With Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology you can make phone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular phone line. A business can potentially cut costs by reducing its long distance phone bill using this type of service. In many respects a VoIP service works just like a traditional phone line. You can call local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers. However, with a VoIP service your business pays a flat fee, regardless of how many and what types of calls are made.

There are many VoIP manufacturers with feature-rich systems that can fit the needs of small organizations. To determine whether VoIP is an option for your organization, you should understand how it works and be aware of the differences between VoIP and traditional systems. It may be that a VoIP/traditional combination is the phone system that best fits your needs.

We recently surveyed small and mid-sized businesses on office technology. It was short and simple survey with three questions about spending priorities, what technologies don't work as expected, and vendor selection factors. I've compiled the results.