By Sharla Sikes

With businesses everywhere switching to VoIP for their communications needs, the choices of systems and providers can be bewildering. VoIP is typically attractive to businesses because it is more configurable and has many features, but those same choices and features can also complicated the service somewhat.

Enter the knight in shining armor: Plug-and-play devices. There are plug-and-play products designed to handle VoIP and communications systems, and thus ease the transition to VoIP from traditional phone service.

These products might offer management for VoIP, e-mail and Web browsing; many companies offer a “starter kit” that integrates management of up to 24 VoIP phones, one traditional phone line as a backup and wireless networking.

“You can’t just flip a switch and magically transport yourself to the world of VoIP simplicity,” says industry commentator Paul D Kretkowski. “You’re spending capital now to save it later; office services may be disrupted during a transition to VoIP; a consultant may have to help your office’s devices all ’speak’ IP; and now any broadband internet failure affects all your external communications rather than just your computers.”

So, despite the complications, you’ve decided to bundle your communications and save money on phone lines, extra equipment and long distance calling.

Now all you have to do is keep it simple.

Look for a system that includes a router to handle public switched telephone network as well as IP voice and data traffic and IP-enabled phones. That’s a basic package. Most have the capability to route and store voice mail, have an “auto attendant” and provide a firewall. Some systems have additional functions including management of  up to 24 VoIP phones, wireless networking of computers, printers, fax machines and card readers, and has a backup analog phone line for emergencies. Other systems feature capabilities like pocket VoIP devices, travel routing for out-of-office employees and virtual private network support.

Shop around to find the system that best suits your company’s needs, but plug-and-play VoIP solutions are the quick and easy way to transition to VoIP.

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