Effective communication is a prerequisite for doing business – any business. The prevalence of telephones all around us means we can easily take telephony for granted. And that is where a new business can miss an important trick that could give them a vital edge.
Think Through Your Requirements
Identifying suitable premises is probably the number one priority for a new business. You may have a simple checklist of criteria to create a shortlist of prospective commercial properties or offices based on primarily on number of people, location and cost. We strongly suggest that you add the telephony system to that checklist.
For example, will your business need one or all of these types of lines and are they available?
- Analogue PSTN lines (still commonly used for card machines and faxes)
- Digital ISDN2 and ISDN30 lines
- SIP connections for businesses seeking to move all calls over to advanced Voice Over IP technology
Fibre Is Fastest
FTTC (Fibre To The Cabinet) is the fastest type of line that BT can install and is faster than the older ADSL lines that may already be wired into a building. The proximity of your premises to the green BT street cabinet is also a factor because speeds begin to deteriorate at a distance of around 400 metres. The so-called Last Mile from the cabinet to your building is traditionally copper. Cable suppliers operate only in major cities and towns but may be able to supply fibre to your door.
Why Assessing Telephone Facilities Early Is Important
Your business will want to take advantage of modern telephony features, or at least to know they are available when required. If you are constrained by out of date PABX or network cabling that is 15 years old you may need an up to date line installed as well as modern hardware.
Your new telephone line will deliver both your telephony and broadband service and you want the best connectivity that can be achieved for your location. This may not always be the fastest possible, technically speaking, but speed and bandwidth must be at least adequate to support your business requirements. Otherwise, the consequences may throttle your business.
A Business Quality Fast Internet Connection Is Vital
Whether you plan to avail yourself of the benefits of VOIP or not, you must have fast Internet with the bandwidth to support the number of concurrent users you envisage.
Cabling – Cat-5, Cat-6 or Cat-7?
Seek expert advice for which standard (category) or cable is needed to support your requirements. Faster standards are more expensive and may not be justifiable for your needs. On the other hand, if your requirements do change over time, rewiring a building can be a costly exercise when it could have been completed during the original fit-out.
There Is More To Consider
This short article looks only at the physical telephone lines that are the first step in connecting your business to a myriad of communication technologies and techniques. Spending time planning and installing the most appropriate configuration is the first step to building a superb communication strategy for your new business. That’s why we strongly advise you spend some time identifying your needs, including future growth and changes, and get this step right from day one. It will almost certainly save you money as time goes by.
Speak To Us
It costs nothing to talk with one of our experts and discuss your requirements. We can pinpoint areas for you to consider and possibly steer you clear of costly mistakes when considering new business telephone line installation. Meanwhile, feel free to download our free New Business Telecoms Guide, packed with advice and pointers for new start-ups and existing businesses alike.
