What's a Good Business VoIP Service Provider

Today, small businesses are dependent on their technology as much as they are on their employees. If a system is down or a call cannot get through, transactions are not completed and money is lost. This can often be a problem with traditional telephone systems. However, most companies are making the switch to business VoIP service providers to handle all their communications.

They differs from a traditional phone system in that, instead of using standard phone lines, calls are sent over the internet. This means that business professionals only need internet access to make phone calls, receive text documents, conduct conference calls, and other essential business tasks.

Business VoIP systems can reduce much of the costs of doing business. These systems route calls over existing data networks and therefore, eliminate the cost of separate voice and data networks. In general, business VoIP customers pay one flat rate for their service, versus the variable cost associated with traditional systems. This can be a great difference, and many companies find that they spend anywhere from 50 to 80 percent less on their bill.

With using a business VoIP service provider, clients can expect caller ID, call transfer, call logs, protected voicemail, Dial-by-Name Directory, Multiple Virtual Receptionists, and other smart features. A virtual phone system can perform all the taks of a traditional phone system, with the added ease and intelligence of a web-hosted device. Traditional phone systems only allow for manual dialing of phone numbers. With solutions, a user can place calls through Microsoft Outlook with the touch of a button.

Traditional systems are becoming obsolete. Most systems do not allow for some of the more advanced and more desired phone system features. The systems allow companies to customize their phone system to meet the needs of their company, clients, and offices. The specialized features of business VoIP is the perfect medium to grow your business, features include cell phone integration to voicemail transcription.

Victor Cousins is an internet blogger that is specialized in VoIP systems. He offers accurate, clear and concise information about a business VoIP service provider.

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Five Reasons to Adopt VoIP for Your Business

In general, the number one benefit to adopting the Voice Over IP (VoIP) technology in your Los Angeles business is to increase efficiency and decrease cost. In today's business, unified communication is increasingly critical for both large and small businesses as more employees work remotely and virtual offices are created. The following outlines five key reasons to ditch your old phone systems and adopt VoIP technology.

1.) Save Money. Usually the most important factor a business must consider is cost versus benefit, and Los Angeles VoIP systems offer great savings potential to all businesses alike. Businesses with both high call volume and to long distance destinations would benefit from this technology once a private data network is established utilizing SIP based calling. You will be able to remove costs associated with new lines, maintenance, needed upgrades, and additional equipment. Usually an initial setup is required, then the single centralized network permits unified communications, removing the need for separate Internet, data capabilities, or more telephone lines.

2.) Convenience. Using VoIP for your business allows the portability advantage to use their phones anywhere there is an Internet signal, and allows convenient transitions between laptops, desktops, and mobile phones. Softphones also have a full range of features allowing the user to connect to the network from any location, and allow employees to be accessible at the touch of a button.

3.) User Interface. No other available technology is so easy to configure and use. Certain Los Angeles VoIP providers give their customers the ability to customize features to meet the needs of different business types. Features such as speed dial, call blocking, music on hold, and automatic transfers are just some of the easily configurable features.

4.) VoIP Media Options. Standard telephone systems are limited in their text, voice, and fax capabilities and do not offer options for video or conference calls. The VoIP technology gives the user the ability to communicate on different levels, bringing together different applications for an efficient method for you to stay in touch with your customers or associates. There are also Internet browsing, email, and click to call capabilities to maximize efficiency.

5.) Free of Geographic Restrictions. The final benefit to using the VoIP technology is to break free of any locational limitations. Your business may be located in Los Angeles, but you have the ability to maintain virtual offices throughout the world all the while expanding your business.

Utilizing the technology of VoIP will give you a more cost effective and productive user experience. With more options to communicate with others than ever before, you have the ability to network and telecommute virtually resulting in more flexibility and less staffing turnover. Everybody wins in this situation!

Jessica Peloski is passionate about and writes articles on telecommunication in the business setting. For more information on the Los Angeles VoIP technology, be sure to visit www.los-angeles-voip.com

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VoIP For the Small Business - Reducing Your Telecom Costs

Until recently, small businesses had no other real alternative to the traditional phone system, often screwed to a wall in the corner of the office and linked to traditional BT connections, usually digital ISDN lines. However, today a technology called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has become a viable solution for even small companies since broadband internet access has become more affordable and popular among small businesses. VoIP is a revolutionary technology that provides inexpensive voice communications and can be used in more than one location, offering the chance to provide 'joined up' telecoms at an affordable price.

