In the past, telephone call costs have tended to represent a major proportion of an organisation’s communications budget. This is especially true when branch offices are split over a variety of sites. Companies had to choose whether to install expensive dedicated fixed lines between these offices, or whether to simply route calls over the public telephone system, and incur the associated call charges.

However, there is now a third option. With compatible telephone exchanges, it is possible to route calls over the internet connection, or have internal dialling between extensions located in different premises. When calls are made in this way no charges are incurred. Least cost routing allows calls to be sent from one office to another over the internet connection, and then to the outside world. So if you make a lot of calls to New York from your London office, we can route the call via your New York office and you will only incur a local call charge, rather than an international charge.

For the home worker with internet connectivity there is another option. With an IP phone, they can replicate their office extension at home. ‘Internal’ calls can be made, and outgoing calls can be routed to the office first, and thus be billed directly to the company.

Dean & Hilton can advise you about whether these solutions can save you money, and whether your telephone exchange supports Voice Over IP.