One of the key decisions that you will be required to make in business, is which telephone carrier you decide to go with. There are many, many telephone options out there, and they are definitely not all equal.
Choosing a telephone provider will require knowledge on the main telephone services that each provider offers. Take a look at these services and decide which one is best for your business, in the short and long term.
POTs Lines
POTs lines also stand for Plain Old Telephone Service, and mostly refer to the basic telephone service that is used widely in homes and businesses across the globe. A POTs network is also known as a Public Switched Telephone Network or (PSTN).
POTs lines are still the most widely used, of all the telephone services currently in use in America. These analog phone lines are individual lines that can be used by any business for daily phone calls.
POTs lines work even if there is a power outage as they have their own power supply. This is why it is common for phones to work, when everything else has stopped working in the office. Each line on this system has its own designated telephone number. If you need another phone, you will have to get another line – that is just how it works.
A little outdated for modern businesses that use a lot of telephony equipment, POTs can become expensive to operate due to the taxes and surcharges involved. While one business phone line can cost around $40.00 per month, having dozens of these lines can add up, resulting in large phone bills that your average business cannot handle.
POTs lines are however the most economical telephone service for small businesses that do not require a lot of telephone usage. Keep in mind that it is not unusual to be billed by third parties for a service that you ‘added’ to your line over time. Installation of these multiple lines is very costly however, and it is not a good telephone service for businesses that need quality, high volume business telephone systems. Initially, you will think that it will not cost much, but the bills you receive for installation will shock you!