How can VoIP Save You Money?
VoIP offers many benefits and useful features over traditional telephony. The most significant benefit is that it brings together all of your companies users into a single system and a single point of billing. This means you no longer need to worry about individuals claiming for call expenses each month if they've been working from home or other locations. It also means that anyone calling within your organization, regardless of location, experiences a free call. Internal calls on VoIP are always free, even if it's to another office or geographical location. Finally, the biggest cost saving comes from an ability for Hosted VoIP providers to offer bundle deals for calls.

Lower costs
By providing a bundle deal, Hosted VoIP providers can save you significant costs on your standard calls. It is not uncommon to see a flat fee per month to cover a large amount of included calls to UK landlines and a generous allowance for calls to UK mobiles. Some providers are also now offering bundles that include a near unlimited number of International calls too. In summary, all of these features and benefits saves your business money by reducing your phone bills through network convergence, and by providing you with many useful telecom features at no additional charges.

No additional charges for special features
Almost all of the VoIP service providers offer many useful features free of cost, as these services are bundled with a VoIP service. For instance, it is common to receive the following services as part of a Business Hosted VoIP system:

Call Recording
Per Extension Voicemail
Call Divert (based on time of day or day of week)
Conference Rooms for multi user conversations
Call Redirect to external numbers
Plus many more..

Savings on adds, moves, and changes
As your business grows, many new employees may be added to your company, and over time some of your existing employees may leave the company. With a traditional phone system, adding a new phone line or changing an existing line is an expensive and a very time consuming job, often requiring the services of an expert who charges per service call. VoIP is very suitable for your growing business needs as adds, moves, and changes are very easy to perform yourself via a Web-based control panel.

VoIP increases your employees' productivity
VoIP provides you with several large, enterprise-level communications capabilities, such as auto-attendant (answering system) and find/follow features. Until now, these capabilities were very expensive and were only possible through Private Branch Exchange (PBX) telephony systems. However, with today's VoIP solution, your small business can have access to these advanced capabilities.
No need for separate networks

With VoIP, you do not need to maintain separate networks for voice and data. You can converge both networks into a single network, making the overall management quite simple.
Hosted VoIP vs. Premises-Based Key Benefits of Hosted VoIP

You have two options available to you: you can manage your VoIP system in-house, or you can opt for hosted VoIP services. In a premises-based model, all hardware related to the IP phone system will reside at your company's site. You will purchase, install, and maintain all the equipment, and you will need in-house expertise to operate the system. Premises-based systems are complex to install and maintain. In addition, you must invest money in equipment.

In contrast to a premises-based system, hosted VoIP solutions involve limited upfront costs. You simply need to make a small investment on VoIP handsets for users desks (or homes). All the equipment is managed off-premises by a service provider, and there is no physical hardware onsite to maintain. The service provider maintains and supports the equipment, and you get the services for a flat monthly fee.

Small companies are quickly adopting the hosted Voice over IP (VoIP) model as it is the more reliable and cost effective solution. You get services at flat monthly expenses based on the number of lines and features.

Conclusions and Recommendations
Until recently, smaller companies have had no real alternative to expensive conventional phone systems. Now, as broadband internet access has become affordable even for small businesses, VoIP is becoming a cost-effective, feature-rich alternative to traditional phone systems. Small companies are quickly adopting hosted VoIP solutions to lower their tele¬communication costs and benefit from Enterprise features at little or no additional cost.

Recommendations:

Network assessment is essential to implement VoIP solutions effectively. Your IT support provider can do this for you.

A hosted VoIP solution is the best alternative for you if you do not want to invest in equipment and you do not have a dedicated IT staff to manage the service in-house.
The service provider who offers their VoIP services within a 'flat monthly fee model' may prove to be more suitable as you will have predictable monthly expenses.

