{"id":57766,"date":"2025-05-20T08:00:08","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T15:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newrcblog.wpengine.com\/us\/en\/blog\/?p=57766"},"modified":"2025-06-10T01:54:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T08:54:36","slug":"hosted-voip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/hosted-voip\/","title":{"rendered":"What is hosted VoIP, how does it work, and what can it do for your business?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Successful businesses understand the importance of effective communication. Whether it\u2019s efficient collaboration among teams or clear messaging to customers, keeping in touch is key, but how do you ensure robust lines of communication? Hosted VoIP may well be the answer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hosted VoIP service\u2014and a Unified Communications solution\u2014can help bring your business communications into the 21st century and secure them for whatever the future may hold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are hosted VoIP phone systems, and how do they work? What can they offer businesses like yours?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Hosted\" class=\"heading h2\">Hosted VoIP phone system: Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP systems are communications platforms hosted off-site by a third-party, which businesses access via software.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern hosted VoIP solutions are often hosted in the cloud, but can still utilize servers owned by the third-party vendor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits of hosted VoIP services over traditional on-premises setups include both upfront and ongoing cost-savings, and greater scalability, flexibility, and mobility.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When choosing between providers of hosted VoIP phone systems, businesses should consider the feature sets on offer, reliability, security, and more. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"What\" class=\"heading h2\">What is VoIP?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cVoIP\u201d stands for \u201cVoice over Internet Protocol.\u201d It\u2019s the technology behind internet telephony.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also used as shorthand for the types of communications solutions that use it to make phone calls and send messages using audio, video, and text over an internet connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The technology has been around for a long time (since the 1990s), but it\u2019s only in recent years, with cloud computing, that hosted VoIP has become a viable option for businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"What is hosted VoIP?\" class=\"heading h2\">What is hosted VoIP?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what is hosted VoIP? It\u2019s the name given to business VoIP systems hosted off-site by third-party vendors. That often means cloud-hosted VoIP solutions, but could utilize physical, off-site servers..<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, here\u2019s the good news, particularly for smaller businesses; having a VoIP service hosted remotely means you don\u2019t have to maintain all the infrastructure yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP providers take care of all that for you while you get on with the important work of running your own business. You can access all the telecommunications features you need via the cloud using a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/what-is-a-voip-phone.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP phone<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or any other internet-connected device.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s in stark contrast to an analog phone or traditional PBX system, where all hardware installation and maintenance falls on your shoulders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With so many bits of jargon flying around, there can be some confusion about what hosted VoIP services are and how they differ from PBX or cloud VoIP. So, let\u2019s get that cleared up.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"h2 heading h3\">Hosted VoIP phone system vs. cloud VoIP phone system<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP phone systems can work via the cloud. In that case, all the infrastructure supporting the solution exists virtually. Such solutions can accurately be called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">both <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hosted VoIP and cloud VoIP systems. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While most modern VoIP-based communications platforms are cloud-hosted, it is still possible for VoIP hosting to use physical servers instead. These are hosted VoIP services, but not cloud VoIP services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All cloud VoIP phone systems are also hosted VoIP systems, but not all hosted VoIP systems are cloud VoIP systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\">Hosted VoIP vs. hosted PBX<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another piece of jargon that can add to the confusion is \u201cPBX\u201d. What does it mean? It\u2019s short for \u201cPrivate Branch Exchange\u201d and was originally the name for the technology used in on-premises phone systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In those original on-premises PBX systems, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/call-routing.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">call routing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was handled on-site by equipment including switches, boxes, and copper wires. And it was all ultimately hooked up to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHosted PBX\u201d is a name given to a system hosted off-site, which provides the same call management functionality. If you\u2019re accessing a \u201chosted PBX\u201d service, you\u2019ll be doing so using an internet connection and not the traditional copper wire setup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major providers offering a hosted VoIP solution maintain the infrastructure themselves. It\u2019s a key selling point. Some also offer on-premises solutions for companies that prefer not to use hosted VoIP phone systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the other advantages of hosted VoIP systems is their versatility. Because they\u2019re cloud-based, you can use a hosted VoIP service not just to make voice calls but also all sorts of other things like sending messages or video conference calling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hosted PBX is a basic call management system for businesses hosted away from the business premises. A hosted VoIP system introduces a wider range of features made possible by internet telephony technology.