If you're in the market for a new business phone system chances are you've become overwhelmed at some point by all of the choices available. Most systems have a similar set of features, the differences come down to advanced features, price, and overall quality of phone systems. So which one do you choose? How do you know which system has a better quality than the other?
It turns out the mainstream Internet press just haven't noticed how much has changed in small business integrated telephony in the last few years. These days, it's a poor idea for even small businesses to simply run out and buy the best phone at Best Buy, even if CNET did give it a good rating.
Meraki Communications
Meraki is definitely our top choice for pretty much any thing network equipment related. Meraki Communications cloud managed VoIp phone system delivers sleek features with an easy to use interface. The MC74 delivers hands down the most user friendly scalability and ease of management of any business phone system. The design of the phone is not something to ignore either. With a 7" touchscreen interface and a magnetic handset the phone looks as good as it performs.
Adtran (The Underdog)
As a matter of fact, CNET has no reviews on any ADTRAN products that I could find and Adtran ia a great option for small to medium business. Instant phone-system-in-a-box solutions like the NetVanta 7100 went completely unremarked upon. The viability of AOS as a ground-up scalable platform, including Polycom phone integration, was unnoticed as well. ADTRAN was similarly neglected at several other sites a smaller business owner might automatically turn to.
It seems more should be done to let more people know that ADTRAN as a brand for any size business, not just larger firms!
So we shall console ourselves in the same way as so many in our situation and say, “Pfft, they're just reviewers.”
After all, it's the actual performance that matters when talking about which business phone system a small business owner should install. VoIP is quickly becoming the standard, and that means a standardized network powering it. Most “small business” inexpensive routers coming from the usual brands like Linksys and D-Link aren't built for network scalability and offer no real upgrade paths for an Internet-enabled business.
That is to say, in 2-5 years they'll have to be tossed or sold during your next upgrade cycle, as standardization becomes a necessity.
The bottom line is, ADTRAN systems are future-focused and meant to be scalable upwards right alongside you, from the start. Individual pieces of IT hardware and integrated office telephony systems are going to last longer without the need for replacement.
An ADTRAN-compatible Polycom phone system, as part of an AOS-integrated telephony system, will ultimately provide far more long-term value, and a significantly higher ROI throughout its extended lifecycle.
ADTRAN and Polycom Phone Systems Bring Instant Security
Real system security isn't often a major concern for small businesses looking to buy their first VoIP business phone system. Since VoIP is somewhat more complex than the old copper wire system, they're usually too busy just figuring out the technology itself.
However, security does matter, even for small businesses. Encrypted traffic is a way of life in online business. Most of it is done invisibly, or just through a password prompt, but your VoIP phone system ends up handling a lot of number-crunching encryption requests as your business grows.
Your VoIP phone system needs to be able to keep up on the distributed network, and ADTRAN's products ensure that across their entire line.
Plus, according to the report “ADTRAN NetVanta Multiservice Routers versus Cisco Integrated Service Routers,” ADTRAN's middle-range business products consistently performed as well or better than comparable Cisco systems in a wide range of tests. In terms of actual performance, ADTRAN truly provides top-grade products, and business phone solutions that provide excellent quality of service even during peak network usage.
Yet ADTRAN's phone systems are, on average, half the cost of Cisco's. “50% off” is another number that a lot of people enjoy seeing.
Look to the Future When Buying a Business Phone System
So, when it's time to purchase small business phone system ratings and the hardware that backs them, look beyond what you need today. Investing in future-focused telephony solutions today will continue to pay off for the next decade ahead, and beyond.
Just let us know where you want to go!