Craig Sharp
Abussi VoIP - (44) 845 862 0200
http://www.abussivoip.co.uk

We provide a range of VoIP, Hosted Telephony and business phone system services in Birmingham and throughout the West Midlands and surrounding areas including: Coventry, Solihull, Wolverhampton, Bromsgrove, Redditch and Birmingham

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VoIP For Business and Home Use

Choosing to switch to VoIP can be a good decision whether it is for business purposes or home use. For both these uses there are a variety of options which vary in quality and price.

VoIP for Business can seriously save on costs. In most circumstances it is cheaper than using a landline telephone and with the service improving it no longer has the negative of the poor quality calls that was once such a problem.

A small business can make use of basic VoIP, which will be the cheapest option. One line might be enough with a number attached to it so you can be called as well as you making calls yourself. If you only have basic VoIP such as this it may be simple but it could do the job.

Basic VoIP is not adequate for most larger businesses though. They may prefer a more integrated system. There is no use having one phone line if there are twenty people in the office, as they won't all be able to make their way to the phone every time they need to make a call or someone calls them. A system of several lines will be more appropriate alone with other more advanced features. Call forwarding will often be necessary so a call from outside can be redirected to the appropriate staff member. As well as diverting incoming calls this will also allow colleagues to call one another internally as they may be in different parts of the office or even in a separate room. Answer phones will also be necessary for many utilising business VoIP.

Businesses that make regular international calls can benefit even more from VoIP. With a regular telephone (either landline or mobile) international, or even those further afield within the same country, can be significantly more expensive than local calls. With VoIP the price difference is not so significant.

Home users will not generally make such large savings with VoIP as they typically don't make as many calls. They are not going to make hundreds every day. Large savings can still be made though. This is especially the case if they have family or friends abroad. If using VoIP at home the quality levels are not so important so some are willing to go with the cheapest option possible. Extremely cheap VoIP is available, with Skype the best know provider, which can even be free if talking from computer to computer. VoIP phones do cost more but many are happy to pay the extra due to the improved user experience.

The main advantage of VoIP, whether for business or home use, is the price savings that can be made. Quality is not sacrificed in the way it once was and there are many different packages available, whether you want the cheapest possible and are unconcerned with price, or would like a better quality service in terms of call quality and other features.

Beatrice Sareen (c)

For those requiring VoIP for Business Interoute have various Business VoIP packages to suit.

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Problems With VoIP and How to Work Around Them

We've discussed the advantages of VoIP in many different articles. However, it would be wrong to say that there are no problems with VoIP at all. Mostly this is because VoIP infrastructure isn't standardized and when a person's infrastructure isn't up to scratch, there are bound to be problems. Let's take a look at some of them below.

Voice Quality

We have seen before that VoIP delivers superior voice quality when codecs making use of HD voice are used. This however, only works when two conditions are satisfied. First, both phones have to support the HD codec - meaning that calls involving a PSTN based phone don't qualify. And second, the bandwidth that's being used to complete the call is sufficient to transfer the HD data.

Now most of the time, the second condition is met since customers have unlimited plans with Megabit speeds. When your voice traffic increases however, the demand for bandwidth goes up. If you're using the same Internet connection for your regular Internet needs as well, it's obvious how your VoIP traffic would be affected.

When there aren't enough resources, VoIP communication can get delayed and because phone calls are real time systems, it can really inconvenience the users. This isn't a shortcoming of VoIP per se, but a reflection of poor bandwidth management. Regular PSTN phone lines are dedicated - meaning they can't be used for any other purpose. Many large firms do the same for VoIP and ensure that their bandwidth is dedicated - or else they have sophisticated traffic control mechanisms to ensure that other traffic doesn't interfere with VoIP bandwidth.

Power Outages

Another disadvantage of VoIP is that if your electricity connection is cut off, so is VoIP access. This is because the modems, VoIP servers and the rest of the infrastructure depends on electricity, unlike the phone jacks which get their electric current from a separate source.

The solution of course lies in ensuring that there is redundancy and an adequate backup system to keep voice traffic flowing. Based on your location, you might decide to take the risk of a power cut for a few minutes every once in a very long while. It depends on the nature of your business.

