How to start a VOIP Business

The first thing to do is decide what part of VOIP marketplace you want to serve.

Here are some possibilities:

• VOIP Provider services
• VOIP consulting
• Independent Sales/Service Agent for existing VOIP service providers
• Value Added services with VoIP
• etc.

Some general suggestions:

• Pick an area that plays to your strengths. For example, if your strength is sales and marketing, pick an area where you can leverage those abilities
• Learn all you can about the maketplace
• Attend industry tradeshows
• Read industry magazines, blogs, forums, etc
• Read books
• Do market research - talk to your potential customers
• Ask questions
• Tradeshow exhibits usually have knowledgable people available ready to answer questions
• Many websites (like this one) let you ask questions
• Test the waters — to the extent possible try before you buy, test the waters before making large commitments of time or money

Value Added services

If you have experience with VoIP or already in VoIP business, you can get benefit / new customers by introducing some value added services on VoIP. Few value added services are mentioned in following, Within each service there are many choices.

• PBX sales and service
• Hosted PBX
• Virtual Numbers
• Hosted IVR / Auto attendants
• etc

• Message broadcasting / Call Center Solutions
• Voice broadcasting / Auto dialer
• here is a guide about starting new business for “We provide complete solution to launch VoIP”
• Appointment remainders, Emergency alert
• Fax broadcasting
• Call Centers
• etc

• Prepaid Cards
• Retail prepaid cards from existing wholesale providers
• Start your own brand of prepaid cards using services from existing wholesale providers
• Start a new prepaid card provider company
• Create new software package for prepaid card services
• Create a Free Phone Booth
• etc.

www.arnserver.com

Wholesale VoIP Market

There is no doubt today that VoIP is taking over the telecom market, and every month increases penetration into services and industries. Competitive carriers are looking at the numerous ways to make money from this exploding technology, but there's a lingering question as to whether it is profitable to deliver VoIP in a wholesale model? Their customers, typically Service Providers, are looking for their ‘competitive advantage' into this ‘lowest price' race, leveraging within three key alternatives for packet telephony : “build” , “buy” or “rent”. Business aspect, there’s no need to invest tens of millions of dollars in wholesale VoIP to join in. Many Telecom Companies have done the work for you. They offer a complete, turnkey VoIP business service and equipment. Now you can start wholesale VoIP business with virtually no investment and yet reap great dividends.

Wholesale VoIP Resellers:

In today’s world, Service providers seeking to deliver VoIP to as wide a customer base as possible may find that becoming a wholesale VoIP reseller is the way to go. Wholesale VoIP may be sold to both other service providers and to enterprises or residential customers.

Reselling IP telephony as a wholesale VoIP company is becoming an increasingly popular business model. For many companies, becoming a wholesale VoIP provider hits the sweet spot between profit and market control. Any firm with a well-established customer base is a good candidate for reselling wholesale VoIP.
Becoming a wholesale VoIP reseller is not a decision that should be taken lightly. It does, however, offer the potential of being very lucrative if done right.

Wholesale Consumer Demand:

An important characteristic of the industry is the complex segmentation of consumer demand and rapid change in the characteristics that are being demanded, both at the end customer and in the intermediate ones (wholesale customers).
Demand coming from ‘packed customers'? will be significantly different of the conventional telecommunications one, were telephony was the unique service to provide and differentiation was based on tariff-distance paradigm, being today's service offerings closer to data applications rather than telephony. Voice communication (and not old POT telephony) becomes the common feature into several communications applications and devices, but not the unique one.
Messaging, conference, collaboration, web contact centres, etc … requires a common communication format between parties, which is voice, implemented through VoIP technologies. Heterogeneous and rapidly changing customer demands and products are important dynamic influences on the evolving structure of the telecom industry, resulting into a new value-chain.
Telecommunication markets evolution will be driven by ‘packed customers' demand rather than networks, technology or finance, changing many decades rules into this industry.

Finance in Telecommunication Industry:

Finance institutions had been influencing Telecomm Industry since the beginning, due the business itself was characterized by huge investments, big market shares and bigger capitalization, influencing in many cases top management, who addressed their strategy towards ‘stock' opportunities rather long term and solid business models. WorldCom crash has been an example of this ‘financial market' pressure and wrong business management.
Today, the networks has been deployed. New scenario in Telecoms enable new players to deploy services over broadband without proprietary network and this new generation business will not be anymore capital intensive, let's say these will be innovation intensive.

