Subscriber Discussion

Recommendations For Small Business Phone System

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 19, 2017

Any recommendations for a small phone system probably VOIP for roughly 6 people/offices?  Simple yet reliable?  We've never installed a phone system so any and all information would be appreciated. 

John H., sorry if this is wrong venue for question.

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JH
John Honovich
Apr 19, 2017
IPVM

#1, that's perfectly fine. I am sure there will be some good suggestions.

DD
Dan Droker
Apr 19, 2017
LONG Building Technologies • IPVMU Certified

I don't know much about VOIP systems, but a few of our branches just switched our phone system to Nextiva.  It is telephony as a service, so I imagine it is easier to deploy than a locally hosted system, and is less expensive than what we had before.  I don't have a phone on my desk at all anymore, just a USB headset plugged into my computer, but a few offices and conference rooms have 3rd party IP phones that work with the system.  It also has a mobile app that allows answering calls placed to your desk number, placing calls and having the caller ID match your office line, and transferring calls between desk and cell. 

I really like the flexibility of the soft phone - if I work from home, I don't have to remember to forward my desk phone somewhere else; if I have to leave the office, I can move a call from my desk to my cell without the caller knowing the difference; I can turn off the mobile app when I don't want office calls; I can place calls without revealing my cell number.  I also like being able to launch calls directly from phone numbers in emails and documents.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 19, 2017

Dan, thanks for sharing the information.  I'll take a look to see if it is a fit for this location.

jo
jason oneal
Apr 19, 2017

I like Grandstream systems.

MM
Michael Miller
Apr 19, 2017

Are you looking for a hosted or on premise solution?  

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 20, 2017

I think options are open... do you have pros/cons?

JH
Jay Hobdy
Apr 20, 2017
IPVMU Certified

We use telonium Local company, great rates, great support.

 

 

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Robert Tabbara
Apr 20, 2017

We use dailpad a Google invested company.Same CO-founder that started Grand Central . Hosted solution, Its $15 a user, a little high I think.... But Very flexible with a very good phone app. It is a good solution for up to 60 users which we are about to outgrow and move to an in-house solution.

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Jon Dillabaugh
Apr 20, 2017
Pro Focus LLC

If looking for a hosted solution, just make sure you have a reliable, properly sized internet connection. You may want to consider a fiber based connection, if it is an option at your location. You will end up paying more for the bigger pipe and services, but there is value in the fact that you aren't buying hardware that will need maintenance or become obsolete. If you want a hands off system, this may be your choice.

If you are looking for a premise solution, ShoreTel seems to be a very common choice these days. I have seen MANY of my clients changing their systems to a ShoreTel system. In fact, it is probably the single most common product we see. Maybe there is just a really strong integrator in our area, but I have seen so many installed in the last year, that there must be a good reason for it.

A premise based system could eliminate the need for the bigger internet connection, if using POTS lines. These systems cost more up front, but you will save over time. The downside is you will likely need a maintenance agreement to keep it up to date, if you aren't interested in doing so yourself.

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MM
Michael Miller
Apr 20, 2017

FreePBX is a great option if you want to roll your own system.  You can even run it on a RasberyPi for a small system to test or spin it up on a VM.   They even have turnkey boxes ready to go.  Very powerful and also hands SIP video calling. 

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John Bazyk
Apr 21, 2017
Command Corporation • IPVMU Certified

We use Simplii.net good company I worked with them when I ran a sales team in a call center and they were good to us. When I came to Command we switch to them a few years ago and our phone bill dropped by about $1,000/month. Hosted VoIP is awesome. We have a lot of great features and it's easy to use. We've got 40 handsets right now and have some crazy protocols and it works really well. 

If you've only got a few handsets it'll still be a good option. They program the phones and ship them to you. Just plug them into a POE switch and you're good to go. 

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 21, 2017

I'll second ShoreTel, however it works for both premise and cloud based solutions. ShoreTel has the Connect ONSITE system and Connect CLOUD system to suit any need. With only 6 as long as you have a solid internet connection CLOUD may be the way to go. Another solid option if you use Office 365 is purchasing the E5 licenses (along with the $12 per user per month PSTN domestic calling package) and using Skype for Business. It's a solid product, extremely mobile, and if you still want desk phones the Polycom CX600 is compatible as well.