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"How\" class=\"heading h2\">How does a business hosted VoIP phone system work?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s suppose you\u2019ve implemented a hosted VoIP solution. What exactly happens when someone makes a voice call?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">1. The call is placed<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of your staff members either picks up their phone or opens the hosted VoIP application on any internet-connected device.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-57771\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image5-4.png\" alt=\" How a call may look if RingCentral is your hosted VoIP provider\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s say they\u2019re using a laptop with a headset. They\u2019ll dial or select the number they want and make the call. When the recipient answers, the conversation begins.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">2. Analog to digital<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The analog sound of your team member\u2019s voice is converted into digital packets by the headset in tandem with the hosted VoIP application.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The data packets are sent over the internet to the small business hosted VoIP phone system provider\u2019s servers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">3. The role of the hosted VoIP company<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hosted VoIP service provider\u2019s servers act like a switchboard, routing the call to the destination based on the number your team member is dialing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note, that if the recipient of your call doesn\u2019t have a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/what-is-a-voip-number.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP number<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, that\u2019s no problem; you can call traditional landlines as well, much like you can with a cell phone.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">4. The call is answered<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hosted VoIP company\u2019s servers route the data packets to the appropriate number, and the packets are converted back into analog sound for the recipient to hear.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All this takes fractions of a second (whether it\u2019s local or long-distance, international calling), so you\u2019re unlikely to notice much difference between a voice call via hosted VoIP and a traditional phone call.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Essential\" class=\"heading h2\">Essential hosted VoIP features<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP systems give you all of the essential calling functions you\u2019d expect of any business communications solution. Think, things like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Call forwarding and transfer<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Voicemail\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easy routing of incoming calls to different phone lines or phone numbers (often via auto-attendant or virtual receptionist)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Call recording.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, there are a few further features of a hosted VoIP solution that outstrip traditional setups, which more businesses are taking notice of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These features all add up to a service that has exactly the kind of dynamic flexibility many companies are looking for and can be particularly beneficial for smaller companies that may not have the budget to stretch to an on-premises setup.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\">Choice of number types<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can choose to have various different types of numbers for your business. For instance, you can choose <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/office\/features\/toll-free-numbers\/overview.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">toll-free numbers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to increase accessibility or local numbers for different areas to project a professional image and increase customer trust.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s even possible to select vanity numbers if you\u2019d like to do that for marketing purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\">Multiple integrations<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because hosted VoIP solutions are fully digital, they dovetail readily with many other types of software. For instance, it\u2019s common for hosted VoIP systems to have integrations ready to go with big-name CRMs like Salesforce and top-tier workforce management applications like Google Workspace.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\">Advanced analytics<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP systems often incorporate a suite of advanced analytics features to help streamline your workflows. This could include tools that deliver insight reports in real time or find patterns in historical data.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The analytics packages are usually highly customizable, so you can find out exactly what you want to know when you want to know it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Auto assistant<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some hosted VoIP systems provide <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/ringex\/ai-assistant.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">automated assistant tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that take notes in real time and offer insights both during and after a call.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-57776\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image4-5.png\" alt=\"A live call transcript powered by RingSense AI\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, this technology has been enriched by the advent of AI-powered solutions, so it\u2019s fair to say today\u2019s auto assistants are much smarter than they used to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\">Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many hosted VoIP solutions cater for more than just calls, too. Instead, they\u2019re UCaaS platforms where businesses can manage and streamline all their communications channels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As well as the call management features already mentioned, these platforms also often offer:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business SMS<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team or instant messaging<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Voicemail transcription and voicemail-to-email<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Call center or contact center features like Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and call queues<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mobile apps to turn any mobile device into a softphone.