As you can see, it's the infrastructure that VoIP is deployed on that's the culprit for most of the problems VoIP users face. With good management and adequate resources, VoIP delivers better performance than PSTN.

Bhagwad is an expert in advising small businesses using VoIP. He also specializes in reviews for VoIP Phones.

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VoIP for New Businesses

Choosing business VoIP instead of regular telephone services can be a good decision for new businesses. The number of businesses switching to VoIP is greatly increasing, but instead of switching at a later date it is wise for start-ups to choose this newer technology immediately. It is easier to use VoIP from the outset rather than going through the hassle of replacing a telephone system further down the road. Set up costs are relatively low for business VoIP, something that is a major advantage for businesses that don't yet have any incomings. And once it is ready to use calls are cheaper, especially international calls. Depending on the business this can mean huge cost savings.

Whereas traditional telephones work over a phone line, VoIP utilises the broadband connection. This means there is no need to have a phone line installed in the office, something that is of particular benefit if an internet connection is necessary anyway, as it is for almost all businesses these days.

The quality of VoIP has improved significantly over the last few years, something that is due to both an improvement in broadband connections and the technologies used for VoIP. The lack of quality once meant that VoIP was a poor alternative to telephones. Yes it was cheap, but it was nowhere near the quality required for business use. This is no longer the case. With the top VoIP providers the call quality is comparable with that of telephones. Quality is no longer an issue.

Business VoIP has many advantages for small businesses. Integrated phone systems are available, with several handsets throughout an office. This means that one handset for each person in the office is possible. Call forwarding, caller ID and answer phones are also now possible with VoIP. These are all areas where VoIP has caught up with telephone services. All the things you might need for voice communication within a business are now possible, whether between colleague's or with customers.

Small businesses often have a tough time financially to begin with. Therefore any savings they can make are extremely beneficial, and VoIP is one potential saving that can be made. If business make a large number of calls, especially if they have partners and customers abroad, then the savings can be particularly advantageous.

As well as regular calls, web conferencing and video calls are amongst other things that can be achieved over a VoIP connection. These are relatively cheap and can therefore further increase efficiency. These can be alternatives to having to travel to meetings, meaning much time and money can be saved.

Business VoIP is something more and more businesses are considering and the numbers switching from telephone services are increasing every year. There has always been the cost savings but previously the quality was not sufficient for business use. This is no longer the case. With the prices still being cheaper than telephone services and the improvements in quality, VoIP is now a serious consideration for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Savings can be particularly helpful to new businesses just starting out.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Interoute One from Interoute is a higher quality Business VoIP service

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VoIP Reviews for Small Business Phone Systems

VoIP reviews for small business phone systems is a guide to help you decide what's right for your business and how you can tap into new technology to save money, gain control and increase efficiency.

No matter where you travel you can't get away from hearing about VoIP, it's all around us. As businesses struggle to survive, let's look at how technology and VoIP can help.

Many companies are moving away from traditional T1/PRI's and moving to SIP trunks. In the past T1/PRI's have been somewhat expensive to utilize. They offer some advanced features over POTS lines such as caller ID included, direct inbound numbers, reduced per minute cost and faster call processing. The down side is that you can only order them as a full 24 channel circuit. They come with a high monthly charge just to have the circuit in place, which is mileage sensitive, directly relating to pricing. So an organization needs to be able to justify a large amount of traffic to offset the large monthly access fee.

With IP trunking coming into play it offers even more features at a "buy as you need" model. Some features include: automatically redirecting calls if your equipment should fail or you lose power, the ability go log onto the web and take control over ringing, forwarding, overflow management along with other user-friendly features. Most companies will see an immediate reduction in cost moving from a voice T1 to SIP trunks.

A constant battle with voice T1's are reliability: how often they go down and for how long. SIP gives the control to redirect or to have the intelligence to automatically redirect the call somewhere else.

So far we've been discussing VoIP solutions to enhance your current phone system. With a "hosted" phone system you still get all of the benefits we just discussed plus a lot more. It still uses the same SIP or VoIP technology to deliver the lines but your phone system is no longer your responsibility to maintain. You're basically paying to use cutting edge technology at a very affordable monthly cost.

