Embrace the benefits of VoIP today

04/03/22 Wavenet

Embrace the benefits of VoIP today placeholder thumbnail

Many businesses are turning to internet-based telephony today, well in advance of the switch off date. They want to be able to make calm and considered choices about the best all-IP solutions for their needs.

So, your customers will ned to make the transition to an all-IP service at some point between now and 2025. But there’s a carrot as well as a stick here. It might sound like just another problem to solve, but look at it another way and the ISDN switch off is a fantastic opportunity to make your customers' businesses more effective.

If you want to help your customers improve communications and collaboration in their business, there are good reasons to embrace the change. VoIP is a significant upgrade on ISDN and PSTN, and the sooner they move the sooner they’ll start to see its benefits. Here are some of the benefits:

VoIP is perfect for homeworkers

Businesses with employees working from home during the pandemic, and if they intend to retain an element of flexible or hybrid working when it ends, VoIP is the right solution at the right time. All-IP communications let workers take their work phone number wherever they go. Using softphones on computers and smartphones (even BYOD) saves on equipment costs and gives staff access to the same smart call handling features wherever they are.

If your customers choose to integrate VoIP with a Unified Communications (UC) solution - which combines voice with video, chat, SMS, conferencing and more - employees effectively take the office home with them. UC offers a range of sophisticated communication and collaboration tools, and makes them available to anyone with a suitable internet connection.

WHC with Cisco Webex 23

VoIP is two solutions in one

VoIP can benefit your customers' businesses in a number of ways. Most obviously, it’s two solutions in one, delivering voice and data on the same network. It can help simplify infrastructure, and with it the time needed to spend on maintenance and administration. Some VoIP solutions - like Hosted Voice - do away with on-premise equipment altogether, eliminating a significant security, storage and maintenance headache.

VoIP is flexible

Organisations can create the VoIP service that is exactly right for them. For example, a Hosted Voice solution enables organisations say goodbye to on-premise infrastructure altogether, but that might not be the best choice for everyone. If a business has recently invested in new telecoms equipment, the switch to IP won’t make it obsolete. Just choose an IP solution, like SIP Trunking, that will combine with existing phones and your on-premise PBX to work as before.

And VoIP is flexible in another important way, too. It scales up and down easily to meet business needs. In fact, many VoIP services let admins add users at the click of a mouse through a self-serve online portal. With cloud-based solutions, adding or taking away features and permissions is just as simple.

VoIP is cost-effective

That flexibility has another advantage: it’s part of what makes VoIP so cost-effective. There’s no need for your customers to invest in extra capacity to make sure they can cover future growth or peaks in demand. Simply add or take seats away as the needs of their sales cycle or expansion plans dictate. They will never pay for capacity they can’t use.

The use of cloud infrastructure and softphones also takes away equipment purchase and maintenance costs, and call charges are often lower with VoIP than with ISDN or PSTN. And in many cases, a standard per user per month charging model cuts the overall cost of communications and simplifies budgeting.

WHC with Cisco Webex 13

The ISDN alternative that’s right for your customers

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to switch from ISDN to All-IP telephony. At the same time, not all VoIP services are the same. To get maximum benefit you need to choose the right type of IP telephony for your customers' business needs.

That’s where we come in. We’re a BT Wholesale Elite partner, so we offer a full range of IP telephony solutions, covering the requirements of every business size and sector. We can also advise you on the connectivity you need to ensure the smooth and efficient running of your customers' VoIP service.

With VoIP, you don’t have to take a one-size-fits-all solution and hope for the best. For a sole trader or start-up, basic IP telephony bundled with reliable broadband may be the best fit. For larger organisations - from SME to enterprise - the flexibility of hosted voice or SIP Trunking, combined with sophisticated call handling features and UC compatibility, could give a competitive edge. The great thing about many VoIP services is that organisations can upgrade features as soon as they decide they need them.

So, whether your customers want a basic service or something they can build a full suite of features and integrations on, the benefits of IP telephony far outweigh the inconvenience of switching away from ISDN. That’s why many organisations are acting now, rather than waiting for 2025. If you want to start enjoying the benefits of an agile, efficient and cost-effective VoIP service ahead of your competitors, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Account Manager.

VoIP, hybrid working, Full-Fibre Future

Latest blogs

See all posts

Placeholder thumbnail

Boardroom vs breach: 20 questions every IT leader should be asking about cyber security