U.S. VoIP Market:

The US market for VoIP advanced dramatically in 2006-2007, adding 3.8 million VoIP households in 2006, reports In-Stat: As a result, wholesale VoIP revenues grows quickly, as MSOs, Skype, and a myriad of new entrants most lacking network facilities enter the market and drive demand for telephony features and applications, the high-tech market research firm says.
As retail VoIP expands, wholesale VoIP will accelerate quickly, says Bryan Van Dussen, In-Stat analyst. The largest segment remains international VoIP, but we expect the market for local services to surge from 12% of all revenues to 27% by 2010.
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• Consumer VoIP adoption will drive wholesale VoIP revenues to $3.8 billion by 2010 from $1.1 billion in 2006.
• In-Stat finds small businesses are driving the growth of hosted services in the U.S. Hosted VoIP seats in the U.S. are expected to grow from 373,000 to 3 million by 2010. Revenues are projected to reach $2 billion.
• International wholesale VoIP termination/origination revenues is experiencing declining growth rates.
• Long-haul wholesale VoIP will experience significant migration of TDM services throughout the forecast period, and become a majority of the international market by 2009.
• Recent In-Stat research, In-Depth Analysis: Wholesale VoIP Forecast: Consumer VoIP Accelerates Demand (#IN0603371TX), covers the market for wholesale Voice Over Internet Protocol services. It provides a market forecast of US VoIP households and wholesale VoIP revenues segmented by main product categories. Analysis of the wholesale market is presented, including market drivers and barriers and three key trends: peering, bundling, and QoS.

Wholesale VoIP Market:

There is no doubt today that VoIP is taking over the telecom market, and every month increases penetration into services and industries. Competitive carriers are looking at the numerous ways to make money from this exploding technology, but there's a lingering question as to whether it is profitable to deliver VoIP in a wholesale model? Their customers, typically Service Providers, are looking for their ‘competitive advantage' into this ‘lowest price' race, leveraging within three key alternatives for packet telephony : “build” , “buy” or “rent”. Business aspect, there’s no need to invest tens of millions of dollars in wholesale VoIP to join in. Many Telecom Companies have done the work for you. They offer a complete, turnkey VoIP business service and equipment. Now you can start wholesale VoIP business with virtually no investment and yet reap great dividends.

Wholesale VoIP Resellers:

In today’s world, Service providers seeking to deliver VoIP to as wide a customer base as possible may find that becoming a wholesale VoIP reseller is the way to go. Wholesale VoIP may be sold to both other service providers and to enterprises or residential customers.

Reselling IP telephony as a wholesale VoIP company is becoming an increasingly popular business model. For many companies, becoming a wholesale VoIP provider hits the sweet spot between profit and market control. Any firm with a well-established customer base is a good candidate for reselling wholesale VoIP.
Becoming a wholesale VoIP reseller is not a decision that should be taken lightly. It does, however, offer the potential of being very lucrative if done right.

Wholesale Consumer Demand:

An important characteristic of the industry is the complex segmentation of consumer demand and rapid change in the characteristics that are being demanded, both at the end customer and in the intermediate ones (wholesale customers).
Demand coming from ‘packed customers'? will be significantly different of the conventional telecommunications one, were telephony was the unique service to provide and differentiation was based on tariff-distance paradigm, being today's service offerings closer to data applications rather than telephony. Voice communication (and not old POT telephony) becomes the common feature into several communications applications and devices, but not the unique one.
Messaging, conference, collaboration, web contact centres, etc … requires a common communication format between parties, which is voice, implemented through VoIP technologies. Heterogeneous and rapidly changing customer demands and products are important dynamic influences on the evolving structure of the telecom industry, resulting into a new value-chain.
Telecommunication markets evolution will be driven by ‘packed customers' demand rather than networks, technology or finance, changing many decades rules into this industry.

