Can I Use My Existing Phone Number if I switch to VoIP?

Most of the offices tend to use the same phone number for many years. As a result, this phone number often becomes the identity their business. This is why most of the companies are not willing to abandon their old phone numbers while switching to VoIP

Fortunately, it is possible to continue using the same existing phone number while switching over to a VoIP phone service.

The feature that allows users to retain their old phone number even after a change in service provider is called portability. 

What is Portability?

The Federal Communications Commission, an independent body that regulates television, wires, radio, cable, and satellite communication in the US, requires all US-based VoIP service providers to offer number portability. Most of the VoIP service providers now offer this facility for free. 

How much does it cost to port phone numbers to a VOIP phone service provider?

However, it is important to note certain things while porting a number from a traditional or VoIP service provider to another VoIP service. Though porting is always possible, some service providers may charge for porting the existing number. On the other hand, there are companies like Cebod Telecom that offer free porting facility to all their customers.

Business is moving to a new location, can we keep the same phone number?

Number porting is not possible for the traditional phone numbers when shifting to a new location because this will result in a change in the area code. With VOIP, you can move business from New York to Chicago and still keep existing phone number with New York area code.

About Cebod Telecom phone service

Cebod Telecom provide its customers with preconfigured VOIP phones and once the phone numbers are  ported, phone service starts working without any additional configuration.  There is zero downtime when switching to them. In case of emergency, Cebod Telecom can also provide with temporary phone numbers until the porting process from the previous business phone service vendor is completed.

Content Source: https://www.cebodtelecom.com/can-use-existing-phone-number-switch-voip/

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8 Most Common VoIP Problems and How to Solve Them on Your Own

 If you are here, chances are you’re an active VoIP user who is having some problems while making VoIP calls and is looking for hassle-free solutions.

Whether dropped connection during important discussions, low-quality audio, or any other issue that makes it impossible to complete the conversation, this guide will help you solve all of them on your own.

In this guide, we are going to breakdown the 8 most common VoIP problems and their solutions to help you find peace of mind as fast as possible.

Let’s get to work!

1. Dropped Connections

We’ve all been through this situation.

Somebody is saying something crucial, and the words cut off in the middle of their sentences. We have to say, “Sorry, I didn’t hear you,” and the individual on the other line has to repeat themselves multiple times.

How to Solve Broken Audio?

This typical VoIP issue is most likely the result of your bandwidth capacity. Bandwidth evaluates the amount of data that is sent over a connection within a given time.

While using the internet — either for VoIP or browsing — small units of data are delivered in packets. When these packets don’t reach their targeted destination, packet loss takes place.

The outcomes are connection interruptions, slow performance, and low-quality audio issues.

Your solution to broken audio relies on who is cutting in and out. Is it you or the other person?

If the other person is cutting in and out, then your download bandwidth is not enough.

In any case, packet loss is the primary reason.

Try closing streaming applications like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or YouTube, which occupy plenty of network space. Also, ensure that you’ve made VoIP service your first priority on your router’s Quality of Service (QOS) settings.

2. Dropped Calls

Dropped calls are the calls that suddenly end halfway through the conversation. They are a massive cause of frustration for callers.

Additionally, you may also have faced sudden dropped calls after a specific amount of time (e.g., 11 minutes into the call).

How to Solve Dropped Calls?

Usually, this problem occurs during outgoing calls on high-volume networks.

The root cause is not having updated firmware on your device. A brief call to your service provider will verify this.

Another issue could be a UDP Timeout. This is the amount of time a UDP route remains open on a router or firewall.

To resolve this VoIP issue, you need to readjust your router settings to enable lengthy UDP timeouts or switch to TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).

TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that specifies how to build and manage a network conversation in which application programs can exchange data.

The UDP connection timeout is 30 seconds, whereas the TCP connection timeout is typically 15 minutes. You can increase the connection timeout from the firewall access rules.

3. Echoes on the Call

Echoes trigger repeated voices at different intervals and volume levels. They make it hard to follow the conversation.

How to Solve Echoes?

There are two potential culprits behind this issue:

The device

Headset lag

You have to examine both.

Begin with the device itself.

Is your device up to date? Is everything connected appropriately? Is anything broken?

Have you applied the universal technique of unplugging and plugging everything back in?

Check your calls after you take care of your device. Usually, this permits the buffers to vacate and re-sync with the VoIP services.

