If your traditional phone system is holding you back, hosted VoIP just might be the solution your business is looking for. But what is hosted VoIP? Unlike traditional phone service, hosted VoIP eliminates the need for on-site hardware and complex PBX setups. All you need is a high-speed internet connection to make and receive calls from anywhere. Hosted IP telephony enables remote and hybrid teams to collaborate and communicate, all while working from separate locations.
Whether you’re a small business looking to cut costs or a growing company planning to expand, hosted VoIP can modernize your phone system and keep your teams connected. While we’re located in Atlanta, we offer VoIP services to the entire US, including New York City and Seattle.
What Is Hosted VoIP?
Hosted VoIP is a cloud-based phone system that allows you to make and receive calls using the internet rather than a copper phone line. There’s no on-site hardware like PBX systems. Instead, the provider manages the infrastructure, maintenance, and updates for you.
With managed VoIP services, your phone system lives in the cloud. Employees can access their phone lines from virtually anywhere they have internet access. While most VoIP systems support desk phones, you can also use computers, tablets, or smartphones to access phone system features.
While VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, many VoIP providers offer more than just voice calling. Hosted VoIP often provides video conferencing, team messaging, SMS, as well as advanced call management features, auto attendants, and call routing. Businesses can easily add or remove users and expand to new locations without purchasing more hardware or installing new lines.
How Hosted VoIP Works
While the outcome is the same (clear voice calls in real-time), hosted VoIP works differently behind the scenes than traditional phone systems. Traditional phone systems use copper wires to send electrical signals between callers.
With hosted VoIP, the user’s voice is converted into digital data packets, which travel along a secure internet connection to the provider’s cloud servers. These servers route the call to the recipient, whether they’re using another VoIP system, mobile device, or traditional landline. The data packets are then converted back into audio that the user on the other end can understand.
Top Hosted VoIP Features
Hosted VoIP offers tons of advanced features that improve communication and productivity. Some of the top features include:
- Auto attendant: An automated system that guides callers through a menu and directs them to the right person or department.
- Advanced call handling: Features like call forwarding, call routing, call transfer, hold, and call queues help you manage incoming calls without missing any.
- Voicemail-to-email: Sends voicemails to your email address so you can listen even when out of the office.
- Call recording: Records calls for quality assurance, training, or compliance.
- Conference calling: Easily host calls for three or more participants.
- Video meetings: Collaborate with team members or clients over video.
- Mobile and desktop apps: Make and receive calls from a mobile device or computer.
- CRM integrations: Connect your phone system with platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot for better customer service and insights.
- Call analytics and reporting: Get insights into call volume, performance, and customer interactions to make improvements based on data.
Benefits of Hosted VoIP
Hosted VoIP is a cost-effective way to modernize your business phone system. It provides tons of benefits, including:
- Savings: With hosted VoIP, you can get started without any major upfront costs. There’s no hardware to buy and no need to keep a dedicated IT team on staff. You pay only for the number of users and features you need, and you can save tons of money.
- Scalability: Hosted IP telephony is super easy to scale up or down. Instead of installing new lines or buying more hardware, all you need to do is add or remove users in the platform.
- Flexibility: Employees can work from anywhere while still accessing business phone system features. Remote and hybrid teams can collaborate throughout the day, handle customer calls, and more, all from home or on the go.
- Reliability: When you rely on your phone system to do your job, downtime is unacceptable. Hosted VoIP is extremely reliable, with redundancy, proactive monitoring, and secure infrastructure to keep you communicating.
- Advanced features: With everything delivered over the internet, hosted VoIP provides advanced features without the high cost of traditional systems.
- Improved collaboration: Features like built-in messaging, video, integrations, and productivity tools help teams stay connected and work together in real-time, even when not in the same location.
Hosted VoIP vs Cloud VoIP
Hosted VoIP and cloud VoIP are often used in the same context, but there is a difference between the two terms. So what is hosted VoIP, and how is it different from cloud VoIP?
The term “hosted VoIP” is typically used to emphasize that the provider manages and maintains the system. Cloud VoIP, on the other hand, is a broader term that can include various cloud communication tools beyond voice, like video conferencing, messaging, and collaboration features.
