Know the details of your workforce

Figure out what percentage of your staff works on-site and what percentage works in the field or telecommutes. This will help you find the telecommunications business solutions that are right for your situation, without paying for those features that aren't. Traditional PBX solutions work best in offices where most of their workforce is on-site.

I recommend: Checking out this PBX Guide on Work.com to see if those telecommunications business solutions are right for your company.

Look into what is required to be able to get business telephone services you want

Today's complicated networks include more than just telephones. Computers have become one of the main forms of communication in business. With this shift comes the need for more complicated infrastructure such as networks and servers. If you conduct most of your business over the Internet and email and you already have an existing PBX, then the transition to using VoIP as your business telephone service should be quick and relatively painless.

I recommend: Comparing many VoIP vendors and packages to find one that fits your company's needs. Though not necessary, using VoIP in conjunction with an existing PBX will allow you to take advantage of the telephone company's 99% up rate.

Don't be talked into moving to a solution that doesn't fit your needs or your budget

Depending on the route you want to take, there may or may not be upfront costs associated with using VoIP. The most economical way to utilize VoIP is by using your existing phones and selecting a provider that uses dedicated lines that provide both voice and data transmission, also know as T1 lines.

I recommend: AT&T offers their CallVantage(R) service plans that offer many business telecommunication solutions designed to fit any budget.  Another economical choice is USA Datanet. They offer bundled services to meet the needs of most small and medium-sized businesses.  For those companies that have remote offices and an international customer base, Vonage offers unlimited local and long distance calls to anywhere in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico and parts of Europe. Finally, some companies may want all of the advantages of having a PBX without having to buy, install and maintain the equipment.  In that case, Spirit Telecom's IP Centrex may be the answer. This solution gives you both the savings and convenience of having voice and data transmissions over the same channel.