The type of headset you use may cause a problem. To evaluate this, place a call using your handset and headset only to see if the echoes occur — specifically, on the headset. If yes, then it’s time to replace it.

Additionally, make sure that your wall jacks, Ethernet cords, and cables are not bent, damp, or damaged.

If you still experience echoes, then you may need to improve your network latency and instability.

4. Latency – Voice Delay

Latency is the amount of time one data packet takes to travel to its intended destination — in other words, the total time it takes for words to exit the speaker’s mouth and arrive at the listener’s ear.

You have a good chance of experiencing higher latency during business hours, which will affect your customer communications and conference calls.

How to Solve VoIP Latency?

Latency can be the result of network congestion.

Network congestion happens when a network node or link carries overloaded data.

Routers have a huge task to sustain today’s weighty bandwidth requirements, like video calls. It’s a nice idea — until everyone watches streaming services and joins video conferences at the same time! Plus, don’t overlook all those laptops consuming Wi-Fi data.

The solution to this VoIP problem is to prioritize VoIP traffic on your routers.

Another option is to choose QoS (Quality of Service), which may require advancing to a business-class router that keeps VoIP data a top priority.

5. Jittering

Jittering is when portions of your VoIP phone calls sound garbled, out of order or completely missing, therefore causing important conversations to vanish or become difficult to understand.

Call jittering that lasts 30+ milliseconds affects the overall call quality, resulting in dropped calls and misunderstandings.

How to Solve VoIP Jittering?

Jittering occurs due to the millions of data packets travelling altogether across the same IP network.

The quick and obvious fix is to try upgrading your Internet connectivity via your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your internet may not have sufficient bandwidth to take on the load of all your connected devices.

If you’ve gotten rid of network congestion, and the problem still lingers, then examine the internet connection you’re using. Wireless networks are user-friendly and durable enough to support basic internet access; however, they are not optimal for VoIP phones. Try shifting to an Ethernet internet connection instead.

Old, outdated modems and damaged Ethernet cords can also have a hand in jittering. The same can be said for your phone’s frequency, too. Consider aiming for a frequency that is no more than 2.4GHz.

Another solution is installing a jitter buffer. It temporarily holds arriving packets to reduce delay variations. If packets don’t reach you on time, then they are removed.

6. Silence After Call Connection

Sometimes, you don’t face any problems with connecting calls, but you may have an issue in which you hear nothing once the call is successfully connected. These voice issues can be one-way (i.e., one party doesn’t hear the other), or two-way (i.e., neither party hears anything).

This causes frustration and the meaningless back-and-forth of “Can you hear me?”, which can ruin the entire conversation.

How to Solve a Silent Connection?

In many cases, silent connections happen because of problems with firewalls hindering RTP packets.

This makes voice packets able to pass through only one direction or block both sides from receiving data packets. One solution is to check out the SIP ALG (Session Initiation Protocol Application Layer Gateway), which is a software component that manages specific application protocols, like SIP.

Most of the time, disabling it will fix the problem, as it opens ports to allow traffic to flow.

Another problem that may cause a lack of audio is incompatible codec between two connecting phones. If that’s the case, then calls can connect completely, but they don’t allow package exchange — meaning a complete absence of audio.

In this case, the solution is to make sure that both phones share a common codec.

7. Straight to Voicemail

Have you ever faced a situation in which you’re waiting for a call from a client or a coworker, and your phone sent the call directly to voicemail instead of ringing?

Such missed calls can trigger major setbacks in productivity — not to mention potentially losing high-paying clients.

How to Solve Missed VoIP Calls?

Fortunately, this big problem has an easier solution.

First, make sure your phone is still connected with your existing VoIP service provider. If not, then contact the company and reconnect your devices.

Also, check your settings. You may have mistakenly switched your phone to Do Not Disturb.

Lastly, double-check your call forwarding settings. You may have changed the configuration or forgot to reset it back to your basic setup.

8. VoIP Not Working, but Internet Is

Often, your VoIP system may not allow you to make calls. Although your internet is working, VoIP is not — it may either fail to connect or display a big “X” on the screen.

This is a common problem in call centers. It generally shuts down business until the issue is resolved.

How to Solve VoIP’s Inability to Make Calls?

Again, SIP ALG can be responsible for this.

