Average Costs for Business Phone

Service 2015

What’s InsideIntroduction

What to Consider When Comparing Prices

Overview of Pricing for 10 VoIP Providers

1. Nexogy

2. Jive

3. 8x8, Inc.

4. Phone.com

5. Vonage

6. Nextiva

7. RingByName

8. RingCentral

9. Verizon Enterprise

10. Broadview

Conclusions

Contact Nexogy Today

IntroductionEveryone carries a mobile phone these days, and when someone starts a business, it can be tempting to simply use existing mobile phones for communication. But there are problems with this approach. For one thing, many people aren’t comfortable with business contacts having their personal mobile number. In the state of California, a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal stated that companies have to reimburse employees for business calls made on their personal phones, and businesses are scrambling to find out exactly what that means and how those costs are calculated. Other states have similar language in their labor laws, so the effects of this could be felt far more widely. But perhaps the main reasons to invest in a business phone system are because of the remarkably helpful features today’s phone systems include, and because a good business phone system shows that you are professional, committed, and have the communications tools that clients, customers, partners, and vendors expect. Hosted VoIP phone systems relieve businesses of hosting bulky phone system hardware on their premises, and are affordable to small businesses and startups. You have a broad range of VoIP providers to select from, and you’ll find different pricing structures and feature suites. When comparing prices, you need to determine what pricing includes, and whether there are extra charges that are not advertised up front.

What to Consider When Comparing Prices

A great price on a VoIP business phone system doesn’t mean much if the system is unreliable, if customer service is lacking, or if you don’t have the features that you want. It’s critical that you determine essential calling features needed (and any that your clients and customers might expect or appreciate) so you can compare what various companies offer with their services. If your company places a lot of international calls, you need to learn what kinds of international calling plans the providers you like offer. Top VoIP business providers will have international calling plans that cover a certain number of international minutes per month at a flat rate, and these can be very cost-effective. Equipment costs are another consideration. Can you buy your phones from a third party? Can your provider roll the cost of the phones into the monthly charge so you can pay for them over time? Are you required to lease phones from your provider? What you pay for phone equipment can make the difference between a great deal on business phone services and a merely adequate deal.

Overview of Pricing for 10 VoIP Providers

Here is a brief overview chart of 10 providers of business VoIP service. Monthly prices per line assume 10 users. Some providers lower their per-line costs when you use more lines. Also listed are other charges like setup fees and shipping fees. On the following pages you’ll find more details on each provider.

Compare business VoIP providers on more than just monthly rates.

Company Price/month/line (assuming 10 users)

Other Charges

Nexogy $19.99 all features included Activation fees waived on 2 and 3 year terms

Jive $23.95 8x8, Inc. $19.99 for basic, $49.99 for

Virtual Office Pro serviceOne-time $39.99 activation fee for Virtual Office Pro

Phone.com $19.99 and up Vonage $39.99 (Metered service is

offered at $14.99 + $0.03 per minute.)

Nextiva $19.95 to $34.95 Ring by Name $23.07 Startup fee of $400.63RingCentral $29.99 $29.95 shipping feeVerizon Enterprise $35.00 $150 fee for startup and

activationBroadview $39.99 for the first line,

$30.99 for the additional 9$299 activation fee; phones are leased

Average cost per month per line, assuming 10 users: $29.41

1. Nexogy

Nexogy has provided voice, video, and data technology for over a decade, and is geared toward helping businesses save money. The activation fee is waived for all accounts with 2 and 3 year agreements. The $19.99 per month per-line charge includes an extensive list of popular enterprise-level features:

• Auto-attendant

• Ring groups

• Call transfer

• Conference calling

• Music on hold

• Video chat

• Administrator portal

• Low international rates

• Call center ACD queues

Nexogy offers many online resources and support services, including data sheets, billing and account management, bandwidth speed tests, and system training courses. Customer support is available via online form, live chat, email, or phone.

2. Jive

Jive offers its services on a month-to-month basis, so there are no activation or deactivation fees. Plans include fax, analytics, and unlimited calling. Prices per line per month start at $29.95 for 1 to 4 users and drop progressively to $19.95 per month when there are over 50 users. “Unlimited” calling with Jive is subject to a fair use policy, which is designed to stop customers from using systems for especially high-volume operations like call centers. Though no specific figures are given, the company says that users who “substantially exceed” average use may be terminated. Jive does not include minutes outside the US, nor does it include toll-free minutes. Porting numbers in is also subject to charges. Virtual fax is included as a feature, and the company has a redundant network to reduce risk of downtime. If international calling or having a toll-free plan is a priority, you may want to look elsewhere.

3. 8x8, Inc.

8x8, Inc. has been around longer than many others, and some customers may consider that an advantage. The company has been known to waive activation fees, but if you later cancel, you will be required to pay them. Long-term contracts automatically renew, and you have to provide formal notice if you want to cancel the service. There is a cancellation fee if you end your service before your contract is up. The basic plan offered is $19.99 per month, but if you want virtual meetings, call recording, and paperless fax, you have to spring for Virtual Office Pro, which is $49.99 per month. Features with the basic plan include find-me follow-me, voicemail to email, 3-way calling, Click2Call website widget, auto-attendant, call transfer, and hold music.

Learn your options for handsets and / or headsets

when researching VoIP providers.

4. Phone.com

For a flat rate of $19.99 per month, Phone.com offers auto-attendant, mobile apps, call routing, conference calling, fax from computer, and group chat over SMS. It also helps you find toll-free numbers and local numbers within your area code in the United States. The pricing is very simple, and inexpensive, but the number of features you get for the price is limited. You won’t, for example, get voicemail to email transcription, ring groups, find-me follow-me, or an online portal. Phone.com, like Jive, operates on a month-to-month, no contract basis, so you won’t have activation, deactivation, or cancellation fees.