Finance in Telecommunication Industry:

Finance institutions had been influencing Telecomm Industry since the beginning, due the business itself was characterized by huge investments, big market shares and bigger capitalization, influencing in many cases top management, who addressed their strategy towards ‘stock' opportunities rather long term and solid business models. WorldCom crash has been an example of this ‘financial market' pressure and wrong business management.
Today, the networks has been deployed. New scenario in Telecoms enable new players to deploy services over broadband without proprietary network and this new generation business will not be anymore capital intensive, let's say these will be innovation intensive.

U.S. VoIP Market:

The US market for VoIP advanced dramatically in 2006-2007, adding 3.8 million VoIP households in 2006, reports In-Stat: As a result, wholesale VoIP revenues grows quickly, as MSOs, Skype, and a myriad of new entrants most lacking network facilities enter the market and drive demand for telephony features and applications, the high-tech market research firm says.
As retail VoIP expands, wholesale VoIP will accelerate quickly, says Bryan Van Dussen, In-Stat analyst. The largest segment remains international VoIP, but we expect the market for local services to surge from 12% of all revenues to 27% by 2010.
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• Consumer VoIP adoption will drive wholesale VoIP revenues to $3.8 billion by 2010 from $1.1 billion in 2006.
• In-Stat finds small businesses are driving the growth of hosted services in the U.S. Hosted VoIP seats in the U.S. are expected to grow from 373,000 to 3 million by 2010. Revenues are projected to reach $2 billion.
• International wholesale VoIP termination/origination revenues is experiencing declining growth rates.
• Long-haul wholesale VoIP will experience significant migration of TDM services throughout the forecast period, and become a majority of the international market by 2009.
• Recent In-Stat research, In-Depth Analysis: Wholesale VoIP Forecast: Consumer VoIP Accelerates Demand (#IN0603371TX), covers the market for wholesale Voice Over Internet Protocol services. It provides a market forecast of US VoIP households and wholesale VoIP revenues segmented by main product categories. Analysis of the wholesale market is presented, including market drivers and barriers and three key trends: peering, bundling, and QoS.

VOS3000 SoftSwitch

VOS3000 is carrier grade softswitch . In addition to providing Account Management, ExchangeRate Management, Rate Management, Package Management, Cards Management, Gateway Management, Phone Management, Softswitch Management, System Management, User Management, Data Query and Web Self-Service System, the system also integrates add-on modules like the Global Card Business System (support 10 million cards) and Extreme Media Proxy, for you to build a stable , reliable and High-Performance operating system. VOS3000 softswitch supports SIP/H323/SIP-H323, with capacity up to 10,000 concurrent calls. After rigorous testing, the VOS3000 softswitch proves to be a stable and reliable high-performance carrier-class system.

We have available version VOS3000 2.1.1.5 , VOS3000 2.1.2.0 , VOS3000 2.1.2.4 & VOS3000 2.1.3.2.

System Performance

Single server: >= 10,000 concurrent calls
Media forwarding capability: >=4,000 concurrent calls
Call per second: >= 1200CPS (4,320,000BHCA)
Protocol: SIP,H323,HTTP,TCP/UDP

System Features

·         For VoIP operators

·         Routing by ASR, LCR(least cost routing)

·         Gateway group, preset profit rate

·         Voice codec priority setting

·         Softswitch platform Control

·         Efficient media access transponder modules, media forwarding up to 4000 concurrent calls

·         Excellent compatibility

·         Connect analysis, interruption analysis

·         Real-time monitoring for Call Performance

·         Package features,providing daily, monthly, annual rent and other methods

·         Add the phone area code automatically

·         Carrier-class VoIP Softswitch

·         Millions of global cards business system

·         Call Center , Auto Dialer & Broadcost services platform

VOS3000 is carrier grade softswitch . In addition to providing Account Management, ExchangeRate Management, Rate Management, Package Management, Cards Management, Gateway Management, Phone Management, Softswitch Management, System Management, User Management, Data Query and Web Self-Service System, the system also integrates add-on modules like the Global Card Business System (support 10 million cards) and Extreme Media Proxy, for you to build a stable , reliable and High-Performance operating system. VOS3000 softswitch supports SIP/H323/SIP-H323, with capacity up to 10,000 concurrent calls. After rigorous testing, the VOS3000 softswitch proves to be a stable and reliable high-performance carrier-class system.

