VoIP Basics

What is VoIP?

Voice Over Internet Protocol, aka VoIP is the best alternative for communication instead of using your local phone company.  This phone system works by using your Local Area Network (LAN) .

The distinct advantage is the capability for use across multiple internet-connected devices. In its most basic level, it is the process of turning analog audio signal into digital “packets”. This signal is delivered over the internet.

Simply, it lets you to make a phone call or video call the same way as you send an email.

Advantages of VoIP

Cost saving is the most appealing benefits of using using VoIP for businesses.  It is less expensive versus the traditional phone line.

Consequently, this is due to using one single network to carry both voice and data. Most users have existing network capacity and can use this phone system without any additional costs. Hence, in some cases, users see phone calls, including International calls as free. Skype is one good example.

Similarly, another advantage is its mobility. Because it operates using internet, you will be able to call and receive calls as long as you are connected. Thus, making business easy and simple.

How to get Started

Finally, consult your IT provider about having VoIP as a priority for your IT Master Plan. With perks and features that business owners can take advantage of, VoIP cannot be taken for granted. Because most businesses have several locations, easy communication between locations is a must. VoIP makes it easy to connect multiple points with a single click.  Hence, it has become a business standard all over the world.

Currently, there are a number of providers available today. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start. Let LEAP Managed IT assist you by assessing what type of business communication solution you need. As partners, we can save time and energy by tailoring a plan for you from VoIP providers in Indianapolis. Contact us leapmanagedit.com today.

 

 

Indianapolis IT Support- Choosing the Best IT

Indianapolis IT Support – Choosing the Best Vendor for Your Needs 

 

Finding the best Indianapolis IT Support vendor in today’s expansive and seemingly unlimited marketplace, a customer with needs has plenty of options.  For example, if you’re an organization looking for Indianapolis IT  Support, dozens return on potential Indianapolis IT Support vendors  with one quick Google search.

But what next? Often times, searching websites and reading testimonials leaves you no closer to making a choice than you were at the start. In this article, we’ll discuss the best way to choose a vendor that fits your needs. We’ll use IT Support  and more specifically Indianapolis IT Support as the example.

 

Getting Started: Define Your IT Needs

 

When your needs are broad – like “IT Support Indianapolis” – it behooves you to know exactly what you’re looking for before you begin your search. Start by making a list of priorities. If you decide your first priority is Low Cost, your ideal vendor will be far different than if you choose Highest Quality as your top need.

Don’t forget that we’re living in the age of the Internet! If the job you need done requires little communication, consider expanding your search to vendors operating solely online – maybe even freelancers.

This changes your query from “Indianapolis IT Support” to the far broader “IT Support.” If you’ve defined your needs more specifically, however, maybe you’re ready for a search like “IT Support Cyber security.”

 

Go Deeper: Understand Your Needs

 

The reason you’re searching for an IT Vendor in Indianapolis is that you only have limited knowledge to handle the situation. That’s perfectly understandable but the more you know about what you need, the easier it will be to choose the right vendor – and the easier it will be to discuss your needs with your chosen vendor when the time comes. The more specific you can get, the better.

 

Let’s continue with the example of needing Cybersecurity help. You’ve already decided to go more specific than “IT Support Indianapolis” – excellent. But you can still get narrower and more targeted. Talk to someone in your organization who has intimate knowledge of the problem at hand. If you just want to bolster your general cybersecurity, that’s OK. But maybe you actually want to focus on protecting yourself against Ransomware or BotNets. These are more specific jobs and having a base knowledge about these topics will greatly assist you in your search.

 

Negotiating: Remember that You’re in Control!

