Hosted VoIP for Your BusinessWhen it comes to setting up a communications infrastructure for your business, many small and medium-sized businesses today are considering managed VoIP services.nnVoice over Internet Protocal, or VoIP is a method of transmitting telephone calls over the Internet that involves voice information being captured in digital form and sent in packets through the network rather than by traditional POTS circuits.nnOne of the biggest advantages of VoIP services is that they are generally less expensive than telephone long distance packages. Calls over the Internet don’t incur a surcharge beyond what you’re paying for the Internet access itself, much in the same way you wouldn’t pay for each individual email. Also, one high-speed Internet connection can serve for multiple phone lines. VoIP can also help reduce operating costs because a VoIP exchange is based on software rather than hardware, so it’s easier to alter and maintain.nnAnother unique feature about VoIP is its integration with audio, data and video applications improving overall productivity. VoIP treats voice as if it were any other kind of data, so users can attach documents to voice messages, participate in virtual meetings using shared data and videoconferencing and surf the Internet at the same time.nnFlexibility is another benefit VoIP users appreciate. You can use your number anywhere there’s an Internet connection, which is suitable for someone who travels a lot. Most VoIP services also come with convenient free features that typically cost extra with normal phones, like voice mail, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, call block and call return.nnVoIP is generally used in two ways. One is installing the necessary hardware in-house, which is best for larger enterprises where the ability to quickly modify telephony configurations is a mission-critical process and should not be outsourced. The more popular option for SMBs is to turn to a hosted or outsourced VoIP solution provider.nnHosted solutions enable businesses to concentrate on the areas of their business that they do well, rather than having to expand resources on maintaining a VoIP implementation.nnSome of the companies offering hosted VoIP include Qwest with its OneFlex VoIP solution, M5 Networks with its Voice-as-a-Service solution, LignUp’s Web services with VoIP and Broadsoft with its hosted and mobile PBX solutions. Prices aren’t listed on the Web sites so you’ll have to contact the providers themselves for more information.