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Luis Carmona
Apr 21, 2017
Geutebruck USA • IPVMU Certified

We moved over to Vonage Business from a small local hosted VoIP provider. Customer service not as great but reliability is a lot better. We were considering 8x8 and I hear Grasshopper mentioned a lot.

For such a small office I think a cloud hosted phone system is your best best. But I would recommend you ask the provider what small business routers would they be willing to help you on if needed, because getting a good router properly setup can mean the difference in call quality and reliability.

You know another thing I learned in the process of our conversion was the value of having gone through a services broker. Because they can be your advocate and help cut through red-tape if there are problems.

This guy was very helpful in getting issues we ran into resolved, especially in the porting of numbers.

Phil Sparer

CommQuotes, LLC

(202) 888-7260

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Joseph Parker
Apr 21, 2017

If you have Cable or DSL I would strongly advise you stay away from any SIP (VOIP) systems.  This advice comes from years of hard learned lessons.  Check and see if Century Link Fiber Plus is in your area, you can get a symmetrical 100/100 fiber circuit from them for less than $250/month that will work great with SIP.  Through the years I've sold and installed solutions from Star2Star, Fonality, Cicso, RingCentral, Avaya, NEC, and various other one offs.  My current favorite is 3CX, and when paired with SIP trunking through Flowroute provides excellent service at a very low cost.  If you are looking for small system with analog trunks the NEC SL1100 is a very affordable option with great features.  

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 21, 2017

I can agree on typically not using cloud hosted (or SIP Trunk based) systems on a cable or DSL circuit, but for 6 people a 100/100 circuit is likely overkill.

The below link is from Cisco, however it illustrates the small amount of bandwidth required for a voice call to take place.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/voice/voice-quality/7934-bwidth-consume.html

Here's another great article that's a bit more simplistic and is related to ShoreTel:

https://support.shoretel.com/kb/view.php?t=Bandwidth 

And another with some generalized simple explanations:

http://www.mtrx.com/blog/can-your-bandwidth-handle-a-shoretel-phone-system

Worst case scenario for most codecs is 100K/100K required for a single VoIP call, so for just voice with 6 users you'd need less than a 1M/1M connection (which even most basic providers can get you ). Add-on typical internet usage and a 25/25 or 50/50 is likely to work just fine for a group that small.

The only reason I agree on typically not advocating for cable (and certainly never DSL) is the latency can sometimes be unacceptable, however if you have a provider that can provide consistently low latency (Best practice typically says stay under 150ms, however in practice I like to be much lower than that), and is using DOCSIS 3.0 or DOCSIS 3.1 to provide high aggregated speeds, then a cable provider can be ok.

Bandwidth is really only a limiter of how many calls can take place, and as long as you either have a firewall capable of carving out dedicated bandwidth for phones or you have a large enough pipe that you don't touch the top of it you should have no issues. Quality really more related to jitter in the network. Having network gear that can understand QoS markings is typically how you ensure quality stays top notch.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 21, 2017

Thank you both, that's is great information!  I was wondering why not use cable but I understand now.

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Joseph Parker
Apr 24, 2017

Just to add to this, I see some others insinuating that it may be OK to take risk with your circuit.  UI2 is correct, speed is almost never an issue as even the smallest broadband pipes can  support 10+ calls.  Latency is the issue, or more specifically jitter.   Do a ping test to google.  Note your latency.  If it's near 100ms every time, but stays there, you are probably fine.  If it starts out at 8ms, then 50, the 24, then 80 you have a problem.  This is common with most cable and dsl circuits, plays havoc with voip, and the providers are under no obligation to fix it.  I've lost clients due to this, because you can test for days before deploying your solution with no issues but 6 months later you get whacked out of the blue.  And everyone has an anti jitter solution, but it only works for minor amounts.   All of the phone systems being mentioned here are good systems, and while I don't have exact numbers I would guess that a huge percentage of dissatisfaction with any major phone system is circuit quality problems.  When reading reviews look for: robot voice, inability to hear or someone being unable to hear you, bad voice quality, scratchiness, or dropped calls.  All of these are almost always related to circuit quality.