 

Whether you’re looking for a janitor or IT Support in Indianapolis, the process of hiring someone from initial search to contractual agreement can be exhausting. But don’t get complacent! Remember that you hold the cards. When you reach out to potential IT Support vendors, explain your needs as clearly as you can and then see how they respond. If they say anything you don’t like or quote a price that seems high, don’t hesitate to tell them, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

 

In fact, it helps to look at speaking with potential vendors as the most crucial part of the process. Finding your first choice does not mean you’ve reached the finished line. Often, you’ll be able to get a far better price by speaking to several potential vendors and letting them know you have other options. This is where your homework pays off! Vendors will have to take you seriously when you know exactly what you need and you know you can get it from a few different sources.

 

The Right Choice is Out There

 

When searching for solutions to problems, people often get frustrated. They get stuck and don’t know what exactly they are looking for. If you’ve followed the advice given above, though, your chances are higher. You’ve defined your needs, you’ve taken the time to understand them, and you know how to negotiate. So type in your query and hit “Search.” Even if you haven’t gotten any more specific than “Indianapolis IT Support,” at least you know more about your needs – and you’ll be able to choose the right vendor.

 

Tech Support Indianapolis Update: Net Neutrality Explained

Tech Support Indianapolis Update: What is Net Neutrality?

In this Tech Support Indianapolis Update we delve into Net Neutrality and how it will impact Indiana business.  Before, during, and after the repeal of Net Neutrality in December of 2017, angry citizens wrote to their public officials demanding that Net Neutrality stay in place. Immediately following the vote which decided that the FCC would repeal Net Neutrality, Washington and New York Attorney Generals announced their intent to sue the FCC. So, what is Net Neutrality? And as a CEO whose time is invaluable, why should you care about it?  Will it really limit productivity of greater Indianapolis businesses and strain the IT support services that your company relies on?

Net Neutrality is the enforced idea that the internet is a “public utility.” Treating the internet as a public utility (like water or electricity) means that its access is not limited or restricted in any way; regardless of source, content, or bias, any user can access any data the same as any other user. The loss of Net Neutrality removes limits imposed on Internet Service Providers, allowing them the right to provide any type of service they see fit.

Tech Support Indianapolis Update:  First Amendment issue of our time

Senator Richard Blumenthal refers to the Net Neutrality debate as the “First Amendment issue of our time.” As a free and open public forum, any individual has the ability to publish any information they like on the Internet, and any other individual is free to access it. This unrestricted free-flow of information is what we are accustomed to on the Internet. Many fear that without Net Neutrality, the internet will resemble Cable TV with several large companies controlling the online space.

Detractors of Net Neutrality claim that it’s an imposition of rules and regulations where they’re not necessary. Instead, they argue that regulations like Net Neutrality slow and even halt innovation. The logic behind this line of thinking is that Internet Service Providers must be incentivized to invest in and improve the Internet. By allowing ISPs to charge more for “premium service,” for example, ISPs are encouraged to invest more in their infrastructure, leading to better and faster service.

Tech Support Indianapolis:  CEO Perspective

As a CEO, the Internet is one of your most powerful tech tools for growing and conducting your business. Net Neutrality guarantees that the information you publish online is free of censorship and reachable by any individual; in short, Net Neutrality allows you unfiltered communication with your target audience.

The repeal of Net Neutrality muddies the online waters. It puts an authority between you and your customer. For example, if an Internet Service Provider decides that your message is inconsistent with the service it wishes to provide, that ISP can act as a gatekeeper, making your website or communications inaccessible for the people that use its service.

Now, in early 2018, we find ourselves in the middle of a heated debate and an unsettled online environment. Net Neutrality was repealed, but those in favor of it are not giving up easily. Lawsuits are being filed against the FCC for wrongfully repealing Net Neutrality. Bills are being proposed to preserve the Internet as it is. And citizens continue to speak out against those that wish to change the landscape of the Internet.

As a CEO, you are more affected by the Net Neutrality issue than most. Will you join the fight?

Questions or comments?  Reach out to us at your Indianapolis Tech Support Center.

Make sure to check out some of our other CEO Tech Briefs.  See what you can learn from the US Navy when it comes to cyber security.

CEO Tech Update
CEO Tech Brief by Michael Thomas