Tag: VoIP

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VoIP

The Ultimate VoIP Troubleshooting Guide: How to Fix Common Issues with Ease

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In today’s digital age, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has revolutionized the way we communicate, offering cost-effective and efficient calling solutions. However, like any technology, VoIP can encounter technical glitches and hiccups that may hinder its smooth operation. That’s where this comprehensive VoIP troubleshooting guide comes to your rescue! Whether you’re a small business owner or a tech enthusiast, we’ve got you covered with practical tips and tricks to resolve common VoIP issues effortlessly. Read on to discover how to optimize your VoIP system’s performance and ensure uninterrupted communication.

Verify Network Connectivity

Before diving into complex VoIP troubleshooting, it’s essential to ensure a stable and reliable network connection. Check all network cables, routers, and switches for any physical damage or loose connections. Additionally, verify that your internet service provider is delivering the promised bandwidth and there are no network congestion issues.

Resolve Quality of Service (QoS) Problems

If you’re experiencing poor call quality or dropped calls, Quality of Service (QoS) configuration might be the culprit. Prioritize VoIP traffic by enabling QoS settings on your router or switch. This ensures that your VoIP calls receive sufficient bandwidth to maintain crystal-clear audio.

Update Firmware and Software

Outdated firmware and software can lead to compatibility issues and security vulnerabilities. Regularly check for firmware updates on your VoIP devices, including IP phones, ATA adapters, and routers. Similarly, keep your VoIP software, such as the PBX system or softphone, up to date to leverage the latest bug fixes and features.

Check Firewall and NAT Settings

Firewalls and Network Address Translation (NAT) can sometimes interfere with VoIP traffic. Configure your firewall to allow the necessary ports and protocols used by VoIP, such as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol). Additionally, enable NAT traversal techniques like STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for NAT) or TURN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) to bypass NAT-related issues.

Troubleshoot Echo and Latency

Echo and latency issues can disrupt the flow of conversations in VoIP calls. To address echo problems, ensure that your phone and headset are properly connected, and adjust the echo cancellation settings on your VoIP devices if available. For latency issues, consider upgrading your internet connection, closing bandwidth-intensive applications, or using Quality of Service (QoS) settings to prioritize VoIP traffic.

Investigate Audio Quality Problems

If you encounter audio distortions, static, or muffled sound during calls, start by inspecting your hardware connections. Ensure that all cables and connectors are securely plugged in. If the issue persists, check your audio codecs and adjust the settings to prioritize clarity over bandwidth efficiency.

Monitor and Analyze Call Metrics

To gain deeper insights into your VoIP system’s performance, utilize call monitoring and analytics tools. These tools provide valuable data on call quality, dropped calls, and network performance. Analyzing these metrics helps identify patterns and troubleshoot underlying issues proactively.

VoIP technology has undoubtedly transformed communication, but occasional technical glitches can disrupt its seamless operation. With the help of this comprehensive VoIP troubleshooting guide, you can overcome common issues with confidence and ensure uninterrupted conversations. By verifying network connectivity, optimizing Quality of Service (QoS), updating firmware and software, configuring firewalls and NAT settings, and addressing echo, latency, and audio quality problems, you’ll be equipped to troubleshoot and resolve VoIP issues effectively.

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VoIP

What the Future Holds for VoIP Technology

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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology has revolutionized the way we communicate. By transmitting voice and multimedia content over the internet, VoIP has made long-distance communication more accessible, cost-effective, and convenient. Since its inception in the early 1990s, VoIP has come a long way. With advancements in technology, the future of VoIP looks bright. In this blog, we will explore the future of VoIP technology and its potential implications.

Improved Audio and Video Quality

One of the major challenges with VoIP technology has been maintaining high-quality audio and video during calls. However, with the advent of new technologies such as 5G networks and WebRTC, the quality of VoIP calls is expected to improve significantly. 5G networks offer faster data speeds, lower latency, and greater bandwidth, which will enable seamless video and voice calls. Similarly, WebRTC technology allows real-time communication between browsers, without the need for plugins or software installations.