We have available version VOS3000 2.1.1.5 , VOS3000 2.1.2.0 , VOS3000 2.1.2.4 & VOS3000 2.1.3.2.

System Performance

Single server: >= 10,000 concurrent calls
Media forwarding capability: >=4,000 concurrent calls
Call per second: >= 1200CPS (4,320,000BHCA)
Protocol: SIP,H323,HTTP,TCP/UDP

System Features

·         For VoIP operators

·         Routing by ASR, LCR(least cost routing)

·         Gateway group, preset profit rate

·         Voice codec priority setting

·         Softswitch platform Control

·         Efficient media access transponder modules, media forwarding up to 4000 concurrent calls

·         Excellent compatibility

·         Connect analysis, interruption analysis

·         Real-time monitoring for Call Performance

·         Package features,providing daily, monthly, annual rent and other methods

·         Add the phone area code automatically

·         Carrier-class VoIP Softswitch

·         Millions of global cards business system

·         Call Center , Auto Dialer & Broadcost services platform

VOIP Service Providers

Business VOIP Providers

A business VOIP phone system can reduce your monthly phone bill tremendously compared to a traditional business phone system. A business VOIP solution can be a hosted PBX system, as well as an on-premise PBX solution.

Residential VOIP Providers

A residential VOIP phone system can reduce your monthly phone bill tremendously compared to a traditional residential phone system. Most residential VOIP systems are hosted VOIP solutions. Learn more about residential VOIP, and view residential VOIP providers below.

For a list of VOIP to PSTN service providers, indexed by country, please see:

• VOIP Service Providers Residential - for retail level products
• VOIP Service Providers Business - multiline small business products and PBX systems
• VOIP Service Providers B2B - wholesale and bulk products, products for resale\
• Secure VOIP Service Providers - for retail level products
• VOIP Service Providers T.38 - VOIP providers offering T.38 fax service (very few exist)
• RIP VOIP VOIP provider cemetery
• Virtual PBX providers
• Hosted VoIP and Hosted PBX Providers
• VOIP Wholesale Providers
• DID Service Providers - Providers of DID service
• Toll Free Termination Providers - Dial any toll-free number
• Hosted Collaboration Providers
• VOIP Providers Italy
• VOIP Providers USA
• VOIP Providers Canada
• VOIP Providers UK
• Compare Internet Service Providers

VoIP and VoIP Service Providers

What is VoIP?

VoIP (which stands for "voice over internet protocol" and is commonly referred to simply as an internet phone) is a highly cost effective and reliable way for businesses or even homeowners to make calls across the world or even just across town. The majority of major cable companies that offer bundled internet, television, and phone services already utilize this newer technology, but there are tons of other independent companies that specialize in providing this service to their customers at reasonable rates and with tons of extra features.

More Than Just Computers

When people think of VoIP, they generally think of computers due to the popularity of the numerous free communication services like FaceTime and Skype, but this is truly just one aspect of what VoIP can truly offer. It is true that VoIP technology transmits voice communication that's been converted into digital data across a packet-switched network or the internet (what this means, in essence, is that a user making phone calls over high speed internet lines rather than phone lines). With that in mind, users are not confined to only using it on a computer. VoIP technology can connect through the internet using traditional telephone equipment just like a regular line. The phone itself is connected to the internet using an adaptor that's plugged straight into a home or business's internet network. Most major services offer a softphone option as well, which allows the user to use their computer directly as a telephone service. In addition to all that, VoIP providers will generally also offer mobile or tablet apps that allow their customers to make calls on the device (assuming it's connected to Wi-Fi at the time).

It Saves a Ton of Money

Across the board, VoIP phone systems will save users significant amounts of money when switching over from a more conventional phone system by allowing much cheaper international and long distance rates as well as simply lowering the monthly bill. Aside from the money savings itself, VoIP based phones also give users a ton of additional features. VoIP phone services are ideal for both businesses and residences, but also home offices as well. Because it can be used on phones that are already owned, the setup costs are very minimal.

