Frequently Asked Questions

What is VoIP?

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is when voice calls are sampled, broken down into data packets and routed over an IP network, usually the internet. This means that voice and data are carried over your LAN or WAN so that you are using a single network infrastructure to carry both voice and data.

How does VoIP work?

VoIP is different from traditional telephony systems in that signalling information is routed separately from voice traffic. Wherever possible calls are routed over your LAN or WAN infrastructure instead of the public network. However for delivery to traditional (non-IP) handsets the call must pass via a "gateway" onto the PSTN.

If the network goes down, do I lose both my voice and data?

One of the key benefits of VoIP is consolidating voice and data networks into a single infrastructure. This does, of course, increase your dependence on the infrastructure. Saiph only uses network partners which offer resilient voice and data products to ensure VoIP achieves the level of availability you need.

Can my company use the same telephone numbers with VoIP?

You can specify whether you want to run any existing geographic numbers in conjunction with the new multimedia number range allocated to this product. There is a small quarterly charge for doing this.

What advantages over 'traditional' voice telephony will VoIP give my company?

The key user benefits of VoIP is that it can provides access to multimedia features, such as presence, hot-desking, video telephony, white boarding, and XML applications. These features can help staff be more productive whether via chat or just knowing who is available and who is in meetings. Moreover, the increase in mobile workers and those wanting to be productive either at home or while travelling is also a key benefit. The desire to deliver productivity-enhancing tools that can leverage the communications infrastructure and a mandate to do more with less have has made VoIP necessary for businesses to remain competitive. Multimedia VoIP lets you explore new ways of working. This includes multimedia collaboration tools, such as document sharing and video. These not only eliminate the costs of travelling to meetings, they let you react to business changes and drivers more rapidly.

How does VoIP save my company money?

Presence-based services provide a clear window into the activities of your staff at the click of a mouse – i.e. who is on the phone, who is in a meeting, who is on the road - 71% of companies who have already implemented VoIP said their productivity has improved. Employees working away from the office or at home use their mobiles as matter of course. A good VoIP service should offer home worker packages using either a soft-phone or a home-based handset. This reduces mobile call charges and increases productivity by enabling chat and allowing staff to keep track of availability. Your systems become simpler because you are using a single network infrastructure to carry both voice and data, allowing true integration between the switching and traffic-handling environments of IP and the PSTN. Call charges for public calls over the internet are up to 40% cheaper than those offered traditionally, and costs of international phone calls are lower. By using SIP which allows interoperability of IP devices you can deploy the IP equipment of your choice to support your needs without being dictated to by expensive suppliers.

Will VoIP work with the technology my company currently uses?

Saiph can provide a variety of VoIP solutions to suit your business needs, from a new IP-enabled switch to installing a simple gateway device to enable your current system to access VoIP. Saiph's IP gateway server can be installed if your existing LAN/WAN architecture supports quality of service protocols that allow prioritisation of voice traffic over data, and this allows you to use a traditional PBX, but there are limits to the savings to be made on call charges.

How easy is it to set up VoIP for my company?

We offer clear and unbiased advice leaving you to decide which solution best suits your specific needs. From providing you with a new IP-enabled switch to installing a simple gateway device to enable your current system to access VoIP, you are assured of our independence from both equipment manufacturers and networks.

Are analogue phones supported?

Analogue phones do not support the functionality for VoIP but they can be connected to an IP PBX.

Which IP phones are supported?

Saiph offer a wide range of SIP standard handsets and devices which will work with any fully SIP compatible PBX. (Such inter-operability has not yet been achieved in the TDM world despite 40 years of development).

Which equipment will you install?

Because Saiph is independent of any supplier our team of world class VoIP professionals is able to combine the best equipment and network available to ensure that you have the optimum VoIP solution for your business needs with excellent voice quality.

What quality levels can I expect from the VoIP products?

If implemented correctly VoIP voice quality is as good as the PSTN and this has been proved by independent MOS testing. Saiph will ensure that your VoIP solution is implemented properly - we have installed over 4,000 VoIP connections. We recommend that customers use a dedicated DSL connection which gives a higher call quality. Degradation of voice quality is often caused by voice and data being delivered by the same DSL connection.

Is there a capacity limit on my company's network when VoIP is added to the network?

Saiph can test your LAN to verify its suitability for VOIP. Saiph advise customers to install a separate DSL line for VoIP so that voice quality and reliability are maintained and there is no capacity constraint.

How easy are additions and changes?

VoIP is flexible and the majority of additions and changes can be carried out quickly and easily. When you purchase the service, you will need to register and configure each individual user. You can easily make simple changes (like changing speed dials or adjusting ring tones) yourself. More complex additions or changes (like changing DDI numbers) must be implemented by Saiph, usually via a web portal to ensure this is carried out as quickly as possible.

How secure is VoIP?

VoIP is like any other data application in that effective measures are required to prevent hacking and viruses. Saiph can advise on how best to do this.

What is SIP?

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is the open standard for VoIP. It is an open protocol for implementing VoIP across platforms, applications and IP devices over converged networks. It allows interoperability of IP devices which bypasses proprietary standards created by some vendors, so that you can deploy the IP equipment of your choice to support your needs.

How do I order?

Call us on 020 8150 1200 Or go to the Ordering page of our web site, enter your details and one of our Account Managers will contact you.