Integration with Other Technologies

VoIP technology is not limited to voice calls. With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), VoIP can integrate with other technologies to provide a seamless communication experience. For example, VoIP can be used to control smart home devices or chatbots to handle customer service inquiries. AI-powered chatbots can handle simple customer queries while routing complex queries to human agents, making communication more efficient and cost-effective.

Increased Security

Security is a major concern when it comes to VoIP technology. However, with the advancement of security technologies such as encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection, VoIP calls can be made more secure. Encryption technology protects voice and data transmission from eavesdropping and hacking, ensuring that conversations are private and confidential.

Better Scalability and Flexibility

Traditional phone systems are expensive to set up and maintain, especially for businesses. VoIP technology offers better scalability and flexibility, allowing businesses to add or remove phone lines easily as they grow or downsize. Cloud-based VoIP systems eliminate the need for on-premise equipment, making it easier for businesses to manage their phone systems from anywhere, at any time.

Increased Cost-Effectiveness

VoIP technology has already disrupted the telecom industry, making long-distance communication more cost-effective. With the rise of competition, VoIP service providers are offering more affordable pricing plans, including unlimited local and international calls, making it more accessible to consumers and businesses.

In conclusion, VoIP technology has come a long way, and its future looks promising. Advancements in technology such as 5G networks, WebRTC, and AI will make VoIP calls more seamless and efficient. With increased security, scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, VoIP is expected to continue to disrupt the telecom industry, making long-distance communication more accessible and convenient for everyone.

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Unified Communications VoIP

The Evolution of UCaaS and VoIP: Trends and Future Outlook

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Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) have transformed the way businesses communicate and collaborate. As technology continues to evolve, the UCaaS and VoIP landscape is witnessing significant changes, bringing new opportunities and challenges for businesses. In this blog post, we will discuss the current trends in UCaaS and VoIP technology and their future outlook.

Cloud-Based UCaaS Solutions

Cloud-based UCaaS solutions have gained popularity due to their flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Cloud-based UCaaS solutions offer businesses the flexibility to choose the features they need and pay only for what they use. Furthermore, cloud-based UCaaS solutions can be easily scaled up or down based on business needs, making them an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes. The market for cloud-based UCaaS solutions is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.5% from 2021 to 2026.

AI-Powered VoIP Solutions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming VoIP technology, enabling businesses to automate their communications and improve their customer service. AI-powered VoIP solutions can automate tasks such as call routing, voice recognition, and transcription, reducing the workload of customer service teams. Furthermore, AI-powered VoIP solutions can analyze call data to identify patterns and provide insights to businesses, helping them to improve their customer service.

Mobile Integration

Mobile integration has become a must-have feature for UCaaS and VoIP solutions. With the rise of remote work, mobile integration enables employees to stay connected and collaborate with their team members from anywhere. Furthermore, mobile integration can improve productivity by enabling employees to access all their communication channels in one place.

Video Conferencing

Video conferencing has become an essential feature of UCaaS and VoIP solutions, especially with the rise of remote work. Video conferencing enables employees to collaborate face-to-face, improving communication and reducing misunderstandings. Furthermore, video conferencing can save time and money by eliminating the need for travel.

Security and Compliance

Security and compliance are critical considerations for UCaaS and VoIP solutions. As businesses rely more on these solutions for their communications, they need to ensure that their data is secure and compliant with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. UCaaS and VoIP providers need to invest in robust security and compliance measures to protect their customers’ data.

Future Outlook

The UCaaS and VoIP market is expected to continue growing in the coming years, driven by the rise of remote work and the need for businesses to improve their communication and collaboration. Furthermore, the adoption of AI and cloud-based solutions is expected to accelerate, enabling businesses to automate their communications and improve their customer service. The mobile-first approach is also expected to become more prevalent, enabling employees to stay connected and collaborate from anywhere. Finally, security and compliance will remain a top priority for businesses, driving the demand for secure and compliant UCaaS and VoIP solutions.