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Armando Perez
Apr 21, 2017
Hoosier Security and Security Owners Group • IPVMU Certified

We use Fathom Voice which recently changed their name to Sharpen. WE used to run our own SIP server, etc, but this is WAY easier, and its one neck to wring if something breaks...

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MM
Michael Miller
Apr 21, 2017

Do you know if they support SIP video calls on your hosted system?  This is why we are going to switch back to a premise-based system for SIP video support. 

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Armando Perez
Apr 21, 2017
Hoosier Security and Security Owners Group • IPVMU Certified

I believe so, Ill find out Monday for you. We dont use that so I dont know.

KB
Kevin Bryner
Apr 24, 2017

Check out Digium...

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MB
Moshe Berger
Apr 24, 2017

Full disclosure here: I'm an employee of mongotel.com  a US based company, we provide VoIP services exclusively through Low Voltage and Security Integrators, where we charge a wholesale rate and the installer can mark up the price to whatever he wants or can charge the end consumer.

The installer does the install and we gives set up support, customer service, PBX programming and billing for the total price that the installer charges, so it is an easy RMR opportunity.

as stated I'm an employee, and biased so if anyone have any experience with us please speak up.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Apr 24, 2017

I will add 2 more things,

  1. at mongotel they have a router, that is required to be installed at the customers location, which takes care of almost all network related issues one may have experienced with VoIP in general, and it gives their software and support team full end to end control of the network, I've never heard them blame a situation on the local ISP, or fly blind not knowing what the issue is at the customers location is.
  2. Mongotel's customer service takes away all the hassle of programming the Phone System and all end user settings from the installer. Real hassle free RMR
DP
David Pilchick
Apr 25, 2017
Brooklyn Low Voltage Supply

I own a distribution company.

I speak from my personal experience in dealing with Mongotel.

I have referred many dealers to Mongotel and have only had positive results.

Furthermore for the sake of full disclosure

When I started with Mongotel they explained a commission structure where I would be

compensated for each referral

I initially refused their offer of compensation, saying that if there is money tied to the

referral then i would rather not get involved so as not to influence my decision in referring

I had recently come off a similar type of setup with another provider where I was blamed

for a few really bad experiences and was not looking to repeat that error

To Mongotel's credit they banked my commissions and paid them out to me once i felt

comfortable with their level of support.

Mongotel has made a serious commitment to our industry beyond what i have seen with

any other IP Phone service provider that i am familiar with.

They have made it their focus to show companies in the Alarm and Surveillance industry

that it is truly simple to increase your monthly earning without a tremendous

commitment 

They truly are honest, hard working and very competent in this field

Furthermore they understand the technology they sell and

provide support beyond compare

They work hard and are true partners

I am not being paid for this endorsement

I simply want to see them continue to be successful since i respect a company that

puts service and integrity first

 

 

 

 

 

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Chuck Janzer
Apr 24, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I switched to RingCentral about 5 years ago.  We were paying about $500 a month for POTs service with local and long distance usage.  When we switched, with the amount of phones we had, the price was about the same with many more features.  I publish one number that rings my home office, my regular office and my cell phone all at the same time.  The app on my cell phone sends my RingCentral number, hiding my real cell number. RingCentral offers many advanced features as part of the package or as add ons.  We use voice and video conferencing all the time.  The video conferencing is very reliable, unlike skype for business.  Good support.

Unlike what others are saying about internet data connections, it was recommended and I use two connections. One for voice, one for data.  Two carriers, one cable, one DSL.  They can fail over to each other with our local routers.   We use the $60 DSL circuit for VoIP and it is very reliable with no dropouts.  The problem we had was if someone started a heavy data download, the outside pipe overloaded and choppy audio. A second pipe was the quickest and inexpensive solution without going to a managed solution from some carrier.

My suggestion on internet for your small office, try it on one "standard business" circuit until you see and manage your internet data needs.  If you experience poor VoIP connections, then add the second circuit.  Two low cost paths are way less than a big costly pipe that you seldom need.  

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U
Undisclosed #4
Apr 24, 2017

Take a look. GIYF: Ubiquiti Unifi Voip 

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