VoIP apps let users send messages, make phone calls, and do other tasks through an internet connection. Most apps offer the essential services for free, and they can harmonize with your devices for consistent usage. Here are some of the top VoIP apps.

WhatsApp
The increasingly popular WhatsApp provides more than just text chats between users. There is also an call option, the equivalent of VoIP calls with the option of using video. So if you’re texting with a business colleague, friend or spouse, and need to communicate more clearly or face-to-face, you can easily switch your text chat to a more personal voice or video one. WhatsApp texting and VoIP service is free to download and use, and is available for all major smartphones.

Skype
Even seldom Internet users and the non-tech savvy are likely to be familiar with Skype. This VoIP trailblazer was allowing users to place calls over the Internet long before many even knew what VoIP was. But for those who are unfamiliar with this service, Skype users can place voice or video calls to other Skype users for free. You can also call a landline or mobile that doesn’t use the app for a very small fee. As for new changes, you can now conduct conference calls with the group video calling function that Skype has recently added.

Viber
Like Skype, you can use this service to place free VoIP calls to other Viber users. You can also call non-Viber users for a low fee, which is usually less than most cellular service plans. And because Viber is primarily a mobile app, it also has some nice benefits if you’re using it on your cell. Unlike other free VoIP services, Viber doesn’t require a username. Instead, you simply use your cell number as an identifier, which makes it easy for you to call contacts on your phone. What’s more, it also doesn’t eat up a large amount of data per call, only using 250KB per minute.

Viber is available for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices, and requires no registration to use the app.

Google Hangouts Dialer
If you’re a Google Apps user, you’re likely familiar with Hangouts. What you may not know, however, is that you can install an app, Hangouts Dialer, that enables VoIP calls. Once Dialer is installed in the Hangouts app, you can use it to call any phone number in the world, including landlines. Best of all, most calls to Canada and the US are free.

For business owners who are a bit tentative of VoIP, these four apps will give you an easy opportunity to test the waters. If you have any VoIP questions, or are ready to start saving money and install a VoIP system in your business, call us today!

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Phones are absolutely essential to any company’s communications arsenal. And after Alexander Graham Bell made the first coast-to-coast long-distance call in 1915, it was clear that this was technology that had the power to transform businesses. But as with all emerging technologies, there were some kinks to work out.

Choppy Voice

The main factor in disjointed, start-stop sounding messages in a VoIP environment is packet loss, which occurs if individual data “packets” are lost in transmission. When this occurs, the gateway at the receiving end of the call tries to predict what’s been lost, but when it can’t, the gap in data remains empty. With a simple tweak to your VoIP system’s bandwidth settings, sending and receiving voice data will become smoother and significantly reduce these interruptions.

Static

Many VoIP systems use an ATA, or Analog Telephone Adapter, to convert analog voice signals to digital signals. This sometimes produces static during calls, with the culprits usually being incompatible power supplies or feedback from the phones plugged into the ATA. Easy fixes include unplugging/replugging the ATA and/or the devices connected to it, or switching to IP Phones, which require no analog/digital conversions.

Voice Echo

It’s fun to hear your voice repeating throughout the high-walled canyon you’re hiking, but not so great when you’re having a quick chat on the phone. Although VoIP echo won’t totally disrupt your conversation, there are a few things you can do to reduce it, such as adjusting volume and gain settings, upgrading your USB headsets, or implementing VoIP echo cancellation software.

Post-dial Delay

Commonly referred to as PDD in VoIP parlance, post-dial delay is fairly self-explanatory. It refers to a delay between the time the caller finishes dialing and when they hear ringing, a busy signal, or some other kind of “in-call” information. It can be a nuisance when, instead of the ringing being delayed, it never actually occurs and you suddenly realize that your call has been connected.

This is actually an external issue from a vital piece of VoIP technology known as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). At the moment, the only solace we can offer is that its widespread nature means you’re not alone, and a solution should be coming along soon.