Cyber threats are evolving faster than most organisations can keep up. Between new attack techniques, expanding digital estates, and the cyber skills shortage, even well-equipped IT teams are struggling to stay ahead. It’s no longer enough to tick compliance boxes or to simply deploy the latest tools. Real security starts with asking the right questions and acting on the answers. That’s why we’ve created Boardroom vs Breach, a 20-question self-assessment designed to help IT leaders and those responsible for cyber-security take a clear-eyed look at your current security posture, highlight blind spots, and spark critical conversations at board level. Why this matters The cost of a cyber breach isn’t just downtime – it’s trust, reputation, compliance fines, and lost revenue. Yet many companies don’t know if their defences are actually up to the task – do you? These 20 questions aren’t about theory; they reflect real-world weak points that we see every day. If you can’t answer them confidently, we can help. The 20 questions you need to answer Visibility & monitoring Do you have complete visibility of your IT assets? What visibility do you have into incidents and events across your infrastructure? How do you manage your security tooling? How many different tools are you running — and are they working together? Are your systems and endpoints patched regularly? Our advice: Gaining complete visibility starts with consolidating event data, automating alerts, and ensuring continuous oversight across your entire estate. Take a look at: Security Information and Event Management Vulnerability Management Managed Detection and Response Threat detection & response What happens if an incident occurs after hours? How do you find out? Who responds? When was your last penetration test? How regularly do you conduct them? What protections are in place for endpoints, email, and networks? What level of visibility do you have into potential breaches? Do you work with a partner that offers 24/7/365 response and real-world support? Our advice: Improve threat visibility and reduce response times by combining real-time monitoring with expert-led incident analysis and containment. Take a look at: 24/7/365 Managed Detection and Response Incident Response Retainers Penetration Testing and Red Teaming Cloud & modern IT risk Do you use public cloud services? Are you confident in how they’re secured? How do you manage and secure user devices remotely? What vendors are you currently relying on — and are they right for your risk profile? How do you secure your network beyond the firewall? Our advice: Extend visibility beyond the traditional perimeter by applying cloud-native monitoring, endpoint telemetry, and policy-based access control. Take a look at: Cloud Security Assessments Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) People, process & planning How are your users trained to detect attacks such as phishing? Do you have access to expert help in a crisis? What cyber expertise exists in-house — is there a dedicated security leader? How do you create a positive security culture, not just rules? What threats are most relevant to your industry? Are you meeting required regulations and compliance standards? Our advice: Build better situational awareness by aligning people and processes with continuous monitoring and clearly defined escalation paths. Take a look at: Security Awareness Training Virtual CISO Services Compliance and Risk Consulting And a bonus question, with potentially the most worrying answer of all… What would a breach cost your business — financially and operationally? Putting it all together While individual solutions can address specific security challenges, working with a trusted managed services and security partner ensures cohesive, round-the-clock support across every aspect of your cyber security posture — delivering greater efficiency, resilience, and long-term value. We work with IT and security leaders across all sectors to assess risk, build resilient cyber strategies, and deliver comprehensive protection that scales with your business. From real-world penetration testing to 24/7/365 threat detection, cloud security, and expert consultancy, we’re your trusted partner in securing the ‘now’ — and preparing for what’s next.

Placeholder thumbnail

Migrating legacy on-premises PBX to the cloud: The tide has turned [whitepaper]

Cloud is the clear choice for business communications Industry watchers and pundits all agree that in the cloud-versus-premises PBX debate, the cloud has won. Cloud-based “as a service” solutions are taking off as companies look to the cloud for their unified communications (UC), collaboration, and contact centre needs.

Placeholder thumbnail

7 benefits of moving from an on-premises PBX to the cloud [whitepaper]

Tipping points: Factors typically driving the transition from a legacy PBX to cloud VoIP Essential business apps are now born in the cloud. Whether you have a CRM solution, something for HR, or simple file storage, it’s probably in the cloud. But for any number of reasons – not the least of which is the relatively large investment required for a new PBX – many businesses have delayed upgrading their PBX and moving it to the cloud. Consequently, you may be living with a communications system that lacks the capabilities and flexibility to support rapid growth or business agility. Or you may be dealing with the worry that you are literally one ageing component away from complete failure of your company’s business communications... Whatever your current situation, this paper provides useful insight, including understanding the factors typically driving the transition from a legacy PBX to cloud VoIP and factors to consider when selecting a communications provider before drilling down into each of the 7 key advantages of moving to a cloud communications system…

Placeholder thumbnail

Microsoft 365 by Wavenet - video

Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive cloud-based subscription service that integrates collaboration, communication, and productivity tools for enterprises, supported by various management and compliance services. Microsoft 365 brings together best-in class productivity apps with powerful cloud services, device management, and advanced security in one, connected experience. Once used to its full potential, Microsoft 365 can speed up processes, reduce costs, save time and make compliance easier. But its constant updates and complexity often get in the way. That’s where we help — with nine practical ways to get more value from Microsoft 365, from buying and configuring it to improving security, collaboration and everyday use. Watch our 3 minute video below, to find out how…

Close up of a server stack with flashing lights

3 reasons why reliable network infrastructure is the backbone of digital transformation

Reliable network infrastructure is the foundation of any successful digital transformation. In this short video, Tom Harris explains how strong connectivity supports secure operations, enables remote work, and gives businesses the flexibility to scale and innovate. From improved data protection to cloud readiness, learn why getting your network right is essential for long-term growth.

Top 3 cyber practices every business should adopt

Top 3 cyber practices every business should adopt

Cyber security threats are evolving, but so can your defences. In this short video, Tom Harris shares three essential practices every business should adopt to protect sensitive data and reduce risk: implementing strong access controls, delivering regular security training to employees, and keeping software up to date. These simple, proactive steps can make a big difference in strengthening your organisation’s security posture.