Owning a business in Seminole, PA means having to install a telephone service provider at one point or another. Calls from customers and vendors are still the number one way that the public will get in touch with you. The most reliable type of phone service is important to have for your business. You'll want to choose a company that offers dependable service for an affordable price. Customer service is also something you should factor into your consideration. So before you make the decision of what phone company to choose from, evaluate the various providers and everything they have to offer. You'll have the choice of either a VoIP phone service or the more traditional analog telephone service. You should understand exactly what the differences are between the two before you make your choice by comparing and taking into account the different rates and features. Decide which features and price range will work well for your 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, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is one of the most recent types of phone service that can be used as an alternative to traditional analog lines in Seminole, PA. Many business owners do not realize that VoIP service has been in existence for more than a decade and is becoming more and more popular with business owners. Many companies are letting go of their analog PSTN service in favor of making the switch to a product that will help them save time and money, as well as a large initial investment. Many newer, start-up companies, especially smaller ones who are looking to save money but get the most out of their phone service, are looking at VoIP phone services for their businesses.
The call quality of VoIP is just as good as the traditional analog system. The big difference is that the calls are made through your existing Internet system instead of the traditional phone and cable lines. Because of this, you must make sure that your Internet signal is strong so that you don't have problems making and receiving calls. The Wirefly Internet Speed Test can help determine if your current Internet connection will support VoIP.
The biggest difference between the traditional PSTN and VoIP is the way that calls are carried. An analog signal is used to carry PSTN service, while the Internet carries VoIP calls. All calls made through VoIP are digitized. When you use your Internet connection to make and receive telephone calls, you will pay a lot less for your service, as sending data this way is much cheaper. This is great for companies that need to make many long distance or international calls and don't want to pay high fees. VoIP service providers usually offer long distance packages that will allow you to pay a flat rate for unlimited long distance and international calls. This is one less worry for you when you are operating a busy company.
You can also request a number of different features with VoIP services, as they offer the same ones that PSTN service does. This will include Caller ID, call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, remote access to voicemail, ring groups and much more. If you need to install multiple extensions within your company, VoIP service has you covered.
Nowadays, VoIP service providers in Seminole, PA offer their customers many different plans that will suit the needs of various businesses, regardless of their size. For example, you may only need three lines within your small office space, or your large corporation could use thousands of extensions. No matter what, there is a VoIP phone service that can provide you with whatever you need.
When you start your search for the best phone provider, you'll see that there are many VoIP service suppliers battling to do business with you. While you may be overwhelmed at first, you can actually use this to your advantage.
Consider what you need before you choose a company. You will want to know how many lines you will need, whether you will utilize the special features enough to be worth buying them and if your business has the potential to grow down the road. How much the companies charge for service will also be a factor. If you are a smaller company, you won't want a company that overcharges.
Compare all of the features between the companies to see who offers the most for the best rate. Look into the actual reputation of the company, as well. Finding a cheap VoIP service isn't beneficial if the company has poor customer service and a bad reputation. Remember that your company needs to have a reliable phone service to make and receive calls, so choosing a cheap company can actually lose you money if they do not offer reliable service.
With a traditional phone service, your calls will be carried over the POTS, which is also known as a PSTN (public switched telephone network). This system exists all throughout the nation and is composed of many wires, satellite dishes, cellular networks, and landlines. POTS has existed for nearly 100 years and was the first telephone network created.
Having a POTS phone service costs quite a bit more than VoIP in Seminole, PA, primarily because the POTS framework is incredibly sizable, creaky, and demands continual upkeep. Since POTS is an analog-based system, it's hard for it to dispatch information across distances of any length.
Whenever you call some long distance on a POTS line, the signal will pause at several spots along its path of transmission. Because the signal will move through machinery being operated by a number of businesses, long-distance calls placed on a POTS line are not cheap. Much of the hardware once used to transport, exchange, and direct calls has become completely digitized, but the final link (the bridge linking the regional office to the user) remains analog.
A PBX is a private branch exchange which will route calls within an office and is what most Seminole, PA businesses use. When you have a business phone service, the PBX is what allows the caller to use different features, such as voicemail, call waiting, multiple extensions, conference calls and more.
The PBX to a traditional phone system may be found either at a remote location or at the caller's actual premises. But it doesn't matter where it is at, as using an analog PBX can be very expensive. The set-up alone can be very expensive, as a PBX requires different varieties of hardware that are the customer's responsibility to pay. Many times, the initial investment runs around $1,000 to start. This won't include installation of the hardware, or follow-up maintenance. While some companies have information technology employees who can maintain this equipment, many do not. The charge for fixing and maintain your PBX system can run anywhere from $100 an hour and up.
It's also important to remember that if you use a PBX in your Seminole, PA business, you will be responsible for the cost of upgrading the system and/or expanding it if need be. This can cost a lot of money to do. Plus, a lot of PBX systems only support a few lines, so the price for having to accommodate your growing business with more lines will be your responsibility.
Additionally, a PBX may experience breakdowns in the future, as do many electronic hardware products. This could cost you a good bit in repair and hardware replacement costs if something happens to your PBX. If the system becomes obsolete in a few years, you will be responsible for that, as well.