Although it is found in most routers, it can create major problems for VoIP users. When it arises, two routers cannot operate or transmit packets because firewalls disturb the internal network and VoIP traffic.

To resolve this, you’ve got to disable SIP ALG.

If that doesn’t work, then try relocating your VoIP telephones on a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN).

In Summary

Most of us experience VoIP issues every now and then. We hope that our guide to VoIP solutions will come in handy the next time you encounter any of the problems mentioned above. If not, then you can always count on our top business VoIP service providers for a consistent voice connection, high audio quality, popular software, updated solutions, and error-free service.

Content Source: https://www.cebodtelecom.com/8-most-common-voip-problems-and-how-to-solve-them-on-your-own/

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What is Patient Appointment Reminder Software?

 Do you know what one of the biggest unnecessary expenses is for any dental practice? Missed appointments and no-shows cost your business thousands of dollars every year. If you can improve those numbers even a little bit, you’ll be able to make a big difference to your business. Patient appointment reminders software have been shown to reduce no-show numbers dramatically. And there’s software to make this an automatic process.

How Software Reminds Patients of their Appointments

The latest software can remind patients of their appointments in any way you please. Patients typically refer to receive SMS messages, but you also have other options on the table.

Let’s look at how it works:

SMS Reminders – The name and date are automated. And you can even include customized messages, if you so wish.

Phone Reminders – Your staff members can record a message and the date/name/time is automated.

Email Reminders – In an email reminder, the name, date, and time are fully automated, but you can also include a customized message.

The best option is to ask your patients which method they prefer. It’s relatively easy to do this with new patients who’re filling in their information for the first time. With the number one reason for missed appointments being forgetfulness, automated reminders can be a big boom for your business.

Prioritize Incoming Communications

Sometimes a patient might send you a message that demands your urgent attention. For example, they may be cancelling an appointment. If you get to it early enough that slot could be given to another patient. But you need to know which communications to read first.

Patient appointment reminder software has the capacity to analyze incoming messages and to categorize them. And on the patient side there’s no need for them to register for a service or download an app. All they must do is send you a text and you’ll know what you need to respond to personally in good time.

Ongoing Care Reminders

Once you get your patients to attend their scheduled appointments you must go further than that to make sure they continue to book follow up appointments. Your regulars are what keep you profitable.

The latest in appointment reminder software also has the capacity to indulge in proactive messaging. That means it will analyze patient records and send a reminder to book a maintenance care appointment after a certain amount of time has passed. This can be customized according to the needs of each patient category, as defined by you.

Getting Paid at the Right Time

Some of your patients may have the option to pay later or to pay in installments. Reminders for payment or that another installment date is coming up can be sent to each patient. The frequency of these installment reminders can also be controlled by you. There’s even the option to escalate cases where the patient hasn’t responded, or you’ve received no payment for a specific period.

Professional Branding and Marketing

Patient appointment reminder software goes further than sending out reminders. It also offers professional branding at the same time. That means you can include logos, color schemes, and relevant promotional slogans and messages simultaneously. You may think it’s a relatively minor issue, but ongoing branding can improve patient retention rates.

Improve Patient Satisfaction Rates

Overall, we know this is primarily about improving patient satisfaction rates. Another feature of patient appointment reminder software is the ability for your dental clinic to remind patients when they have products to pick up. Whether it’s a mouth guard or a pair of dentures, there can be serious delays in patients getting the care they need if they forget to pick their delivery up. Patients are always going to appreciate you reaching out to them, so they don’t need to remember when their product was expected to arrive.

That’s the level of service that improves patient satisfaction rates.

The Big Picture

Keep this sort of addition to your business in context. You’re using features like this to gain a competitive advantage in your local market. Software like this demonstrates attentiveness, and that’s the sort of thing you want to see in reviews. Over time you’ll gain a positive reputation and that will lead to more business for you.

Last Word – Why Patient Appointment Reminder Software is For You

Patient appointment reminder software has never been more important in this modern age. With most people using technology to manage their lives, conforming to that will only improve the reputation of your practice. It’s an easy feature to implement into your business and it will revolutionize the way you deal with patients. This is an investment that will repay itself repeatedly.

Do you believe that patient appointment reminder software or the dental practice management software has the potential to improve your dental practice?

Content Source: https://www.cebodtelecom.com/patient-appointment-reminder-software/

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