As technology progresses, its role has changed; mainframes no longer predominate while wires become less prevalent – instead it is people that now make decisions; so we leave this task in your capable hands.
If you are being asked to investigate phone systems, chances are you already know enough about technology to recognize that what you currently use does not meet expectations. But as someone just starting out who needs some reliable sources of information as a starting point.
Time is running out – and so are our four free cloud phone system hacks! They will save you both time, money, and stress – plus possibly make you the office hero!
Why My VoIP Equipment Won’t Make or Receive Calls Your router’s SIP ALG utility may have altered its firewall settings to block incoming Voice over IP data or deliver outgoing packets to an incorrect IP address, leading to calls being dropped without warning or reception missed altogether.
Make or receive calls using your VoIP platform can sometimes prove to be challenging, with outbound calls failing to connect, the app not recording correctly, or an error showing up as “X”. If this is happening to you, try these potential solutions:
- Disable SIP ALG: To address this problem in your router’s menu, disable SIP ALG (Session Initiation Protocol Application Layer Gateway). This service modifies VoIP packets so they pass more easily through firewalls; but sometimes its modifications send them to an incorrect IP address, preventing recipients from seeing your VoIP data.
- Software Update: If you are experiencing difficulty receiving calls, updating the software for your VoIP program and restarting your computer could help restore reception of these.
Voice Quality Is Poor
Cloud business phone systems rely heavily on your office’s internet connection for proper functioning; as such, their voice quality relies heavily on its quality as subpar internet speeds can result in voice jitter, lag or packet loss that significantly degrade voice quality.
All these issues stem from inefficient data packets, whether that be due to an inadequate router, an incorrectly configured network or simply having poor internet connections overall. To ensure uninterrupted connections it may be beneficial to increase bandwidth or give voice traffic priority on the network.
Internet and WAN Connectivity Wide Area Network (WAN) or internet connectivity issues can create serious complications in many aspects of life – not limited to your immediate environment and equipment, but also including issues with your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Some internet packages provide sufficient bandwidth for web browsing and streaming media consumption, but not for VoIP calling which requires the transference of voice packets between computers.
Before attempting to troubleshoot VoIP issues, make sure that your ISP offers an internet protocol compatible with VoIP. Learn how to test internet speeds and WAN connectivity; run a bandwidth test; assess packet loss; contact your ISP; etc.
Calls Directed Directly to Voicemail
If all your calls start going directly to voicemail, it can have devastating repercussions for customer support services and ultimately jeopardise their reputation. Without being able to assist callers directly, customer satisfaction may take a major hit and thus tarnish it further.
Before your situation worsens, take these steps to remedy it: Check that all phones connected are registered with your VoIP service and that Do Not Disturb (DND) mode has been enabled with call forwarding configured accordingly and that all DND phones have DND activated and registered.
Common Security Issues
Since Cloud Business Phone Systems are connected to the internet, you must take precautions against hackers and other potential security risks. Passwords, security layers, firewalls and stringent user security procedures all play a part in protecting you; with careful management of security measures you shouldn’t encounter any problems.
Latency
“Latency” refers to the amount of time it takes audio data from your computer or phone to reach your headphones – generally speaking, latency refers to audio delays experienced by callers.
Your network, device and headset all play an integral role in latency levels; make sure all are updated and properly connected in order to reduce latency levels and save yourself from future frustrations.
Methods to decrease lag include reviewing your bandwidth usage, disconnecting any unnecessary equipment, updating router and hardware firmware when required, reviewing service quality settings and communicating directly with your service provider.
Overall, methods exist for reducing lag. Whether these efforts prove effective depends on each individual situation. – To minimize delays: check bandwidth, disconnect unnecessary equipment, update firmware where applicable, review service quality settings regularly and engage directly with service provider as necessary (Brown 2006). – Finally:
Once you have attempted to troubleshoot all equipment without success, further complex troubleshooting may be required by your VoIP provider.