Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, has changed the way in which businesses communicate. Scroll down to learn about the top VoIP providers.

VoIP technology has helped businesses to save substantial amounts of money on their business phone systems. VoIP technology involves making calls or conducting virtual meetings over the Internet, and it comes with numerous features that make it easier to conduct business.

Vonage Business

Vonage Business is a robust VoIP service that starts at $39.99 per line per month. Businesses do not have to sign a contract to set up Vonage Business, and the setup is easy. There is also customer support available to you 24 hours per day and seven days per week. Vonage Business comes with more than 40 features, so you can customize your business communications such as auto attendant and others, and it is also scalable.

Pros of Vonage Business

  • No contracts
  • Easy set up and activation
  • Superior voice quality

Cons of Vonage Business

  • Added costs for some features

RingCentral

RingCentral comes with more than 100 features, including text messaging, unlimited calls and faxes, and mobile integration.

The most popular business VoIP plan is RingCentral’s premium plan. The price is staggered depending on the number of people who will use the service. For two to 19 people, the cost is $34.99 per user per month. For businesses with 20 to 99 users is $31.99 per user per month, and businesses with 100 or more users are charged $29.99 per user per month. The premium plan comes with smart integration, call recording, and more.

The setup process is straightforward. When you either have a number assigned or choose to port your existing number over, you log into the website to create and configure your extensions. The interface can be a little confusing for first-time VoIP users, but once you learn how to navigate it, you will enjoy the features that are available.

Pros of RingCentral

  • Integration with Zendesk, Outlook, Salesforce, and Google
  • Unlimited SMS
  • Video conferencing

Cons of RingCentral

  • More expensive than some of the other options
  • Web portal may be slow at times

8×8

8×8 comes with web conferencing and instant messaging. The 8×8 service can be accessed from your mobile phones, desktop PCs, and office phones. It boasts that it offers more than 99.9983 percent uptime. 8×8 has a global network with 12 data centers that are located around the world. This helps you to be able to place your calls from anywhere.

The most popular plan is the virtual office pro. It costs $26.99 per user per month for five to nine employees and $24.99 per user per month for 10 or more employees. You are able to activate your 8×8 service within a couple of minutes after you receive the package from the company. There are tutorials available on the website, and you can get help from customer support if you need it.

Pros of 8×8

  • Pricing is affordable
  • Highly scalable system
  • Integration with numerous office tools

Cons of 8×8

  • Does not have a 24/7 live chat option
  • Call queue features are limited

MegaPath

MegaPath offers the industry’s best uptime with 99.999 percent availability. It is an excellent choice for small businesses that are growing and has scalability that is affordable.

The mid-level plan from MegaPath is the premium business voice plan. It costs $29.95 per user per month and comes with many features. You will receive unlimited national calls and the MegaPath one UC, which allows you to use desktop sharing, call pulls from desktops to mobile devices, web conferencing, and more. The system is easy to set up, and there is help available from customer support 24 hours per day and seven days per week.

Pros of MegaPath

  • No contracts
  • Support available 24 hours per day and seven days per week
  • Unlimited national calls

Cons of MegaPath

  • Some popular features have additional charges

Jive Communications

Jive offers more than 80 features, including unlimited calling, voicemail boxes, and auto attendants. Calls can be routed to a number of different phones in your preferred sequence with the find me/follow me feature. The system comes with call monitoring, recording, and reporting.

Jive Communications offers hosted VoIP for businesses of all sizes, and it is very easy to set up and use. All that you have to do is plug your phones into the Internet to access your VoIP service through Jive. However, if your existing phones are not preconfigured, it can take a little time.

With Jive, your costs will depend on the number of users that you have as follows:

  • Up to four employees – $29.95 per user per month
  • Between five and nine employees – $25.95 per user per month
  • From 10 to 24 employees – $23.95 per employee per month
  • From 25 to 49 employees – $21.95 per user per month
  • From 50 to 99 employees – $19.95 per user per month

Pros of Jive Communications

  • Report dashboard is very informative
  • Good customer support
  • Ease of setup

Cons of Jive Communications

  • Added costs for premium video features

Making the switch from your traditional business landline phone system to VoIP service can help to save your business money. When you choose one of these top five VoIP providers, you will also enjoy many features that can help your business to operate smoothly.