Hosted PBX vs VoIP
Hosted PBX and VoIP are closely related but not identical. VoIP is the underlying technology that enables voice calls to be transmitted over the internet. Hosted VoIP providers offer VoIP service, handling all the updates and maintenance in their facility.
Hosted PBX, on the other hand, is a complete business phone system that uses VoIP technology and is hosted in the cloud. A traditional PBX is an on-site system that manages incoming and outgoing calls within an organization. With a hosted PBX, that system is moved to the cloud and maintained by a provider.
Why Consider UCaaS
If your organization is looking for more than just a business phone system, you might want to consider UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service). Instead of just offering voice calling and call handling features, UCaaS takes business communication a step further, bringing together multiple channels in a single platform.
UCaaS providers typically offer voice, video conferencing, team messaging, file sharing, and collaboration tools all in one system. Instead of using separate apps for calls, meetings, and internal communication, employees can access everything they need from one interface. UCaaS helps your team work together more efficiently without tool overload.
If your business relies heavily on team collaboration, remote work, or multiple communication channels, UCaaS is a smart way to consolidate tools and save money.
Who Hosted VoIP Is Best For
Hosted VoIP offers tons of benefits for businesses of all sizes, but is it right for you? It’s especially well-suited for:
- SMBs who want to avoid high upfront costs of traditional phone systems while still accessing professional communication features.
- Remote or hybrid teams who want to collaborate from anywhere.
- Multi-location organizations that want one unified system across multiple offices without expensive interoffice phone lines.
- Companies looking to modernize their business phone system and access advanced features like auto attendants and CRM integrations.
How to Choose a Hosted VoIP Provider
With so many providers on the market, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Before you commit, follow these tips for choosing a hosted VoIP provider:
- Consider your budget, but don’t just go for the cheapest provider. Look for providers that offer the features you need in a price point that works for your organization.
- Look at reliability and uptime. The top providers typically offer high uptime guarantees and redundant systems to ensure your system is almost never down. Look for uptime of at least 99.99%.
- What kind of support does the provider offer? Some providers require upgrades to access phone assistance. Look at reviews to get a feel for how responsive customer support is.
- Do they provide encryption? What security features do they offer? Look for robust security measures that will keep your sensitive data safe.
At OneStop Communications, we make the decision easier. After a quick phone call discussing your business size, call volume, and desired features, we’ll put together quotes from multiple providers to help you choose the right one. Hosted VoIP isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but with the right guidance, it can be a perfect fit for your business.
If you’re ready to upgrade your phone system, call OneStop Communications today!
FAQs
How much does hosted VoIP cost?
Hosted VoIP is a cost-effective alternative to traditional phone systems, but how much does it cost? That depends. Most providers offer a per-user/per-month subscription model, with prices ranging from $15 to $20/user/month for basic service up to $40/user/month for a more robust solution.
How is hosted VoIP PBX different from cloud PBX?
While hosted VoIP PBX is often used interchangeably with cloud PBX, there is a subtle difference. Hosted VoIP PBX refers to a phone system that is hosted by a third-party provider and uses VoIP technology to manage calls. Cloud PBX is a broader term that describes any PBX system delivered via the cloud.
What equipment do I need for hosted VoIP?
One of the biggest advantages of hosted VoIP is that there’s no expensive hardware to buy upfront. All you need is a reliable internet connection and a device that can connect to the internet. These may include IP desk phones, computers with softphone apps, and smartphones or tablets with mobile VoIP apps. No on-site PBX hardware is required, which saves you significantly on setup costs.
Does hosted VoIP work for remote teams?
Absolutely. Hosted VoIP is ideal for remote and hybrid teams because users can make and receive calls from anywhere they have an internet connection. Whether working from home or while traveling, teams can access all phone system features and stay connected.
What features are included in hosted VoIP?
Common features that come with managed VoIP services include:
- Auto-attendants and IVR
- Call forwarding, call transfer, call routing
- Voicemail-to-email and voicemail transcription
- Call recording and analytics
- Video conferencing
- Team messaging
- Integrations with third-party apps
How do I choose the right provider?
Look for a provider with a strong uptime guarantee, scalable pricing, robust features, and responsible customer support. OneStop Communications can help you evaluate providers and find the one that will fit your needs and your budget.