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"Business\" class=\"heading h2\">Business use cases for hosted VoIP systems<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP hosting providers offer a service that\u2019s useful for all kinds of scenarios. Here are just a few of them:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">1.Remote and hybrid working<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a hosted VoIP system, there\u2019s no need for your staff to be chained to a desk phone (or even one individual IP phone). This opens up all sorts of possibilities for remote and hybrid working that may not have been possible before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales reps, customer service agents, and management leads can all achieve the bulk of their tasks no matter where they\u2019re located\u2014just by logging in on their mobile phone.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">2. Easier audio and video conferencing<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP solutions tend to be very customizable in terms of their feature sets. And one thing many have in common is that they make arranging conferencing calls much more straightforward than via a traditional landline connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-57777\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image3-4.png\" alt=\"A RingCentral video conference\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s thanks to the intuitive interface that makes it easy to select participants as a group rather than patch them in one at a time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">3. HD quality on a budget<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once upon a time, many people had doubts about VoIP because the early incarnations of it were said to suffer from lower call quality than traditional wired connections. But those days are firmly in the past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the reasons for the increased use of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/how-voip-used-in-business.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP in business<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that modern hosted VoIP delivers top-tier HD-quality audio at a fraction of the price of maintaining in-house telecoms architecture. All you have to ensure is that you have a fast enough internet connection with sufficient bandwidth.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Benefits\" class=\"heading h2\">Benefits of hosted VoIP systems<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several ways hosted VoIP benefits companies that decide to embrace it. Here are some of the most important ones:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cost savings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Because you don\u2019t need to bear the cost of maintaining expensive on-site telephony architecture, you save money. Most <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/voip-caller.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP caller<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> software is priced per user, per month, so the impact on your budget is also easy to predict and plan for.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Easy scalability and flexibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Adding a new user is a simple matter; you simply set them up with an account and they\u2019re ready to go. You can also delete accounts just as easily. This makes a hosted VoIP solution ideal for businesses that are in a growth phase or that have staffing needs that vary seasonally. You\u2019ll never be stuck paying for services you\u2019re not using.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Simpler management<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: When there\u2019s an issue with a traditional phone system, you need to schedule an appointment with a technician to come to your office and physically check the wiring. A VoIP host simply manages everything on their end, so all you need to do is make sure you have a good internet connection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improved customer service<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: When you implement a hosted VoIP solution, you can customize it with advanced features that reduce call waiting times, making it easier to deliver the best possible customer support.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Better data integration<\/b>: Unleash the power of your data by taking advantage of all the integrations that come with hosted VoIP solutions. You can share call data with your CRM or productivity tools to generate actionable insights that can streamline your workflows and support better strategic decision-making.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"Is\" class=\"heading h2\">Is hosted VoIP the right solution for you?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deciding whether hosted VoIP is the right choice for your business comes down to a number of factors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Answer these questions to help you decide if hosted VoIP is the right choice for you:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How many employees do you have?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For companies that have over 100 people working under one roof, an on-premises solution may be the most suitable, assuming you can afford to maintain the infrastructure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if you have fewer than 100 people or your team is spread over multiple locations, hosted VoIP usually works out better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Do you use remote working or hot desking?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Any company with teams that often work remotely or don\u2019t have desks assigned permanently to individuals will benefit from using a hosted VoIP system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What volume of calls do you deal with regularly?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A hosted VoIP system works by using your broadband connection, so you\u2019ll need to make sure you have a reliable connection that can handle the load\u2014a robust 28Mbps should be the minimum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you deal with a very high volume of calls from one location, that could tip the balance in favor of an on-premises solution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What\u2019s your budget?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hosted VoIP solutions tend to work out cheaper for smaller companies because they\u2019re priced per user. Unless you have a very big budget, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll save money by switching to hosted VoIP.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"Hosted VoIP\" class=\"heading h2\">Hosted VoIP providers: Which one is best for you?