A few things, by my experience. I run a media production company and needed a consolidated system to streamline my ops. VoIP allows you to bundle broadband and phone, as well as do network systems easily. You can also set up telecommuting stuff really easy-- a big benefit for me since my staff is all over the country. If you only make local calls it may not be smart.

It's cheap. I saw a 40% drop in phone costs. But you'll need some kind of back up. I run a flower shop and we have had a few instances where weather caused power outages. That shuts your system down. You'll need a backup line or power backup, which eats inti savings.

The main thing you'll probably gain from switching to VoIP, at least in the long run, is functionality. You get a lot of features that you probably won't get from using landline services, like having your Voicemail messages sent to your email, find me follow me service, etc.

Until recently, VoIP was really just a landline alternative, but recently its flexibility has really been showcased with its integration with other existing technologies.

Chances are that it's also cheaper. On network calls are usually free and if you get a service that charges by minutes used and not per seat (they're usually around 30-40 per seat) then you pay nothing for adding users to your network. Essentially having unlimited extensions for free, which is pretty nice.

OnSIP is just one example of a business VoIP service you might want to consider looking into.

Source: http://www.onsip.com

If your business wants to do a complete upgrade to VoIP systems, and this will benefit you in the long run because VoIP quality improvements may require upgrades in the future, the costs can build up. Then again, this depends on the specific brands and models that you choose – top of the line systems can run into triple digit price tags, but they can also be much cheaper if you choose quality over flash.

Many providers will help you figure out what upgrades are needed and provide you with a price quote for whichever system you want to go with. In most cases, your phone bills can be combined with your internet services, and the set-up can be finished within a matter of days.

The major benefit of switching from a traditional analog PSTN to an internet based phone system is cost savings. High call volumes from PSTN’s incur charges for long distance, peak-hour calls, and most importantly international connections. Since VoIP operates over the internet, you will only be paying for monthly internet service charges. By sending digital information packets instead of placing individual connection calls, a VoIP phone is essentially using the internet like it normally would be used to send emails or browse the internet. Internet services have flat rates, and instead of charging for things like single emails, the bill only comes out to your monthly connection charges of DSL, ADSL, or broadband usage.

Another important factor to consider when thinking about VoIP service is that the potential for internet problems can affect your phone systems as well. Hacking and viral breaches such as eavesdropping will need added security from your ISP to prevent. Although many of these problems can deter users from switching, they can almost all be prevented by making sure that your vendor has a strong history of customer support and satisfaction when you decide to start shopping.

Source: http://www.ResourceNation.com