What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and allows people to make and receive telephone calls over a high speed internet connection rather than the traditional phone networks. Also known as IP telephony, or broadband voice – this innovative new service will bring down the price of your calls, while adding a bundle of new features designed to enhance your telecommunications experience.

How does it work?

Clickphone VoIP works by transforming voice into information (data packets) and then sending it over the internet like any other file or email.
With Clickphone, either an IP or analogue phone are connected to an adapter which is attached to your router or modem, from there you will be able to liberally make calls.

Is it right for my company?

Quite simply, yes. Regardless of its size, any company can benefit from Clickphone VoIP. While large companies will benefit from the high cost savings, the multitude of features can provide an SME with the tools of a corporation.

How will signing up for Clickphone VoIP save money?

In a many ways. First, on net calls are free of charge – this means calls between anyone on the Clickphone VoIP network are free, such as inter-office communication, or exchange with other Clickphone subscribers.

Second, your Clickphone extension can be diverted to any phone turning any line into a free Clickphone network number.

Third, the maintenance and upgrades associated with traditional PBX systems are no longer your concern. With a Clickphone hosted solution, we take the technological responsibility, leaving you to your business.
To see more ways Clickphone VoIP can save you money – click here

Is broadband included?

Not with Clickphone VoIP, but if you’d like to subscribe to Clickphone Broadband, we’ll be happy to set you up with both of our excellent services.

What type of broadband do I need to support my business?

Your bandwidth strength is the key to a quality VoIP service. A separate broadband connection is recommended to maintain quality of internet and VoIP service. Speak to your account manager about bandwidth strength and voice paths to facilitate your adoption of VoIP.

How complicated will the transition be?

Although the idea of switching systems seems like a laborious task, the transition to VoIP is actually quite simple. It’s basically a matter of registration, surveying your company’s particular needs, and service provisioning. One of the most attractive things about switching to VoIP is the “plug in and go” simplicity of it.

How long will it take to switch over?

The duration of the set-up period- depends entirely on the needs and size of your business. Roughly, the service should be up and running between three and 15 business days.

Do I have to change numbers?

In most cases, no. Clickphone is able to offer portability for the majority of BT number ranges. However there may be a short period in which you will need to have your number diverted to a different range until the port is completed.

Do I need to invest in new equipment? (What about my old equipment?)

The only absolutely necessary new equipment is the VoIP adapter which is a small box slightly larger than a CD case. Other than that – the choice is up to you. We offer a range highly rated IP telephones from Polycom, a trusted provider whose handsets offer a functionality that integrates brilliantly with our service.
We understand that switching telephone systems might appear daunting which is why we can offer a migration service which integrates VoIP with the use of an old PBX allowing for a paced transition to IP telephony.

Do both sides need VoIP to make a call?

No not at all, it’s like any other telephone.

What happens if the network goes down?

Our system is backed by a redundant platform, which means that if one component fails, the second will seamlessly take over without notice. It is based on geographically resilient network architecture across two data centres and redundancy is built-in at every level.

How is the sound quality?

Assuming you have completed the site survey and configured your network accordingly, the sound quality is as good as the old phone system. However, like any system it must be maintained and monitored. As your company grows and the demand on your VOIP network increases, the quality of the calls may be affected if the network is not upgraded accordingly.

Is Clickphone VoIP secure?

In a word, yes. The convergence of data and communications can put your network at risk of fraud and other data network attacks, but Clickphone has taken the necessary precautions to avoid this.

To protect against unauthorized access, Clickphone employs standard cryptographic methods to authenticate users and domains—whether external or internal—for each SIP session using SIP Digest providing an encrypted user ID and password between endpoint and central systems.

All services are built in a front-end/back-end configuration protected by firewalls and Access Control Lists (ACL). The servers internally classify all signalling events as coming from either the “access interface” or the “network interface”. This helps identify what security policies to apply.

Session border controllers provide Multi-layer intrusion and attack prevention, including DOS and distributed-DOS protection by being In-Line with all SIP signalling and media traffic.

What sort of training is required?

The software involved is designed with simplicity and user-friendliness in mind; however should your staff require training, we are happy to provide on site training for the Business Portal and toolbar assistant on site.

Is there a limit to the number of lines I can have on my broadband?

As part of the initial customer survey, Clickphone will recommend suitable network architecture to support your VoIP quality requirements. There are many factors that contribute to the design of your new telephony network, including number of users, number of simultaneous calls, quality requirements and your current network and broadband set up. Once we have captured all the information through the site survey, Clickphone will be in a position to recommend a suitable solution.

Does my computer need to be turned on to use Clickphone’s VoIP?

Our product is primarily based on the use of physical phones therefore you will not need to turn on your PC to use the VOIP services. If you would like to manage your service via the Clickphone Business Portal, then this will require a PC with access to the internet.