What to Look for in a VoIP Provider

The world is getting more and more interconnected with each year as we keep marching forward into this internet age. Because of that, international calling is going to continue becoming more important for all sorts of businesses. Every VoIP provider is going to have varied plans based on different needs such as countries allowed, the amount of minutes given in a month, and whether or not the customer is willing to sign a long term contract or not. Finding the right VoIP provider for your specific needs can be difficult, as you'll need to look at a variety of different metrics. Let's see specifically what to look at to determine if a VoIP provider is good for you.

Service Packages

One of the biggest deciding factors that you're going to have when choosing the right VoIP service provider is the different type of packaging options they have for their product. There are many VoIP providers who will offer very competitive rates to customers willing to sign up for a one or two year contract plan but will charge quite a bit in the form of cancellation fees if you decide to stop using their service before the time fully expires. Users who get monthly plans are generally given the freedom to opt out whenever they want but will generally pay a bit more for the service.

One of the biggest advantages that VoIP services offer is their highly competitive long distance and international rates. If that's one of your own big buying points, make sure to read the fine print closely on those particular features when comparing different providers. Some services will offer unlimited minutes for calling international locations while others will choose specific nations and have different rates for each one. Some providers offer plans that allow for very cheap domestic calls that only offer a limited amount of overall international minutes, which is a very good choice for businesses or individuals who don't make that many calls to overseas areas. Another big bonus that VoIP providers offer and that a lot of people like is the fact that you can choose just about whichever area code you prefer, even if you're away from home. Choosing an area code in a city that you have a lot of friends and family members in will actually allow their calls to you to be considered local rather than long distance.

Important Features

The major VoIP providers that offer the best service almost always have the following basic features:

• Enhanced 911 dialing for emergency calls.
• Call return by using *69.
• The ability to make a block call list.
• The ability to forward calls to other numbers.
• Call waiting.
• Detailed caller identification.
• Free calls (which do not use up minutes) to other users that have the same service provider.
• The ability to keep your existing phone number.
• Long distance calling.
• Easy to use online account management.
• Voicemail options.

VoIP companies all provide the basic VoIP phone services, so the area where they truly stand out is going to be in the extra features they offer. Three way calling is standard in today's world, but there are many providers who can offer conference calls that can handle even more people. Call transfer lets the user send a call to a different phone entirely, meaning that the different individual phones will each need extensions. Some services also offer a variety of local emergency or community lines, such as 411 for directory assistance.

There are some VoIP services that will give customers a second phone line for free for using the same service. While these do share the same phone number and will both ring when dialed, it will allow one person to dial a number and talk on the phone while another person can use the other phone to talk with somebody else entirely. There are also toll free or even virtual phone numbers that are offered by some providers that are great for home based businesses. These latter features are generally not standard and come with an additional charge.

While many of the VoIP service providers are similar at a quick glance and often offer some of the same basic features, the extra features they offer is where a savvy business can really increase the value of their investment.

Extra Features

There are a number of mobile apps that allow people to place VoIP calls on their phone or tablet as long as they have an internet connection. Desktop or laptop computers can even be used as phones (called softphones) with VoIP technology as well.

For customers looking to keep using their business phone while traveling, there are services that allow customers to take the service with them by using a small sized physical adaptor that's very easy to travel with. Even if you've already invest in an adaptor from a previous service, many VoIP providers will still be able to use it.

Technical Support

Another big spot to look at when searching for a good VoIP service is technical support. Make sure to look around for reviews of the company and ensure that the service the provider gives is fast, reliant, and quick. Check the website to ensure that there is email, over the phone, and live chat support and see if there is a knowledge base set up to help customers work through issues on their own.

As we have seen, voice over IP phone systems are a great way to simultaneously reduce a business's bottom line while also providing a ton of extra features that weren't even possible with traditional phone lines. It's one of the best and easiest investments to make for an across the board increase to a business's success.

PLEASE DO NOT ADD NEW CATEGORIES HERE.

VOIP provider services, exchanges and other business deals belong under VOIP Service Providers B2B

Please keep your entry in ALPHABETICAL ORDER in relation to the other entries in your section.
If you add a new entry, including an 'added on dd/mmm/yy' would make it easier to notice.

Miscellaneous VOIP related services, including peer-to-peer services, are listed below.