Selecting a high-quality phone service in Steubenville, OH could be just what your business needs to thrive. All things considered, the phone remains the main way that consumers contact businesses. Using the appropriate type of telephone service for your company is utterly critical, and you need a company that is cost-effective, dependable, and that gives you all the high-tech features your business depends on. For that reason, before deciding what business phone company to go with, you must thoroughly examine the different kinds of services and providers out there. The two primary options for business phone plans are standard landline phone service and VoIP service. It's of the utmost importance that you're aware of the differences between these two types of phone services prior to making your selection. This article will help you to make the right choice for your Steubenville, OH business.
| Provider | Plan Details | Monthly Rate* | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | RATED #1 BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS
| $19.99 | Details  142 Reviews |
 | Business phone service - no internet required
* 8.3% discount if paid for the year upfront | $17.41* | Details  7 Reviews |
 | Engineering for the Small Business
* per user per month | $9.95* | Details 1 Reviews |
 | Alliance
* 12% discount for subscribing and paying for a year upfront | $19.97* | Details 13 Reviews |
_2.png&contenttype=png "Talkroute Logo") | The phone system built to do business anywhere
* $5 per additional user | $19.00* | Details 1 Reviews |
_2.png&contenttype=png "Verizon logo") | Get 99.99% network reliability with Fios.
* Per month. Plus taxes, fees and equipment charges. | $69.00* | Details  11 Reviews |
VoIP stands for voice over Internet protocol. This type of phone service has been in use for more than a decade but has only become mainstream in the past few years. Many businesses have decided to try something new and get rid of their PSTN service. New companies, particularly start-ups, are also more likely to try VoIP phone service for their communication needs with their companies. Calls are simply carried through the company Internet provider and are exactly the same as when you use a traditional line. However, since your Internet will be used to conduct business calls, you will want to make sure your connection is strong and secure. If you would like, use our Wirefly Internet Speed Test to make sure you have dependable VoIP call quality.
The biggest difference when it comes to VoIP and PSTN service is the way the calls are carried through each one. A PSTN service still uses an analog signal to deliver calls. With a VoIP service, all calls are digitized and are sent through an Internet service provider instead. Using the Internet to carry calls is much more affordable than using a traditional analog service, so making and receiving phone calls costs less. This is especially helpful for any business that has to make a lot of long distance or international phone calls for their company. Many VoIP providers offer flat rate packages that are specifically for making long distance calls so their customers do not have to worry about huge rate increases on their bills every month.
With a VoIP service in Steubenville, OH, you can also request every type of feature that you would get with a PSTN phone service. You are probably used to features such as Caller ID and call forwarding, and these are basic features that most companies offer. You can also put in multiple extensions, have remote access to your voicemail and enjoy fax to voicemail when you choose a VoIP service provider. Just ask your provider when you set up your lines about all the extra features they supply.
Since VoIP is a very popular feature nowadays, there are many different companies that provide it and will compete to get your business. It may seem difficult to make the choice of who gets your business, but you will actually be able to use this to your advantage.
To begin, consider what your needs are when it comes to needing a telephone line for your company. Think about how many lines you will need to have, what types of features your company will absolutely need on a regular basis and if your business could expand in the future. Of course, you will also need to consider how much you can pay for your VoIP service.
After you decide this, consider the different companies in Steubenville, OH that offer business VoIP services. You'll be faced with many, but take your time to compare their features and rates. Look at what services they offer, how much they cost and whether they provide service in your area. You'll also want to consider the actual reputation of the company and how long they have been in business. Don't lose sight of the fact that a working business phone is absolutely crucial to your business. You need a company who can deliver on their promises and be there when there is a problem. A good track record of the company and great customer service is also quite important.
Traditionally, most calls are carried through the PSTN, the public switched telephone network. This is a nationwide system that uses telephone lines, cables, satellites and mobile networks to connect calls. This particular phone service has been around for more than a hundred years and was the very first type of phone service ever to be utilized.
However, the traditional PSTN telephone service is a more expensive choice when compared to VoIP, mostly because of the large infrastructure the system still relies on. Since it is so old and large, regular maintenance is needed to make sure it runs efficiently. Also, an analog signal has a harder time sending data over a long distance.
As a long distance call travels over the PSTN system, it stops at quite a few locations as it moves. The data is transmitted through old equipment owned by numerous companies, making the calls expensive. Most of the infrastructure used to carry and switch telephone calls has become digital, but the “last mile' of the call is still analog. This is another reason a PSTN service can ultimately end up costing business owners more.
Coupling an analog service with a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is very common among Steubenville, OH businesses. A PBX is what allows an Analog Phone System to use different calling features like multiple extensions, voicemail and conference calls, since its main function is to reroute the calls received throughout the office.
If you are using a PSTN service, then the can be located within the office or hosted in a different location. Despite this, there is a big defect of an analog PBX: it is an expensive piece of hardware. From the beginning, it supposes a big investment as simply buying the hardware needed to set up a network can cost upwards of $1,000 without considering the installation and maintenance costs of the network. To keep everything running smoothly, the hardware needs to be maintained which means that you will either need to get an in-house technician or hire a professional service that can charge $100 an hour or more.
Another big drawback in using a PBX for your Steubenville, OH business is that expanding the service can be both difficult and expensive. Most PBX systems in the market support a limited amount of lines, this means that if you begin to branch out or otherwise expand your service you will have to pay for extra hardware to accommodate your needs.
As with all pieces of hardware, the PBX may become obsolete, meaning that it would have to be replaced every few years. This would be a continuous expenditure for your business. As well as becoming obsolete, the PBX can break down or develop faults that would have to be repaired and even replaced, meaning that in the long-run the PBX can become an expensive problem.
