IT Support Provider in Las Vegas Explains Modern Business Phone Systems
Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) is a phone service that carries your voice as data over the internet instead of relying on copper lines. As a result, some of the key VoIP benefits for business include cost savings, a lighter infrastructure, and the ability to integrate modern features such as voicemail-to-email, call routing, and video calls.
| “VoIP communications are the new way to stay connected. It has done to voice calls what cloud computing has done to file storage.” – Cory Kiehn, VP of Sales at Tenecom |
Moreover, many telecom authorities note that VoIP is “the new normal” for communications. Legacy copper telephone networks are being gradually phased out. This means that switching to VoIP may not be optional in the near future. Just as CloudSecureTech notes, 75% of companies have gone to an advanced, digital-first strategy.
In this article, a reliable Las Vegas IT support provider explains why adopting VoIP proactively helps businesses stay ahead of change, how the technology works, and the key benefits and considerations to evaluate before making the switch.
Why Use VoIP Instead of Traditional Phone Lines?
Traditional landline phone systems (PSTN) rely on copper wires and offer only basic calling, whereas VoIP uses the internet to carry voice calls in digital form. This fundamental difference gives VoIP several key advantages in cost and capabilities.
Another reason to use VoIP is the breadth of functionality it enables. Because VoIP turns voice into internet data, it can integrate modern communication features like video conferencing, messaging, call routing, voicemail-to-email, capabilities that plain old telephone lines can’t support.
How VoIP Works
VoIP essentially converts your voice into digital information and sends it over the internet, rather than through dedicated telephone circuits. Your spoken words become data packets sent to the recipient through online networks. This allows voice to travel alongside other internet traffic and bypass the traditional phone exchange.
Below is a breakdown of the process step-by-step.
1. Voice Digitization
When you speak into a VoIP handset or app, an analog-to-digital converter captures your voice and converts the sound waves into digital data. This turns your analog voice signal into a form that computers and networks can handle.
2. Packetization
The digitized voice data is then segmented into small data packets. Each packet is stamped with the necessary addressing information (like the source and destination IP addresses) that tells the network where it’s coming from and where it needs to go.
3. Transmission
These voice packets are launched into the internet. The packets may take different paths through the network, just like any other internet data, converging on the destination. Real-time transport protocols handle this delivery to minimize delay.
4. Reassembly
Once the packets reach the receiving end, the system reassembles them in the correct order and converts the digital data back into an analog audio signal. The person you’re calling hears your voice essentially in real time.
If packets arrive out of order or some get lost, the VoIP software will buffer or request retransmission to smooth out the call. When either party hangs up, the session is terminated, and resources are freed.
The Key Benefits of VoIP For Business
Cost Savings
VoIP can drastically lower your phone costs. Legacy landline systems require expensive hardware, maintenance, and often charge per-minute for long-distance distance. By contrast, VoIP uses your existing internet connection, and unlimited nationwide calling is usually included.
Advanced Features
With VoIP, companies gain access to a wealth of modern calling features that traditional phones can’t offer. For example, most VoIP systems include capabilities like auto-attendants, call routing, voicemail-to-email transcription, video conferencing, instant messaging, and integration with CRM apps.
These features come built-in, or at little to no extra cost, whereas implementing similar functions on a landline PBX would be complex and expensive.
Mobility
A VoIP phone service isn’t tied to a physical office or a specific telephone device. You can make and receive business calls from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. Employees can use a VoIP desk phone in the office, then continue receiving calls on a laptop softphone or a mobile app when working from home or traveling.
Scalability & Flexibility
VoIP systems are highly scalable, which is ideal for growing businesses. Because VoIP runs on software and cloud infrastructure, adding a new phone line or user is as simple as contacting your provider or toggling settings; no need to install new physical lines or purchase elaborate hardware.
Additionally, VoIP can easily adapt to your workflow because you can often configure how calls are handled through a web portal.
High Audio Quality
Many VoIP services support HD voice codecs that transmit a wider range of audio frequencies, resulting in clearer, more natural-sounding conversations. So long as you have a solid internet connection, the sound of calls over VoIP is often a noticeable upgrade from the sometimes muffled sound of PSTN calls.
This improved call quality can make meetings and customer calls more effective, as there is less risk of misunderstandings due to audio issues.