UCaaS and VoIP technology have come a long way, and the future looks promising. By adopting the latest trends and technologies, businesses can improve their communication and collaboration, enhance their customer service, and stay ahead of the competition.

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VoIP

Enhancing Customer Service with Cloud-Based Phone Systems

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Providing exceptional customer service is vital for businesses to thrive in today’s fast-paced world. Meeting customers’ expectations and delivering prompt and efficient service is critical to staying ahead of the competition. One of the ways to enhance customer service is by adopting cloud-based phone systems.

A cloud-based phone system is a communication tool that operates over the internet rather than traditional phone lines. It offers various advantages for businesses, including cost savings, scalability, and flexibility. However, the most significant benefit of a cloud-based phone system is the potential to improve customer service.

Here are some ways that cloud-based phone systems can enhance customer service:

Streamlined call routing and handling

Cloud-based phone systems employ advanced call routing and handling features that can direct calls automatically to the appropriate person or department. This ensures that customers are quickly connected to the right agent who can assist them with their inquiries. Additionally, cloud-based phone systems can provide call queuing, which allows customers to wait until an agent is available, reducing the likelihood of missed calls or customers hanging up.

Efficient call management

Cloud-based phone systems offer real-time analytics and call reporting, enabling managers to monitor and analyze call volumes, wait times, and agent performance. This information can help businesses identify areas for improvement and ensure that their agents are providing excellent customer service.

Mobility and flexibility

Cloud-based phone systems allow employees to work remotely or from different locations while still being connected to the office phone system. This ensures that customer calls are answered, even if the agent is not physically present in the office. The ability to work remotely also provides businesses with the flexibility to scale up or down their operations quickly, depending on their business needs.

Integration with other tools

Cloud-based phone systems can integrate with other customer service tools, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, ticketing systems, and chatbots. This integration allows agents to access customer information promptly and provide personalized assistance, improving the overall customer experience.

Cloud-based phone systems are a powerful tool for businesses seeking to enhance their customer service. They provide streamlined call routing and handling, real-time analytics and reporting, mobility and flexibility, and integration with other customer service tools. By adopting a cloud-based phone system, businesses can ensure that their customers receive exceptional service, leading to increased customer loyalty and revenue.

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VoIP

What Kinds of Businesses Should Be Using VoIP?

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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a modern communication technology that allows businesses to make and receive phone calls using the internet rather than traditional phone lines. With VoIP, businesses can enjoy more flexibility, cost savings, and advanced features compared to traditional phone systems. In this blog, we will explore the different kinds of businesses that should be using VoIP.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

SMEs are the ideal candidates for VoIP because they need a cost-effective and flexible communication system that can grow with their business. With VoIP, SMEs can avoid the upfront costs and ongoing maintenance fees associated with traditional phone systems. They can also add or remove users as needed and scale their communication system as their business grows.

Remote and Mobile Workforces

Businesses with remote and mobile workforces can benefit from VoIP because it allows them to stay connected regardless of their location. With VoIP, employees can make and receive calls from their smartphones, laptops, or tablets. This means that they can work from anywhere and still be reachable by their colleagues, clients, or customers.

Call Centers and Customer Support Services

Call centers and customer support services can benefit from VoIP because it offers advanced features that can improve the quality and efficiency of their service. For example, with VoIP, call centers can use interactive voice response (IVR) systems, call routing, and call queuing to manage their calls more effectively. They can also integrate their VoIP system with their customer relationship management (CRM) software to provide personalized service to their clients.

International Businesses

International businesses can benefit from VoIP because it allows them to make and receive calls from anywhere in the world without incurring high long-distance charges. With VoIP, businesses can choose local phone numbers from different countries and make calls using the internet. This means that they can expand their business globally and communicate with their clients, partners, and suppliers more effectively.