If you don’t have the features you want, your VoIP service isn’t a good

investment.

5. Vonage

Vonage, which used to be a residential VoIP service, purchased Vocalocity in 2013 and started offering business VoIP. The company is known for its business desktop software that integrates social media and cloud software to display caller information as soon as the phone rings. This can also be shared with CRM software. The company only has one major pricing plan, but allows you to mix and match paid options. If your business is light on phone usage, you may end up paying more than you have to in order to get the services that you need. The same holds if you are not interested in using the company’s desktop software. Basic features include find-me follow me, voicemail to email, 3-way calling, auto-attendant, and call park.

Are the features you want standard, or will they cost

you extra each month?

6. Nextiva

Nextiva’s pricing ranges from $19.95 to $34.95 per month, depending on which communications platform features you need. The company also offers call center solutions. Like Jive and Phone.com, Nextiva operates on a month-to-month basis, so there are no activation, deactivation, or cancellation fees. Features with Nextiva’s basic, Office-Pro, and Office-Pro Plus plans include free number porting, unlimited calling, free local number, free toll-free number, voicemail to email virtual faxing, shared call appearance and hold music. Regardless of plan, voicemail-to-email transcription costs $2.95 per line.

Some providers work on a contract basis, while others

have month-to-month plans.

7. RingByName

Startup costs for RingByName for 10 lines are $400.63, and this includes shipping. RingByName offers 12-month contracts. If you terminate the contract early, there’s a cancellation fee, and you must return the equipment at your expense. RingByName includes an interactive voice response (IVR) and CRM system, both of which operate in the cloud. Calling features included with RingByName include virtual receptionist, mobile capability, call routing and schedule-based call routing, and the Click2Call browser extension that allows you to call phone numbers displayed online with one click. The included CRM tracks incoming calls, and lets you add notes so when that person calls again, the notes display when the phone rings.

Paying for features you don’t need to get the ones you

do need can be an expensive option.

8. RingCentral

RingCentral operates on a contract basis, and its unlimited calling is subject to a fair use policy. The company measures “inappropriate use” as being at or beyond the 98th percentile of usage for all customers, but the specific calling rate is not given. You can bring the $29.99 per month per line charge down to $24.99 per month per line by signing a two-year contract and prepaying for the year. Late payments incur 18% interest charges. Features included with RingCentral include unlimited local and long distance, with 1,000 minutes per month between the US and Canada ($0.039 per minute thereafter). You get one local or toll-free main company number, one local or toll-free fax number and one local number per user. Conference calling is included, and vanity numbers can be had for a one-time $30 fee.

Make sure “unlimited” means what you think it means. Some providers

subject it to restrictions.

9. Verizon Enterprise

Verizon Enterprise offers a number of calling features that many other providers don’t include in their base packages. For example, it offers click to dial from Google Apps, which can be handy in companies that use the Google Apps business suite. The company also offers selective call forwarding, shared call appearance, and simultaneous ring, plus anonymous call rejection and busy lamp monitoring. Those who choose Verizon Enterprise should know that the company may block traffic to or from certain countries, area codes, cities, and local telephone exchanges in accordance with international or national laws, and the user must pay for all services regardless. Late charges can incur a fee equal to 35% of charges owed.

Learn about late fees and procedures for cancelling

contracts. Some contracts renew automatically.

10. Broadview

With Broadview, you are limited to the company’s phones, but there is a wide selection of them. You can lease or buy the phones. If you lease, the charge is part of the monthly bill. Whether you buy or lease phones, you are still required to pay an activation fee. With Broadview’s services, you get Android and iPhone apps for mobile integration, unlimited local and long distance calling, video, web, and audio conferencing, online fax, toll-free phone service, and a web portal for managing the system. Contracts last one year, and are automatically extended unless you notify Broadview in writing more than 30 days prior to the date the contract ends. Payments more than 20 days late incur a fee of $5 or 1.5% of the past due balance. Users should also be aware that E-911 service does not work with the smartphone / tablet app.

If mobile integration is part of your business VoIP

service, understand its limits with respect to E911 calling.

Conclusions

When you evaluate simplicity of pricing, range of features, and track record, Nexogy is the clear choice for your business phone system for 2015. Flexibility and cost-effectiveness are central to Nexogy’s services. Systems can be installed quickly by someone without technical training, and can be managed centrally through a convenient web portal. Existing numbers can be ported in, and you can easily add a toll-free or vanity number. Nexogy was founded in 1999 and has helped thousands of businesses meet their telecommunications needs with innovative solutions and outstanding customer support. Pricing plans cater to small and medium businesses, and phone system solutions are customized to individual client needs. Systems are built on redundant IP systems and have disaster recovery built in. And Nexogy is proud to go above and beyond to meet and exceed customer needs.

There’s a lot to consider when you choose your business VoIP

provider for 2015. Nexogy is happy to answer any questions

you may have.

Contact Nexogy Today!Nexogy, is a leading provider of VoIP business phone systems for businesses of all sizes. Systems offered by Nexogy include features that help businesses raise productivity and maintain a level of business communications that help ensure no opportunities are missed. From easy mobile integration to affordable call center systems, Nexogy has your needs covered with its powerful, reliable, and affordable business VoIP systems. Additionally, Nexogy offers WiMax ultra high speed internet for business that takes care of your broadband needs and you can bundle WiMax with Nexogy’s outstanding hosted VoIP phone systems to save even more on your business internet and phone systems.

Let Nexogy show you how you can have the VoIP business phone system that satisfies your needs with unsurpassed reliability and service, and rates you’ll be pleased with

Please call us at 1-866-NEXOGY2 (639-6492) or visit our contact page.