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Business Phone Service in Gulf Shores, AL

Making a phone call is still the most preferred method of initiating contact with a business, so it's crucial for any business to consider the affordability as well as features and reliability of their business phone service. There are some different technologies available to businesses in Gulf Shores, AL, who are comparing possible service providers - and we here at MyRatePlan will help you come to an informed, educated and good decision! The three main types of technology we're going to discuss are VoIP (which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, meaning that the phone calls are routed through and over the internet itself to your computer or a traditional phone), PBX (which stands for Private Branch Exchange, and is a system whereby an enterprise-level customer can have any number of local-to-itself lines that all share the same or same few external lines) and - what the industry likes to call it - POTS, or 'Plain Old Telephone Service,' which is the standard that we've all grown up with.

Business VoIP Providers 
Provider Plan Details Monthly Rate*
Ringcentral logo RATED #1 BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS
  • Includes 100+ Premium Features
  • Unlimited Calling, Faxing, SMS, Conferencing
  • Trusted by over 350,000 Businesses

$19.99
Details
4/5

142 Reviews

Brytecall logo Business VoIP Made Easy
  • Done for You Setup
  • US-Based Support Team
  • Free Equipment Upgrade

* per user for 10+ users, with 2 year agreement

$18.90*
Details
5/5

14 Reviews

Phone Service for Business Alliance Phone Service
  • Simple Control Panel
  • Easy 25-minute setup
  • Daily call reports

* 12% discount for subscribing and paying for a year upfront

$19.97*
Details
5/5

13 Reviews

Talkroute logo The phone system built to do business anywhere
  • Video Meetings & Text Messaging
  • Call Forwarding & Routing
  • Desktop, Mobile, & Web Apps

* $5 per additional user

$19.00*
Details
5/5

1 Reviews

Verizon logo Get 99.99% network reliability with Fios.
  • Business Digital Voice
  • 1-year price guarantee
  • Unlimited data

* Per month. Plus taxes, fees and equipment charges.

$69.00*
Details
1/5

11 Reviews

Best VoIP Providers in Gulf Shores, AL

What is Gulf Shores, AL Business VoIP Phone Service?

The new generation of phone service is VoIP, which stands for voice over Internet protocol. It is has become more ubiquitous over recent years and is considered an improvement over POTS. More and more business are making the switch to VoIP every day, and because of its relative cheapness, it's proven the ideal choice for start-ups as well.

VoIP calls can be made through the Internet can have exceptional quality for your Gulf Shores, AL business. In fact, with a good Internet connection, a VoIP call can have the same call quality as POTS, or better. In order to get the most out of VoIP, you need to have a reliable business internet connection that is appropriately fast. MyRatePlan Internet Speed Test Currently, there is a speed test that will tell you whether or not your connection is sufficient enough to support good quality VoIP calls. It is available through MyRatePlan.

Many providers in Gulf Shores, AL also have a package that enables you to pay a set amount of money to make an unlimited amount of calls. This allows you to get service without having to worry about per minute charges. VoIP calls are carried differently than traditional ones. Instead of being transferred through an analog signal, they are sent over the Internet after being converted into digital form. Because the Internet is everywhere and doesn't require the use of an expensive phone network, VoIP is much cheaper than POTS. You can make and receive many calls, even internationally for a lot less money. You'll find many VoIP providers even give you option to pay a flat rate to place and receive as many calls as you would like, eliminating per-minute charges.

Compare VoIP Providers in Gulf Shores, AL

How to Choose The Best Business Phone Service Provider in Gulf Shores, AL

The growing popularity of this service has encouraged numerous companies to enter the market. Some business owners find it hard to choose a provider because there are so many options to consider. Nevertheless, it's worth taking the time to compare the features, prices and reputations of different firms. The extra effort can produce considerable long-term savings.

Business people must evaluate their needs, wants and limitations before selecting providers. For example, it's wise to look at the available features and determine what functions are likely to be useful more than once or twice. It also makes sense to calculate the necessary number of lines and establish a realistic spending limit.

Next, compare the plans available from several commercial phone services. Look for the least expensive option that supplies enough features and extensions. Thoroughly research the provider's reputation to make sure that its system works reliably. If a company intends to eventually close offices or hire additional staff, it should check the rates for various numbers of lines.

Keep in mind that dependability and honesty are more important than the lowest rates. A low monthly bill won't compensate for missed sales opportunities if the phone service isn't reliable. MyRatePlan helps Gulf Shores, AL business owners find affordable services that they can rely upon. Please scroll down to see a detailed comparison.

Find and compare business phone service providers in Gulf Shores, AL

What is Traditional Business Phone Service in Gulf Shores, AL?

Traditional phone service companies transmit their signals through a PSTN. The PSTN uses circuit-switched telephony. It is based on copper wires carrying analog voice data. Telephone services that are facilitated by PSTN are often known as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) because it has been operational for more than 100 years. It was the first mode of a network to be used by telephone service providers. The PSTN also comprises of satellites, mobile networks, and cables.

The PSTN infrastructure is very large. Therefore, it is expensive to use PSTN telephone service than VoIP in Gulf Shores, AL. Moreover, the PSTN network is old and often requires maintenance. The major setback of PSTN telephone services is that they have difficulties when sending data over long distances because they are analog.

When making long distance calls over the PSTN, the data has to stop at different destinations during its transmission. The data flow through the equipment owned by various companies as the call is in progress. Therefore, it makes the call cost per minute higher and expensive. The traditional phone service companies use a lot of infrastructures to carry, switch, and route the calls that are now digital. However, the connection between the local central office and the customer is still analog.

Traditional PBX

PBX With Analog Phone Systems in Gulf Shores, AL

Most businesses in Gulf Shores, AL will be using a PBX, which is known as a private branch exchange. The PBX effectively routes calls through their office. When a business phone service is used, the PBX is what allows businesses to use several different call features. Some common available features are voicemail, call forwarding, conference calls and extensions.

When used with a traditional PSTN phone system, the PBX can be located in a remote location or near the user. Regardless of where the PBX is located, the system comes with a major drawback, which is the significant cost. To set up a complete business phone system that uses a PBX, many different hardware components are needed, and a significant initial investment is needed to get started. In most cases, this system can cost at least $1,000 for the initial components, and it will require ongoing maintenance, configuration and installation.

For business owners in Gulf Shores, AL who're planning to use a traditional PBX for their business phone service, it can cost a lot of money to expand or upgrade the system. Many of the newest PBX systems can only support a very limited number of lines, and if a business grows quickly, the PBX won't be able to provide the additional extensions needed to operate efficiently. The cost of adding new hardware to keep up with business growth can be too much for many business owners.

It's also important to remember that a PBX is like any other electronic hardware, and over time, it will suffer problems and begin to malfunction. The cost to repair problems with the PBX can be expensive, and depending on uncontrollable circumstances, a PBX might even become obsolete.