All of these solutions can immediately affect the bottom line. In addition, technology creatively implemented can offer growth capabilities, increased efficiencies and productivity, an opportunity boost customer service along with enhancements in many other areas.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to VoIP for business phones systems. As each business is unique and has different needs, business VoIP has many unique applications to help. To find a qualified dealer to further help you through the process, try http://www.ideacom-nj.com

For more solutions to help your business save money or to maximize your growth, go to http://www.ideacom-nj.com

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Magicjack - Who This Device Is For? - Is Magicjack Worth the Money?

Magicjack has been around for quite some time. It has worked well for some people while there are others who believe it is not worth the money you spend on it. Well, it depends upon where you are calling. Magicjack is definitely a revolutionary device that makes long distance calls within the US and Canada completely free once you pay the yearly charge.

Who the Magicjack is for?

As I mentioned above that this unique VoIP calling device is a good money saver for some people, it is not that useful for everyone. VoIP internet calls are much cheaper than traditional phone calls but then there are many other VoIP services that provide almost the same kind of facilities as magicjack.

Call rates Of Magicjack and other VoIP Service providers

Skype, Vonage and many other internet calling services are quite popular. Their call rates are also highly competitive. Calling US and Canada is quite cheap anyway by using any of these services. However none of these services make your US and Canada calls completely free. Calling US by Skype costs approximately 2 cents per minute which means you can make a 50 minute call in one dollar. Almost all other VoIP phone services also charge you the same amount for calling US and Canada.

Magicjack costs $40 for the first year of service which includes the USB device. For next year you need to pay $ 20. By a simple comparison of call rates, you can make approximately 1000 minutes of calls by paying $ 20 for other services. Once you have finished those 1000 minutes you need to pay more for making more calls whereas with magicjack you can make unlimited calls by paying just $20 for a complete year.

It all depends upon your usage. If you make more than 1000 minutes of calls to US and Canada in a year, magicjack will definitely prove to be a big money saver for you. If your usage is less than 1000 minutes a year, any VoIP service will be equally useful for you. It goes without saying that all of these services use the same technology therefore call quality is almost the same. Similarly if you make calls to other countries and not US or Canada, any VoIP service will be equally good for you because magicjack only allow calls to US and Canada free of cost. For other countries, the call rates are approximately the same.

Dependence on Speed of internet

All VoIP telephony services depend upon the speed of your internet connection and performance of your PC. However when it comes to portability and ease of use, magicjack definitely has some competitive edge. It can be carried anywhere easily. Moreover it can be plugged to any PC with internet connection and it is ready for making calls within minutes. In fact you do not even need a headphone if your laptop has inbuilt speakers.

I have been using Magicjack for quite some time and it has been a great money saver for me. However, I must say that it is because most of my calls are for US and Canada. Just spend some time analyzing your international call usage and decide if this magical device is for you. Read more about how it works and order the free trial of Magicjack

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Benefits of Using a VoIP for Business

VoIP, also known as Internet Telephony or IP Telephony, is a method of providing voice communication through the internet. Nowadays business companies are adopting VoIP technology in their business. Some of the many benefits of using a VoIP for business are as follows.

1. VoIP is cost-effective and flexible as it makes use of a proven technology which is economical, thus enabling the business house to save money.

2. In terms of infrastructure, there is no requirement to buy and install new framework as the VoIP utilizes the existing one which is already in place for internet. It can also be interfaced with Public Switched Telephone Network. Through VoIP, a business man can make calls to another computer, another mobile phone, an ordinary phone or another VoIP phone.

3. VoIP is very popular and much of the popularity is because of its lower cost when compared to a normal telephone bill. In addition it has a very wide customer base and is widely used in business.

4. With VoIP the physical location of a business house is immaterial; it can be located anywhere in the world. Easy contact is enabled as long as there is an access to a computer. A business man can make calls all over the world at cheaper costs. When a business has branches all over the world, VoIP is a very convenient way to keep in touch.

5. It also provides opportunities for conducting conferences easily as one can talk to more than one person at a time.

6. Some VoIP service providers also offer services like voice mail which can be accessed through e-mail. This is beneficial as one can easily check all important messages when at work.

