Mobile VoIP Integrated Into Business VoIP Solutions

Imagine a world where you do not cringe every time you open the monthly bill for your company cell phones. In this day and age, keeping everyone on your team available can be hard - with meetings, virtual networking and the need to be able to act quickly on a hot lead or customer service issue, mobile phones are more than a convenience in the business world - they are a necessity.

However, until now costs for business mobile use - especially with internet access - has been prohibitive. While costs for virtual office and headquarters communication have decreased in the face of unified communications, the same was not true for business cell phones. Most mobile calls incurred either hefty per minute charges or were subject to expensive monthly packages, with ‘unlimited use’ being defeated by fine print that listed a wealth of exclusions and restrictions.

When VoIP PBX systems were integrated with SIP to create in office networks, the cost of business phone service dropped dramatically. As this expense decreased, however, it was replaced by a new financial drain - the need to keep in touch with an increasingly mobile work force. Cell phone usage among company employees skyrocketed, with the cost often picked up by the business owner or corporation.

The ability to utilize the same types of protocols for mobile use has been around for a while, but several roadblocks have been in the way of businesses taking their VoIP technology on the road. At first, networking was an issue, and the quality of calls patched into a SIP client suffered with patchy WiFi and substandard audio on early cell phones. In addition, many mobile carriers explicitly forbade using VoIP, fearing a massive loss of revenue.

Now, with 3G and even 4G networks providing more reliable coverage, the options for business mobile VoIP are multiplying. Apps for both iPhone and the latest Android phones allow users to place calls using their business VoIP network. AT-T as well as Verizon are offering choices for customers who need to take advantage of SIP calling. With multitasking features now available on Droid and coming to the iPhone in the summer of 2010, making and receiving business calls via your VoIP network will be easier than ever.

While challenges still exist, the move towards unified communications definitely includes integrating mobile phone use into existing systems. The cost savings and increased efficiency of VoIP cannot help but create a market for plans and services that allow easy integration with existing platforms, making doing business even easier.