The combination of smartphones with VoIP technology has changed the landscape of business communications. Desk phones were seen as critical for business until recently with the rise in popularity of cloud hosted telephony, allowing you to use your mobile as a desk phone. Will smart phone apps replace desk phones eventually? I am not sure.
Better business communications at lower costs
Cloud voice offers better functionality than traditional on premise phone systems, at a fraction of the cost, available on monthly contracts per extension. With a reliable internet connection, a phone line and a cloud-hosted package, you get access to features such as voicemail to email, call re-dial, DND, call pickup, hunt groups, SIP port, disaster recovery, hot-desking, call waiting and music on hold. Some packages also include the latest VoIP desk phones and come with inclusive standard UK and mobile minutes. Add-ons such as call recording are also available at a few pounds per month extra.
Some of the better hosted systems offer ‘shared call appearance’ which allows several handsets, mobile applications and laptop clients to be associated with the same extension number. All devices connected to the licence can ring at the same time and similarly outgoing calls can be made wherever you are. Your status or ‘presence’ will display on all devices and a red light will show on your office deskphone if you are using your mobile as a device so colleagues don’t try and transfer calls to you.
To answer the question I am not sure they will replace desk phones. According to Juniper Research, there will be nearly 1.7 billion mobile VoIP users by 2017. I can’t imagine that they will all throw out their desk phones in favour of mobile apps. When you are sat at your desk it is easier to pick up your desk phone and dial an extension.
I see smart phone apps not as a replacement but something that work well with the latest VoiP desk phones allowing you to transfer calls to your mobile, tablet and back again as you travel and even work from home with just a broadband connection and a laptop.
If you are interested in supplying hosted telephony and associated smart phone apps to your customer base, contact Jola.
