VoIP: Not cheap but worth it

While VoIP is not necessarily cheap, it offers added value by increasing agility and flexibility, and encouraging business evolution, according to Walter Madzonga, Wanatel general manager.

"Unfortunately for far too long the sales pitch to convert users from the traditional telephone system to an IP-based system was based on making 'cheap' calls.

"While VoIP calls rates are impressively competitive, the true value of using a VoIP system is immeasurable," says Wanatel.

The restrictions and limitations that traditional telephony systems placed on the consumer can be likened to a 'puppet on copper strings', according to Wanatel.

VoIP, on the other hand provides much greater agility and flexibility, he says.

"Features and functionality such as automatic failovers to cellphone during load-shedding, click to call, call back and voicemail to e-mail are easily accessible with the limitations of the solution often arising from the dearth of ideas emanating from the customers themselves," he says.

Wanatel says VoIP also enables smaller businesses to have access to the same telephony quality than that of larger businesses.

"Offices spread across the country or even further afield can be linked to a single solution.

"Large and small branches have access to the same advanced features and thus, for the first time, customers no longer need to wait to become a giant business to utilise and exploit state-of-the-art telephony solutions as these are scalable in nature and the one for the small user is not a watered-down version," he says.

Furthermore, customers no longer need to be restricted by the hardware that they have purchased, with upgrading 'no longer a concern', says Wanatel.