A hosted VoIP solution offers the scalability required by SMBs because there is no need to maintain extra capacity ‘just in case.’ A hosted service also allows a company to begin with a small number of extensions and grow at the pace appropriate to the size of the company. Adding and removing lines is done by the service provider and eliminates the need for IT resources to implement the changes. This contributes to a lower TCO because the ongoing maintenance and administration is done by the service provider, including costly software updates. Most significantly, the initial deployment cost of a hosted VoIP service is limited to the cost of the telephone terminals since the switch infrastructure remains with the service provider. This provides the additional benefit for disaster recovery. By deploying a hosted solution, SMBs can be confident that their telephone systems will be available even in the event of an emergency as calls can be rerouted to new and temporary locations.

Wi-Fi also can be added to the mix. A hosted VoIP solution offers many benefits to the SMB, but even more gains in productivity, responsiveness, and cost control can be realized when Wi-Fi telephony is added. Wi-Fi solutions are available with most large-enterprise, premises-based telephony systems, and the same capabilities and benefits are available to the SMB market.

The main driver for enterprise Wi-Fi telephony is employee mobility. Employees that need to move throughout the workplace to get their jobs done can’t rely on a deskset and voicemail. Wireless solutions such as cordless and cellular telephones can serve mobile users in some cases, but they don’t offer the broadband data access provided by a Wi-Fi network.

A Wi-Fi network allows ubiquitous coverage by deploying multiple access points (APs), which each APs capable of supporting ten or more simultaneous wireless calls, whereas cordless telephones are limited in capacity and coverage area. Wi-Fi telephony can significantly reduce the airtime costs for employees that use cellphones in the workplace, and offer the additional advantage of integration with the hosted VoIP service so wireless users have access to the same enhanced business telephone features such as multiple line appearances and call transfer.

Even in applications without a compelling requirement for mobility, Wi-Fi telephony can save SMBs on cable and installation costs. A growing business can really leverage the scalability advantages of hosted VoIP with wireless telephone, completely eliminating the cost of running additional Ethernet cables as the business grows. SMBs can minimize the sunk costs of Ethernet cable installation as they expand or move to new facilities.

Wi-Fi telephony has come a long way in a short time thanks to rapid innovations in wireless networking and VoIP and it’s making a positive business impact in many deployments today. As SMBs plan their IT strategies around IP networks, unified communications and wireless, it is critical they consider Wi-Fi telephony to make employees more mobile, responsive, and productive.

It is evident that enterprise VoIP telephony is here to stay, as deployments of VoIP desk sets have now surpassed traditional TDM and analog sets. Hosted VoIP solutions, whether wired, wireless, or a mix of the two, are practical solutions for an SMB just starting out or one that is looking to replace an existing phone system. A VoIP deployment does not require a large up-front or long term investment and can help businesses to gain a competitive advantage in their market by helping them to focus on their core business, instead of worrying about managing their network. And SMBs can look to leverage both VoIP and Wi-Fi technologies to improve productivity, customer responsiveness, and ultimately the bottom line.

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