I’ll be honest, I’ve never set up a VoIP phone before. So I decided to try out a Cloud Net telephonic solution which enables you to make calls via a broadband connection. The good news is, it was pretty simple to set up and provides an effective service for small businesses.
There was, however, one small problem which every prospective purchaser of a VoIP phone needs to keep in mind before they make the leap…
I happily take the Cloud Net phone out of the box, chuck the instructions to one side and have a go at setting this thing up. And to be fair it was pretty simple. In fact, I couldn’t really hope for it to be any simpler. I connect the professional looking phone to my broadband router and activate the system online with the account codes I’d been given. The online dashboard isn’t particularly scary looking which is a good sign (though I’m unlikely to delve into most of the options anytime soon being an impatient technological type).
Very quickly I’m able to make calls which can only be a good sign. And the sound quality is pretty impressive.
One drawback: because of my broadband set-up where everything is running off the same connection – I did experience an abrupt halt to a conversation! Luckily it was a dull conversation and I now had a legitimate excuse for hanging up. But what caused this? The broadband connection? Or a problem with Cloud Net itself?
Of course, it turns out it’s the broadband connection that’s the problem. And this is an aspect which any prospective purchaser of a VoIP service needs to keep in mind. In this instance, because I’m running everything off the same router it means there’s naturally going to be interruptions on the line. This would be the same regardless of your VoIP provider.
To avoid this scenario you have to ensure your broadband set-up is able to handle and maintain a strong connection for telephonic purposes. The solution is often referred to as Quality of Service (QoS), which is something that Cloud Net can provide for an extra charge – they offer voice quality broadband for small offices at £22 a month plus set-up fee.
Cloud Net works on the same logic as the likes of Skype, i.e. if you phone someone also operating via the same service then the call is free. Naturally, Cloud Net users won’t be as numerous as those of the aforementioned Skype but the service is more business orientated.
The phone itself provides all the options you would expect of a professional business service. Fairly standard features include: 4 lines, call transfers, conference calls, put callers on hold, a call log, call diversion, phone-to-phone intercom and call recording.
If you’re a freelancer who often has to get on the phone to clients then having a professional business phone will be pretty important and Cloud Net provides a decent option. Just make sure your broadband set-up is suitable.