Being a state-of-the art technology, a VoIP is a must for business nowadays since in this ear of global connectivity, unhindered communication could indeed lead to higher profits.

It is always essential to have a good Office phone system. Click here to know more about Avaya IP office

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Making The Switch To VoIP Is All You Need To Reduce Those Monthly Bills

It is amazing how many of us get stuck in our ways. Even though VOIP has been available for sometime now still there are many people hanging onto their home phone service for dear life. Sure they know it is costing them too much but the idea of living without a home phone can be a bit scary and in general people simply don't like change.

You may believe that if you just find the right calling plan with your current provider that this will help you to reduce your home phone bill but you will probably find that no matter what calling plan you choose or how much or little you use your home phone that either way you are probably paying about $120 per month for this service which let's face it is just too much. These days most people hardly use their home phone except in an emergency or when calling long distance because most people are using e-mails, online chats, text messages, and their cell phones to keep in touch with those they need to talk with directly.

A home phone is really not a necessity any longer but there is an alternative that will allow you to maintain your home telephone service and will use your broadband internet connection which will help to save you quite a bit of money, like about $90 a month and let's face it this money can really add up. Of course, in order to save this kind of money you must make a switch.

Now the switch is actually quite simple. All you have to do is call a VOIP service provider and they will send you a start up kit and you will be on your way to the best phone service that you have ever had. Not only will it include your entire local and long distance calling for one fee it will also include all the extras at no additional cost to you. Enjoy features like call waiting, call forwarding, three way calling, and voice mail for free makes this service even better.

Perhaps you are concerned about what happens when there is a power outage but since most people use cordless phones anyway there is no phone service when the power goes out whether you use VOIP or not. And you can always pick up your cell phone when the home phone goes out if you need to call the power company or to call and check on Granny.

If you are interested in Adsl broadband log onto activ8me.net.au. From there you will be able to locate information on all things internet from, Satellite broadband to internet providers.

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How Business VoIP Can Save Your Business Money

The idea of communication is not very recent and the fact that a clear communication is the basis of trust and networking is a known philosophy for all. It is therefore, very necessary for the small businesses and the new ones to understand the underlying credibility that can be achieved through clear and efficient lines of communication and the trust that this can build for the company in the market and among clients.
Technology has taken flying leaps in the last couple of decades to become a giant monstrosity that has seen development in every field and the field of communication does not remain unaffected at any cost. There are many means o communication and the basis of it all is fast becoming the internet. It is therefore necessary for every small and budding business to have their own effective lines of communication that would support their in house as well as outside channels of communications.
Business VoIP is a very new yet very efficient concept that is being gradually but steadily accepted by many businesses all over the world for its efficiency that comes hand in hand with its affordability and various scopes of cost control that it provides. What are more there are many companies that provide VoIP services and they have many kinds of offers that help the businesses to make intelligent choices and maintain their budget restraints.
The VoIP service makes sure that the business is able to squeeze out the maximum benefits from the internet services. With the VoIP services the business can position their telephony and even their video as well audio conference needs through the internet. This helps in reducing the underlying costs for these services greatly and the amount saved is definitely a profit.
There are many ways in which a VoIP service can be of great use for the small and budding businesses. First of all with this service there are a number of media that is available through the means of this service. With the telephone or the fax only one service is possible at a time but with the VoIP service there is no concentration of the services' potential and the same service can be used for multimedia conferences and multiparty chatting as well as multimedia distribution.
With the VoIP service the business gets a total independence from geographical boundaries and they can have virtual locations and have contact numbers that would not be dependent on their geographical boundaries.
It also allows fantastic user interfaces to the users and lets them use many helpful options like call blocking etc. that helps the users immensely. There are also the added benefits of affordability and portability that is provided by the VoIP services that makes it easier and more effective for the business as it means that they get to save time and money while they have ease of access in their communications and they can easily attach their video phones to their desktops and laptops at any level of their building or work space.

ECTtelecom is a leading national communications master agency for over 16 years. To find out more about telecommunications solutions including Business VoIP service for your business, visit http://www.ecttelecom.com

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