6.
Re: RingCentral Service Jan 1, 2008 1:22 PM
I use VoIP (not RingCentral, but other providers) because it's less expensive than "traditional" phone service. The main advantage of traditional (landline-based) telephones -- and to answer your question as to why they are still in business -- is quality and reliability.
VoIP providers don't claim to have higher quality or reliability. Measured VoIP clarity is at best about 87 percent of the AT&T toll call standard. VoIP technology has a significantly longer audio delay (almost five times longer, which in a business setting can cause callers to talk over each other or hear "echos"). The best call completion rate a VoIP provider has achieved is 96.9 percent. The average is 94.9 percent. (5 in every 100 calls is dropped.) Landline-based services average 99.999 percent. [Above data appeared in Keystone, C:Net, and Howard reports.]
Some enterprises (and home customers) really need that extra quality and reliability. If you don't, you have nothing to lose (and money to gain) by trying RingCentral or a similar provider. Besides, VoIP is getting better all the time (which is probably why phone companies are selling more than just phone services now).
Happy New Year and best wishes.