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing a hosted VoIP provider can be tricky as there are so many options available. It\u2019s crucial to take the time to examine exactly what each one is offering to establish whether it would be a good fit for your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"heading h3\">Considerations when finding the best hosted VoIP providers<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cost:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Costs for hosted VoIP services can vary widely, so it\u2019s vital to get a full breakdown before you take the plunge. Check whether you\u2019ll be able to pay monthly or whether annual billing is the default. Also, make sure you establish exactly what is and isn\u2019t included in each pricing tier so you can get all the functionality you need.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Feature sets: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re just looking for a straightforward telephony service, you could probably go with a basic-tier option without any bells and whistles. But if you\u2019re interested in using higher-end features, such as AI-powered analytics, then make sure you select a provider that offers these.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Availability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Inevitably, there are times when a provider will need to take their service down to implement changes or upgrades\u2014but this shouldn\u2019t happen so often that it interrupts your work to the detriment of your service delivery. Look for providers that guarantee as little downtime as possible in their service level agreement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>User support:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ideally, everything works well 100% of the time, right? Well, in reality, things do go wrong sometimes, and when they do, you need to have confidence that your hosted VoIP provider will be quick to resolve any issues you have. Before you commit, learn how the client support service works and look into independent reviews to find out what existing customers say about their experience.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Security:<\/b> It goes without saying that security is paramount when it comes to business communications. With sensitive customer information being transferred across the cloud, you have to be confident that your hosted VoIP operator prioritizes data security. Look for features like high-end encryption and user authentication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"RingCentral\" class=\"heading h2\">RingCentral: Hosted VoIP and a whole lot more<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP phone systems are increasingly replacing traditional telephony setups for forward-thinking businesses. The benefits in terms of cost-savings, scalability, mobility, and more are hard to ignore. But what if you want even more?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingEX from RingCentral offers full hosted <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/voip-phone-system.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP phone system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> functionality and more besides. As a UCaaS solution, it can help you unite all your business communications channels on one platform. It\u2019s an ideal way to harness the benefits of hosted VoIP and stay ahead of your competitors.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, why not reach out to one of our experts today to see how we can help take your business communications to the next level?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"FAQs\" class=\"heading h2\">FAQs about hosted VoIP<\/h2>\n<h3>What is VoIP hosting?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP hosting is a telecommunications service in which users make and receive calls over the internet. A third-party provider manages and hosts the service on their servers, which are generally located in a data center or\u2014more often\u2014in the cloud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefit for users is that they don\u2019t need to install expensive hardware in their office, something which can be especially useful for smaller businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How does hosted VoIP work?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a user wants to make a call, they fire up the VoIP application on their internet-connected device. They then dial or select the number they need and start the call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sound of their voice is translated into data packets that are sent over the internet, via the VoIP host\u2019s servers, to the recipient\u2019s phone or device, where the data packets are translated back into analog sound.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What is the difference between VoIP and hosted VoIP?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VoIP is the name of the computer protocol used to transfer sound over the internet (Voice over Internet Protocol). It\u2019s simply the name of the technology. Hosted VoIP, on the other hand, is the name for the service whereby a third-party provider facilitates VoIP calls via their data centers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How does hosted VoIP pricing work?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted VoIP phone services are generally provided on a subscription basis. Businesses pay a monthly fee for access to a software-based communications solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Precisely how much these monthly fees are<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> varies widely depending on how many features you\u2019re looking to use. The simplest solutions, covering basic phone and messaging services, start at around $10 per user, per month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can go all the way up to $30 per user, per month or even higher depending on how many top-end functions you want to include and how customizable you want your solution to be. Most businesses will end up paying somewhere in the middle.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Successful businesses understand the importance of effective communication. Whether it\u2019s efficient collaboration among teams or clear messaging to customers, keeping in touch is key, but how do you ensure robust lines of communication? Hosted VoIP may well be the answer. A hosted VoIP service\u2014and a Unified Communications solution\u2014can help bring your business communications into the &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1143,"featured_media":57798,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18390],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication-and-collaboration"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is Hosted VoIP? 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