Essential Tips for Choosing a Secure VoIP Provider

VoIP is fast becoming a necessity, not a choice – when BT completes its switchoff of PSTN and ISDN networks in 2027, all businesses will need to be registered with a secure, stable VoIP provider.

But how do you find the perfect VoIP provider for your commercial needs? With plenty of choice out there, it can be complex narrowing down what’s an already burgeoning field.

In this guide, we’ll take you through the steps to take when looking for an ideal VoIP provider – one that’s secure, speedy, and great value for money.

Let’s get started with step one!

1. Understand your needs

Before you start looking around for VoIP providers, it’s vital to understand your specific company needs. To start, think about how much bandwidth you actually need.

Dig into your data usage with your service provider. How much do you need to actively run your business and keep in touch with customers?

Do also consider how many users you need – how many agents will be taking calls via your new VoIP system? It pays to know this so you can look for a scalable solution that can grow with your firm.

Above all, focus on data security – the clue’s in the title! What level of security do you demand from a communications provider – two-way encryption, industry-standard storage – think carefully.

Think about the vital features you might need from a VoIP provider, too. Do you need advanced call analytics? Intelligent routing services? Apps that agents can use in the field?

Do also make a note of any configurations and integrations you might require of your VoIP provider. After all, the last thing you’ll need is a new service that doesn’t work with your existing setup!

Planning ahead is key – don’t just go for the cheapest option because it suits your budget, either! Some of the best services are priced higher than others because of the value they have to offer.

2. Research the right channels

Knowing where to start researching VoIP providers is half the battle. You could start using Which? guides, for example, or even referring to comparison engines to break down different deals from leading providers.

Another great option might be to consult your network. Ask others in your industry about who they recommend – reach out on social media for word-of-mouth suggestions, too. Recommendations from these sources are likely to be genuine and reliable – they come directly from people who use such services!

Otherwise, there’s no harm in diving deep into good old Google. Be warned, there will be plenty of results that don’t fit the bill – so be sure to take note of plenty of different providers and to compare them on all the metrics and features that matter to you.

3. Ask the right questions of your prospective providers

Although most VoIP providers worth their salt will give you plenty of information on what to expect from their services, it’s always a good idea to reach out and ask questions. And don’t be afraid to, either!

Here are a few questions we recommend that you ask of your prospective VoIP providers before going ahead and settling on a service.

How easy is it to scale my package?

If you’re growing your business, it really pays to invest in a VoIP provider that can help you scale up, rather than expecting you to stick to a certain number of users or a prohibitive bandwidth. Ask VoIP providers to demonstrate their scalability.

How do you secure your service?

Security should be a primary focus when you start searching for VoIP providers. Ask them about their encryption and storage standards – how can they reassure you?

Can I test drive the service?

Where possible, ask if you can listen to a demonstration of call quality using a VoIP provider’s service. Or, ask if you can see how some of its tools work in practice.

Do you have central management and reporting tools?

Speaking of tools, it’s good practice to look into what sorts of call management options a VoIP provider has on offer. Does it have a central dashboard, for example? Can this integrate with other programs? What reports can you create and use?

What setup is required? Will I need to buy my own equipment?

In some cases, you might need to invest in your own IP-ready phones that you can connect to VoIP. However, many good providers will let you know if this is the case, and others might even offer you packages where you can buy phones and other hardware alongside.

Can you share case studies with me?

Again, most reputable VoIP companies will be more than happy to share their success stories with you. If you can’t see these straight away from provider websites, ask for details about some of their most successful applications.

Is there a minimum contract term?

It’s always worthwhile reading any small print provided by a VoIP service before you get started with them. However, a crucial element you should consider before signing on the dotted line is contract terms. Some will tie you in, others will roll from month to month. What works best for you?

4. Read genuine user reviews

Beyond asking your network for recommendations, always read up on what other genuine users have to say about a VoIP service before you go too deep into registration.

After all, experienced users will tell you how it is – good or bad – and you can also see how VoIP providers respond to these reviews, too. That should, at least, give you a measure of what to expect from how a provider handles people, too.

This information is highly useful when you just have VoIP providers’ marketing and testimonials to go from, too!

Choose a VoIP provider you can be confident in

We know there’s lots to choose from out there – but VoIPer is genuinely one of the best value, most scalable, and most secure VoIP service providers in the UK.

Don’t just take our word for it, either. Explore our reviews, take a look at our packages, and reach out to our team – and learn more about how we can help boost your business’ communication power.