Businesses with Multiple Locations

Businesses with multiple locations can benefit from VoIP because it allows them to connect all their offices using a single communication system. With VoIP, businesses can have a virtual phone system that allows them to transfer calls between different locations, hold conference calls, and access voicemail from anywhere. This means that they can improve their collaboration and productivity while reducing their communication costs.

VoIP is a powerful communication tool that can benefit different kinds of businesses, regardless of their size or industry. If you are looking for a cost-effective, flexible, and advanced communication system, VoIP could be the right choice for your business.

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VoIP

Recognizing Signs of VoIP System Hacking and How to Respond

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In today’s digital age, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems have become an indispensable means of communication for businesses. While VoIP offers numerous benefits, it is also vulnerable to hacking. Cybercriminals can exploit vulnerabilities in VoIP systems to gain unauthorized access to sensitive business data or leverage the system for nefarious purposes. In this article, we will highlight five indicators that your VoIP system may be under attack and provide guidance on what you can do to address these issues.

Irregular Call Patterns

One sign of VoIP system hacking is an unusual call pattern. Hackers may utilize your system to place calls to premium rate or international numbers, leading to higher than normal bills. Typically, these calls are made during non-business hours when they are less likely to be noticed.

What to do: Monitor your call logs frequently and be on the lookout for any unusual call patterns. Consider setting up call restrictions to prevent unauthorized calls.

Deteriorated Call Quality

VoIP system hacking can also result in low-quality calls. Hackers may use your system to initiate spam calls, leading to issues like dropped calls, echoes, or background noise.

What to do: Implement spam filters to block unsolicited calls. Ensure that your system software is up-to-date with the latest security features.

Unauthorized Access

Hackers may try to access your VoIP system by exploiting vulnerabilities, guessing passwords, or using phishing attacks to gain access to user credentials.

What to do: Use robust passwords and enable two-factor authentication to reduce unauthorized access to your system. Train your staff on the dangers of phishing attacks and provide guidance on how to detect and avoid them.

Unusual Network Activity

Hackers may use your VoIP system as a stepping stone to access other network resources. This can lead to unusual network behavior, such as abnormal data usage, atypical traffic patterns, or unauthorized access to other systems.

What to do: Monitor your network activity closely and investigate any signs of unusual behavior. Implement firewalls and other security measures to prevent unauthorized access to your network.

Changes in System Configuration

VoIP system hacking may involve changes to your system settings, including voicemail, call forwarding, or auto-attendant settings.

What to do: Regularly check your system settings to ensure that they remain unchanged. Enable access controls to prevent unauthorized modifications.

VoIP systems are vital to modern business operations, but they pose security risks. By keeping an eye out for the indicators of hacking and deploying effective security measures, you can safeguard your company from the dangers of VoIP system attacks. Be vigilant, be proactive, and stay secure!

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VoIP

Best Practices Checklist for Securing Your VoIP Phone System

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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems have become an essential communication tool for businesses of all sizes. However, they are also vulnerable to cyber threats. In order to keep your VoIP security, wallet, and reputation protected from bad actors on the internet, it’s important to implement the following 12 best practices:

  1. Secure User Credentials with a Strong Password and Two-Factor Authentication: Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to your phone system.
  2. Perform Regular Call Log Reviews: Regularly review your call logs to identify unusual call activity and investigate any outliers that may indicate that your system has been compromised.
  3. Disable International Calling or Enable Geo-Fencing: To prevent toll fraud, consider disabling international calling or implementing geo-fencing to block unwanted calls from specific countries or phone numbers.
  4. Utilize SaaS for VoIP Calls: Consider outsourcing your VoIP infrastructure to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider who can provide robust features, a user-friendly interface, and built-in security measures to protect your account from fraudulent activity.
  5. Stay Up to Date on Security Patches: Ensure that your VoIP phones are running the latest firmware updates to fix any security vulnerabilities.
  6. Use a Router with a Firewall: Always use a router with a firewall to block suspicious traffic and prevent unauthorized access to your phone system.
  7. Limit Physical Access to Networking Equipment: Store your networking equipment in a locked room or cabinet to prevent unauthorized access, and implement security cameras and access logs to monitor access.
  8. Restrict User Permissions: Limit user access to the phone system to prevent unauthorized configuration changes and potential security breaches.
  9. Ensure Data Encryption: Partner with a VoIP provider that uses end-to-end encryption to protect your call processing data from being intercepted by hackers.
  10. Educate Users: Train your users on best practices for securing their user credentials, identifying fraudulent activity, and preventing the disclosure of sensitive information during calls.
  11. Prevent Ghost Calls: Use the setting on your IP phone that only allows incoming calls from the server it is connected to, to prevent ghost calls caused by port scanning.
  12. Implement Intrusion Prevention Systems: Use intrusion prevention systems to detect abnormal activity and protect your network from distributed denial-of-service attacks.

By implementing these best practices, you can ensure that your VoIP phone system is secure, reliable, and protected from cyber threats. At TSC VoIP, we currently offer a full complement of VoIP and UCaaS services. We are also pleased to offer no-cost, no-obligation quotes for business class phone systems and service. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business!

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VoIP

5 Quick Tips for Smooth Online Conference Calls

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Online conference call meetings can be a great way for businesses to stay connected and productive, even when team members are working remotely or in different locations. However, there are a few key things you can do to ensure that your online conference call goes smoothly and is as effective as possible. Here are five tips to help you make the most of your voip conference call meetings:

Test your equipment and connection in advance: 

Before the conference call begins, make sure that your microphone, speakers, and internet connection are all working properly. This will help you avoid any technical issues during the call and ensure that you can communicate clearly with your team.

Use a high-quality voip service: 

Choosing a reliable, high-quality voip service is key to having a smooth conference call experience. Look for a service that offers clear audio and video quality, as well as features like call recording, screen sharing, and the ability to host large meetings.

Mute yourself when you’re not speaking: 

One of the biggest distractions during an online conference call is background noise from other participants. To avoid this, make sure to mute yourself when you’re not speaking or actively participating in the conversation. This will help to reduce distractions and make it easier for everyone to focus on the discussion at hand.

Establish clear guidelines for participation: 

It’s important to establish clear guidelines for participation and communication during the conference call to ensure that everyone is able to contribute and be heard. For example, you might want to designate a facilitator to keep the conversation on track, or set up a schedule for who will speak and when.

Follow up with a summary or action plan: 

After the conference call is over, be sure to follow up with a summary of what was discussed and any action items that were agreed upon. This will help to keep everyone on the same page and ensure that any tasks are completed in a timely manner.

By following these five tips, you can help ensure that your online conference call meetings are smooth and productive, and that your business stays connected and efficient even when team members are working remotely.

At TSC VoIP, we currently offer a full complement of VoIP and UCaaS services. We are also pleased to offer no-cost, no-obligation quotes for business class phone systems and service. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business!

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VoIP

Does Every VoiP Provider Have the Same Quality of Service?

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Unified Communications, or UC, platforms have been adopted by many organizations in recent years. A UC is the integration of all digital communications traffic, data and VoIP for businesses, over a single physical network. This is made possible by various software applications.

IT must carefully manage traffic response times, especially for real-time voice and video applications, to ensure an optimal experience for all users. This is usually accomplished through the creation and management of Quality of Service protocols.

What is Quality of Service?

Quality of Service, typically shortened to QoS, is the assessment of a network service’s complete performance. Oftentimes, it is gauged from the end-user’s perspective and how they feel about the level of service they are receiving.

What is Measured?

The opinions of users is the most important metric. If VoIP calls are constantly breaking up and having gaps, then that’s an issue. Poor VoIP performance can be caused by packet loss, latency, and jitter during periods of high network traffic.

