is still an independent hardware device that operates autonomously and is not loaded as software on a computer. This means that even if your computer is not currently turned on, boots, does not work at all, or is reinstalling the operating system, you can still fully use VoIP communication 100%. Yes, to purchase an IP phone you need to allocate funds (and this is the main disadvantage of IP devices), it is also possible to purchase a professional headset for operators, for example. But in the corporate sector, as well as in medium-sized or even small businesses, these investments will pay off. In business, relying on the reliability of software such as a softphone, especially free software, is extremely imprudent. Softphones were created primarily for the home user or for the very small business sector. Another factor worth noting is the security and confidentiality of your negotiations. After all, when using softphones, it is much easier for hackers to hack the program and intercept all your voice traffic than when using hardware IP phones.

problem information security needs to be given Special attention before choosing a communication device for IP telephony. For example, such well-known VoIP programs as Skype, as well as the ZoiPer softphone and other similar programs have repeatedly appeared in reports of hacking or leaks of confidential information or passwords. The fact is that your information, for example passwords, is in such software solutions can be stored in a common database either on the servers of the softphone developer company or in the cloud. The company that developed this software product is responsible for its security, and in the event of a data leak to attackers, you will not be able to influence this negative process in any way. After all, you don’t know how securely the password database in this company is protected. If you use a hardware IP phone, detecting vulnerabilities, hacking and intercepting your conversations will require more resources and skills from hackers than for hacking computer program. Therefore, in case of special confidentiality of your conversations, we recommend using only IP phones from trusted and reliable manufacturers, preferably with support for the SRTP protocol (a protocol for encrypting voice traffic).

The advantages of IP telephony over conventional (analog) telephony are described here. In this case, we are talking not only about asterisk, but about any IP telephony systems: both paid and free. Disadvantages of IP telephony, see.