The Pros & Cons of VoIP
Overall, the pros of using VoIP greatly outweigh the cons. Still, there are some drawbacks you must consider. These potential cons should not sway you away from switching to VoIP. Instead, use them to plan your VoIP implementation strategy with mitigation in mind.
Here is what you need to know.
Dependence on Internet Connectivity
Because VoIP runs over the internet, you absolutely need a stable broadband connection for it to work well. If your internet goes down, so does your phone service. Even a slow or congested network can degrade call quality or cause latency, jitter, and dropped calls.
In areas with poor internet infrastructure, this can be a serious drawback. Businesses may need to invest in sufficient bandwidth and QoS network settings to ensure VoIP reliability.
Requires Power Supply
Traditional analog phones get power through the phone line and can work during power outages. VoIP equipment, on the other hand, will not function without electricity. If there’s a power outage, your VoIP phones and internet modem go offline, meaning you lose phone service until power is restored.
This makes backup power solutions an important consideration when using VoIP for critical communications.
Compatibility Challenges May Arise
Adopting VoIP may pose some compatibility issues with legacy systems. For instance, fax machines, security alarm systems, or older analog devices that expect a traditional phone line might not work properly over VoIP without special adapters or services. This is all the more reason to migrate legacy systems to newer versions before you switch to VoIP.
New Cybersecurity Concerns
Because VoIP is internet-based, companies should address security considerations by using encryption and implementing network security best practices. While these issues have workarounds, they are factors to be mindful of when switching to VoIP.
Here’s an overview of some of these cybersecurity workarounds, how they work, and when to use them.
| Workaround | What it does | When to use it |
| SIP over TLS | Encrypts SIP signaling to protect call setup data, credentials, and device registration from interception or tampering. | Use on all internet or untrusted links, especially for remote phones and SIP trunks. Pair with SRTP. |
| SRTP for media | Encrypts and authenticates the RTP audio so others cannot listen to or alter packets. | Use wherever confidentiality matters or compliance requires it. Standard with modern VoIP. |
| Standards-based VPN (IPsec) | Tunnels VoIP traffic through an encrypted channel when endpoints cannot use TLS/SRTP, and adds a protected path over public networks. | Use for remote sites, legacy phones, or when you need a single encrypted path for signaling and media. |
| Session Border Controller (SBC) | Acts as a controlled VoIP edge. Provides topology hiding, policy enforcement, DoS resistance, NAT traversal, and interop. | Use at the enterprise edge and for SIP trunks or remote endpoints. Standard practice in secure UC/VoIP designs. |
| Hosted NAT Traversal (HNT), media relays (STUN/TURN via SBC) | Enables phones behind NAT to establish reliable media paths; SBC can “latch” and relay media to keep calls stable. | Use when endpoints are behind NAT or firewalls and direct media fails or is unreliable. |
| Voice VLAN with QoS | Separates voice from data traffic to limit possible exposure and simplify security and monitoring. | Use on corporate LANs and WLANs to apply security controls and QoS specifically to voice. |
| T.38 Fax over IP | Transports fax in real time over IP to avoid voice-codec distortion that breaks fax tones. | Use when you must keep real-time fax with legacy machines. Prefer T.38 over G.711 pass-through for reliability. |
Some Emergency Calling Limitations
Dialing 911 with VoIP can be less straightforward than with a fixed landline. Landline numbers are tied to a physical address, so emergency services can automatically locate you. VoIP numbers are portable and not inherently linked to a location. As a result, if you call emergency services from a VoIP line, the operator might not see your address information.
This limitation is why most VoIP providers offer E911 registration. That means that you can assign a physical address to your VoIP number for emergency purposes. Businesses must take steps to configure E911 and educate users on their emergency call procedures with VoIP.
Do note that U.S. (FCC) and Canadian (CRTC) phone systems are already supporting next-generation 911 over IP to mitigate this limitation. While these government bodies are putting in their own mitigation measures, it is still best to verify with your VoIP provider instead of assuming.
Speak with Trusted Las Vegas IT Support Experts About Leveraging VoIP for Your Business
Tenecom helps businesses modernize communication with secure, dependable VoIP solutions. We review your current environment, network, and team needs to create a system that fits your operations and budget. Our specialists handle setup, migration, E911 configuration, and legacy device support, reducing disruption during the transition.
If you need help with your VoIP or any other technology system, contact a trusted IT support provider in Las Vegas today!