Packet Loss

Packet loss is when some packets don’t make it to the intended destination. In VoIP, speech is digitized and put into packets for transmission over a network connection between speakers. If any of these transmissions are lost, the receiver won’t get the message as intended.

Latency 

Latency is the amount of time a packet takes to travel from the sender to the receiver. Low latency and equal latency for all packets is essential for good QoS. Because different packets can take different routes, this can be difficult to achieve, and many QoS devices such as switches buffer VoIP packets to maintain the order of the packets.

Jitter

To maintain a good level of voice quality, VoIP packets need to be sent in an unbroken stream from the sender to the receiver. If there is congestion at any point on the network, it can cause gaps or Interruptions in this stream which affects audio quality – this is Jitter.

VoIP Service Suppliers and QoS

It’s crucial to comprehend that not all VoIP service providers are created equal. They offer various levels of services at diverse price points and have distinct methods of handling customer QoS issues. In other words, the answer to the question “Is QoS the Same in Every VoIP Provider” is no.

The agreement between you and the service supplier should stipulate regular review meetings to discuss recent performance, identify any issues (present or future), and agree on steps for resolution. VoIP infrastructure updates (both software and hardware) are inevitable from time to time; these need to be planned in advance.

Another crucial thing to remember is that not every device is VoIP-compatible and will still require a connection to the old network. If it’s not configured correctly, your voIP could have issues. To put it simply, VoIP for business should be seen as a high-quality way of networking that is integral to your company’s strategy. Because first impressions are key, lackluster performance from VOIP can reflect poorly on your organization as a whole.

At TSC VoIP, we currently offer a full complement of VoIP and UCaaS services. We are also pleased to offer no-cost, no-obligation quotes for business class phone systems and service. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business!

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VoIP

3 Common VoIP Issues and How to Fix Them

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Many organizations have moved to an Integrated Communications Strategy, which usually includes VoIP. The benefits of this voice-over internet protocol usually include cheaper long-distance and international calling rates, improved customer relations, and better performance in the workplace.

Although VoIP comes with a range of benefits, it must be properly implemented and managed to avoid problems. Here are some common issues you may come across if VoIP isn’t used correctly.

Routers and Switches

If your VoIP system isn’t working properly, it could be due to a problem with your router or switch. Make sure that they’re configured correctly to support VoIP, and check for any updates that might have affected the configuration. Also, make sure that the ports on your switch are configured to support VLANs.

Older routers that are not up-to-date with the latest software might cause compatibility problems and decreased performance. If you’re experiencing VoIP issues, try resetting your router. There’s no guarantee it will work, but it’s worth a shot.

Bandwidth

If you want optimal VoIP performance, then you need to have enough bandwidth. Try to avoid having continuous network congestion. If the problem only happens sometimes, see which application or service requires a lot of bandwidth during those times.

You should have bandwidth monitoring on your normal network management tasklist, so issues with insufficient or poor quality connectivity can be identified and dealt with quickly. However, sometimes a network issue is beyond your control – it might be caused by factors at your ISP (Internet Service Provider), for example.

Desktop Problems

Echo — This is one of the most common VoIP issues. It’s created when the handset volume is set too high and the microphone hears the incoming call from the earpiece, and then rebroadcasts it.

The most common solution is to lower the volume on both ends. However, this doesn’t always work, and another option is to use a headset. But even headsets have their own set of problems, like ergonomics since they can be worn for long periods of time.

Training — A possibility is that the problem lies in user training—or lack thereof. “It’s just a phone” has been used as an reason to skimp on training budget, but VoIP systems are complex and comprehensive solutions. Therefore, proper education is key to taking advantage of all benefits.

At TSC VoIP, we currently offer a full complement of VoIP and UCaaS services. We are also pleased to offer no-cost, no-obligation quotes for business class phone systems and service. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business!