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The world of voice communications is changing everywhere, but nowhere is that change more significant than in the business world, with the migration from traditional telephones to IP-based service. Forces driving this move may include cost savings, better support for the mobile work styles being adopted today, and the administrative efficiencies created by merging two separate but necessary functions – telephones and computers – onto a single internet network connection. Despite the benefits, a successful move to VoIP will still have its challenges....

Even small changes can become big decisions when you’re running a business. Changing something as fundamental to your business as your telephone system can be particularly daunting. The wrong move can cost money, cause downtime, or produce results that leave you worse off than you were.

TEC Executive Vice President Joey F. Garner and Vice President of Operations James Garner were among nearly two dozen entrepreneurs, telecommunications executives, professors, and politicians recently invited to participate in a roundtable discussion at Jackson State University on Monday, February 19, focused on workforce development and training in the telecommunications and technology sector.

Ninety-eight percent of millennials own a smartphone, and Gen Xers are right behind them at 96 percent. Businesses that provide office telephones (that is, all of them) need to consider this trend when updating telephony.

Everyone is constantly on the move these days. And with today’s technology, people work everywhere, all the time, and communications systems must keep up with the increased demand. Your business needs a communications system that can deliver the various functions and enhancements that your business needs.

Like it or not, business phone systems are headed to VoIP. So, if you haven’t made the change already, you will soon. And when you do there will be decisions. Do you choose on-site or cloud-hosted PBX? There are some fundamental differences between the systems and knowing what those are will simplify the decision and deliver a higher level of satisfaction for the company, its employees and even callers.

The hot Mississippi morning was filled with summertime’s thick air and a cool morning breeze. It was only eight o’clock, and he’d already had some early morning adventures running around town with his dog, chasing some cats around the courthouse. As his small hometown awakened, he was there to greet the day and the neighbors...

Ready or not, they are here. Just when you thought you finally had a handle on the whole Millennial thing, Generation Z is at the door. Demographers point to the mid-90s as the dawn of Gen Z, so those babies begin entering the workforce this year. Why is that important and what does it have to do with telecommunications?

For a small law firm or solo practitioner, selecting or updating a phone system is usually not at the top of the priority list. With all the challenges that accompany setting up a new firm or relocating to a new office, the phone service decision is often relegated to an office manager or admin who is instructed to “get the phones turned on,” without much consideration beyond the monthly cost...

More and more small businesses are switching to VoIP phone systems every day because VoIP, and particularly cloud-hosted VoIP service, offers more features than a traditional phone system and many of those features are available at no additional charge. However, because many business owners are coming from old, traditional telephone technology they are often not aware of the wealth of features and options that VoIP provides.

You may have heard the buzz about VoIP in enterprise businesses, but you may be wondering if the much-touted benefits of VoIP are worth the expense and hassle of switching to newer technology.

Everyone knows just how frustrating it can be to deal with phone and internet providers. Large providers have multiple business units and moving parts, with different services hosted in different parts of the country or world. The customer, however, is simply looking for an expectation of quality, and access to courteous customer service when issues arise. You may have options you didn't even know about: a local communications company. Local companies access the same cutting edge technology that the big names do, and they also have distinct advantages over national brands that you might not have considered.

Before the cloud, company data was tied down by a sea of bulky servers. Today, cloud storage offers the opportunity for companies of all sizes to keep their data secure but accessible without the hassle of outdated hardware and software. Through the cloud, you can improve your small business’s ability to access, share, and secure your company's data, particularly if you have limited resources for managing on-site technology.

Having the ability to work from home has become the new norm across many industries and roles. For some, it’s a permanent job requirement; other times it’s due to working on site with a client or customer. Either way, it’s important that your company is well prepared when a team member works out of the office. Working remotely requires technology that helps your team get the job done in diverse settings and overcome obstacles when unexpected circumstances arise. There’s nothing like that sinking feeling when you left an important file on a desktop computer back at the office or when you can’t reach a coworker that’s already left for the day.

Year after year, more employees use their smartphones and tablets to work from beyond the office—whether from their living room couch or an airport terminal. Thanks to cloud computing and faster internet connections, mobility has allowed employees to interact with corporate back-end systems at anytime, from anywhere. Mobility is all about responsiveness, productivity and efficiency. Many businesses are reducing their dependence on one workspace and enabling a mobile workforce to be productive wherever their work takes them.

So you’ve decided to switch to a VoIP based provider—or maybe you converted years ago. Either way you know that VoIP systems have perks for businesses of all sizes, including cost savings, network integration, and higher productivity. However, unlike standard telephony, VoIP sometimes has a tendency to drop the connection mid-way through a call for no apparent reason.