By now, it’s clear to most small- and medium-sized businesses that a VoIP phone system can benefit them, even with the occasional delayed ring or scratchy call. Because what we’ve learned from previous telephony advances is that inconveniences like these are manageable. We can help you manage -- from VoIP planning to installation to optimization, contact us today for more information.

The post Causes of call-quality issues of VoIP appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

An organization might have the most state-of-the-art technology in the world at its disposal, but none of it matters if people don't use it. Here are are five good ways to ensure collaboration tools adoption for your business.

#1 Conduct an audit and have your use cases ready - The first thing you need to do is run an internal audit to figure out which collaboration tools are in your environment and why. Then, make sure you have a handful of clear, real-life use cases ready to share on how the tool can be used and what benefits they can help achieve. For example, a project-oriented team may be more open to using Microsoft Teams if they see the built-in project management and workflow features the software provides.

#2 Select the right tool and approach for the job - Understand that collaboration tools have to work the way your people do, not the other way around. This means if you purchase a VoIP system with a glut of call features you're never going to use -- like voicemail to mail or whisper and barge features -- adoption rates will suffer. And if you are unsure about how your company will react to the new collaboration tool, sign people up for a free demo and ask for their honest feedback.

#3 Do proper testing and train users - Before encouraging widespread use of new collaboration tools, you've got to ensure that you've optimized your IT infrastructure to cope with the added demands -- and that means properly testing your network ahead of deployment. Then, train your employees how to conduct calls and communicate through the software. Once they understand how to use the collaboration tool, they're more inclined to use it for their day-to-day tasks.

#4 Plan a phased deployment - For higher chances of success, go with a phased deployment. Start by piloting your chosen tools with a group of early adopters, learn from them, and make adjustments. Next, extend that pilot from a small group of users to a department. Repeat the same process before deploying the tools to more departments, then eventually, to the entire organization.

#5 Regular monitoring -  Finally, you should monitor the quality and performance of your employees using the software. This will allow you to spot and fix user-experience issues early on.

Overall, a good introduction can ease employees into using the new VoIP and collaboration tools. And with proper usage, these tools can enhance productivity and promote well-coordinated teams.

Call us today to accelerate your enterprise’s adoption of collaboration tools.

The post Getting staff to use collaboration tools appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

An organization might have the most state-of-the-art technology in the world at its disposal, but none of it matters if people don't use it. Here are are five good ways to ensure collaboration tools adoption for your business.

#1 Conduct an audit and have your use cases ready - The first thing you need to do is run an internal audit to figure out which collaboration tools are in your environment and why. Then, make sure you have a handful of clear, real-life use cases ready to share on how the tool can be used and what benefits they can help achieve. For example, a project-oriented team may be more open to using Microsoft Teams if they see the built-in project management and workflow features the software provides.

#2 Select the right tool and approach for the job - Understand that collaboration tools have to work the way your people do, not the other way around. This means if you purchase a VoIP system with a glut of call features you're never going to use -- like voicemail to mail or whisper and barge features -- adoption rates will suffer. And if you are unsure about how your company will react to the new collaboration tool, sign people up for a free demo and ask for their honest feedback.

#3 Do proper testing and train users - Before encouraging widespread use of new collaboration tools, you've got to ensure that you've optimized your IT infrastructure to cope with the added demands -- and that means properly testing your network ahead of deployment. Then, train your employees how to conduct calls and communicate through the software. Once they understand how to use the collaboration tool, they're more inclined to use it for their day-to-day tasks.

#4 Plan a phased deployment - For higher chances of success, go with a phased deployment. Start by piloting your chosen tools with a group of early adopters, learn from them, and make adjustments. Next, extend that pilot from a small group of users to a department. Repeat the same process before deploying the tools to more departments, then eventually, to the entire organization.

#5 Regular monitoring -  Finally, you should monitor the quality and performance of your employees using the software. This will allow you to spot and fix user-experience issues early on.

Overall, a good introduction can ease employees into using the new VoIP and collaboration tools. And with proper usage, these tools can enhance productivity and promote well-coordinated teams.

Call us today to accelerate your enterprise’s adoption of collaboration tools.

The post Getting staff to use collaboration tools appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..