The main thing, of course, is cheapness. Compared to analogue telephony, IP telephony [long-distance/international] costs a penny (and if direct communication between two subscribers/offices is sufficient, subscription fee for telephone communication may be zero - subject to the availability of communication via a computer network/Internet).
Universality: via IP telephony you can (theoretically) connect any subscribers using a variety of protocols/technologies (for example, Skype with an IP phone, send SMS to a subscriber from icq, etc.). In addition, of course, it is possible (through appropriate equipment) to connect analogue, digital and IP telephony subscribers.
Flexibility:
1. Forwarding calls under various conditions, depending on the time of day, caller number, non-response of the subscriber, and so on. Those. a subscriber can be constantly accessible [via his PBX number] to other subscribers, regardless of whether he is on site or away.
2. Assignment of "short" numbers for any subscribers.
3. Computer integration and mobile phones: subscribers can be either a computer, a mobile (or landline) phone, a smartphone/tablet, etc.
4. Recording conversations: starting from recording the fact of a call from number to number and ending with recording ongoing conversations and/or listening to a conversation in real time.
5. Connection to an unlimited number of analog and IP telephony operators, with automatic or manual [at the subscriber’s request] selection of the cheapest/high-quality operator depending on the direction of communication/caller number/time of day/moon phase, etc.
6. The ability to combine any number of offices or points into one virtual telephone network, each of which can contain any number of telephones, with free calls inside the whole virtual network[if there is communication between all these points via a computer network or via the Internet].
7. As part of 3.3, subscribers have access to the PBX from the Internet, which allows remote subscribers (outside the office, in another city or another country) to make and answer calls as if they were in the office (and for free, you only need the Internet!).
Working with faxes. Although IP telephony (in fact) does not improve, but rather even worsens the work with faxes (in the sense that a smaller % of faxes pass through IP telephony without problems), it does simplify the work with faxes, since it becomes possible to send and receive fax directly from your computer without converting the document to paper form (and/or receive faxes by e-mail).
Additional features, as a rule, not provided by analogue telephony (or extremely expensive):
1. Call from the site
2. Voice messages mails can be transmitted to the subscriber digitally (for example, in the form sound file by e-mail, links on a website, etc.)
3. Conference call with any number of participants
4. Queues: the ability (mainly for call centers) to distribute many incoming calls among several big amount operators, with notifications about the remaining waiting time, advertising/informational messages, greetings, and so on.
5. Voice menu / auto attendant, which includes both a greeting and the ability to make a choice (including voice!) of the desired department or indicate the subscriber number.
6. Using the PBX as an alarm clock, business/birthday reminder, calculator, phone number directory, etc.
Mobility: unlike analogue telephony, where the telephone number is “tied” to a specific telephone socket, in IP telephony the binding goes (in particular) to the IP address, which means that employees can move from office to office, from building to building, from office to office within the same computer network, with the same number and without any additional settings ATS. In addition, the ability to forward a call (clause 3.1) allows any employee to work remotely (from home, another city or another country) as if he were at his workplace.
Many PBXs (for example, asterisk) are completely free for any use (both home and commercial).
In the cheapest option, subscribers only need to have headphones and a microphone connected to the computer - many client software options are also free!
Access limitation:
1. For internal subscribers: the ability to restrict/bar calls to certain communication directions, or select for various groups subscribers of various telecom operators, etc.
2. For external subscribers: depending on the telephone number of the external subscriber, prohibition of dialing numbers of certain departments, the possibility (or impossibility) of additional dialing of an external (local/long-distance/international number) directly from the voice menu, etc.
3. For any subscribers (optional) - restricting access to certain PBX functions, such as call forwarding, recording conversations, listening to conversations in real time, and so on.
"Black list" of subscribers with the issuance of any message to them.
IP telephony is not limited to voice transmission only. It can transmit text messages, display [for example, via Jabber] the status of subscribers (away, talking, busy, ...), provide video communication and is quite capable of replacing tools such as skype (which, after being purchased by Microsoft, the quality of communication has deteriorated, especially corporate) .
The number of numbers on the PBX is unlimited, and the number of simultaneous conversations/calls supported by the PBX is limited only by the capacity of the installed equipment *.
Billing: starting from call statistics (including local ones) and ending with the generation of invoices that you can issue to those who use your PBX for calls (for example, tenant organizations or even your employees).
Call interception, call parking.
Calling subscribers/clients according to the list and issuing them a voice alert/notification, while it is possible to ensure feedback(using the voice menu) and collect information about the results of the call.

* also depends on the PBX itself, for example asterisk works stably for up to 1000 simultaneous calls.

Where does the sale begin? Often from the first phone call. The client’s first impression of the company and whether he will continue to work with it depends on this contact. In order to make this and subsequent communications with the client high-quality and effective, companies use a whole range of IT technologies and solutions. A special place among them is occupied by office communications based on IP telephony or SIP and VoIP telephony. Today we talk about the advantages, and at the same time the reasons for the growing popularity of this type of communication in Russia.

According to a study conducted by the marketing research agency DISCOVERY Research Group, at the end of 2017, the volume of the IP telephony market in Russia reached 7.9 billion rubles, and the volume of the virtual PBX market amounted to 3.8 billion rubles. According to researchers’ forecasts, the growth of the virtual PBX market in Russia will continue and in 4 years will reach a volume of 9.7 billion rubles.

Advantages of VoIP

As opposed to traditional communication? IP telephony has many advantages:

IP telephony “lives” in data networks. This means that to implement it, you do not need to run a telephone cable to the office. Existing computer network enterprises, Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G (LTE) - choose what is more convenient. You can deploy an enterprise telephone system on any network.
Since VoIP is based on data transmission, it will work anywhere in the world where there is Internet. This means that companies will be able to easily create distributed call centers, and employees will be able to receive and make office calls both inside and outside the office. And, of course, the headache “How to save a phone number?” will disappear once and for all. when moving an office. Due to its “Internet nature”, VoIP will allow you to “take” the company’s telephone number with you to a new address.
To create a telephone infrastructure based on VoIP technologies, there is no need to purchase expensive equipment. You can use computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones with free software “dialers” installed on them as subscriber devices. They connect to special office IP telephone stations. Just don’t immediately grab your head and remember about boxes like Panasonic or Avaya for hundreds of thousands of rubles, for which you need to allocate a server room. No, everything is much simpler. To deploy IP telephony, you will need a virtual PBX, which is deployed on the basis cloud storage and occupies 0 m² of office space.
With IP telephony you can connect multi-channel Russian or foreign number in a matter of minutes. You can choose numbers from any region of the Russian Federation and foreign countries.
VoIP is one of the highest quality, reliable, convenient and cost-effective options for organizing corporate communications. VoIP reduces communication costs: calls between employees are free, and calls outside the office system will please the most frugal economist.
IP telephony is primarily intended for business. That’s why the creators “stuffed” it with a lot of “bells and whistles”. In addition to voice communications, VoIP provides additional services and technologies such as voice menus, call statistics, auto-dialing, conference calling, faxing, etc.

Note! Based on VoIP, you can build an effective customer loyalty program.

All this makes Internet telephony more advantageous in comparison with analog communications.

What can you do using IP telephony?

Let's look at a specific example - the virtual PBX "Telfin.Office" - why IP telephony has become so popular in the corporate sector today telephone communication.

All VoIP capabilities are “hardwired” into this “virtual box” PBX. And this is more than 100 business functions for turning calls into clients (and for only 490 rubles/month for 4 internal numbers). The system is controlled through an intuitive web interface in the browser.

What functionality will be available with VoIP:

Voice menu (IVR) with automatic distribution of incoming calls. The client does not have to wait for an operator’s response: with the help of IVR, he will quickly get through to the right employee or department.
Call scripts with different algorithms for processing incoming calls depending on the structure, schedule, business task, week, days, time of day.
Call queues. The company's telephone number will never be busy: IP telephony is multi-channel. It will allow you to receive dozens, hundreds of calls at a time. All of them will, if necessary, be automatically lined up one after another as they arrive in accordance with the specified settings. Calls can be held, intercepted, and transferred.
Autoinformer, informing the client of the position in the queue and the approximate time of waiting for an answer on the line.
Time intervals to process incoming calls during and after business hours. AND voice mail to record messages from those who call the company when it is not open.
Recording, storing, listening to conversations, prompting, connecting to an ongoing conversation— ATS functions that allow you to keep track of the client’s history without omissions, improve the quality of the company’s service, and resolve disputes that arise between the company and the buyer.
"Black" and "white" lists of phone numbers to minimize unwanted calls to the company.
Conference call to combine several telephone conversations in one - subscribers have the opportunity to “telephone meeting”.
Virtual buttons for the company website: "Order back call», “Call directly from the site” (WebRTC technology) for free prompt connection between the client and the company.
Receiving and sending faxes. Sending a fax without a fax is now possible. In VoIP fax messages sent, received and stored as PDF files directly in the Internet browser.

Do not forget that not only cloud PBXs can be built on the basis of VoIP. On the contrary, IP telephony can be integrated with the functionality of CRM, CMS, and other software via REST API or using a ready-made solution. Moreover, modern convergence various types telephony allows you to connect employee mobile devices to the general corporate network using FMC technology.

conclusions

The decline of analogue, traditional telephony and the growth in demand for VoIP is a logical consequence of increasing market requirements for office PBXs. Landline telephony is not able to compete with VoIP functionality.

IP telephony offers businesses broader and more flexible opportunities for successfully building and effectively managing corporate communications. Less financial and time costs for implementation and maintenance, rapid network scalability, intuitive customization to suit the specifics of the business - all this is forcing businesses to increasingly choose cloud technologies and VoIP services.

Reviews: why businesses chose VoIP

“With the help of IP telephony, we saved on the 8-800 number; instead, we rented regional telephone numbers. The savings are more than 10 times,” says Ilya Kozlov, technical director of Wikimart.

"We connected two telephone numbers Moscow and Yekaterinburg and now we communicate within the corporate telephone network absolutely free,” Egor Nogtev, head of the online store of FC Zenit, shares his impressions.