What phone system is right for your business?

Choosing the most suitable phone system for your business can be a challenge. Whether you’re setting up a brand new office or you’re switching to a new provider, there are a few factors to consider:

• Which phone provider to go with?
• What technology do you need?
• Where will you host your phone system?

Choosing the right system is a critical component of your sales and marketing cycle. With the right solution to match your business needs, you can unify workers, invoke collaboration, and have access to the tools you need to communicate actively with customers and leads.

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IP Desk Phone

Desk phones are your traditional corded phone set up thats sits on each desk scenario. Due to the advancements in technology and greater availability of the internet, traditional landline phone services are being phased out and replaced with IP telephones also known as VoIP  (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Unlike landline services, IP telephone systems run over the same internet as the company uses, making it a significantly cheaper and simpler solution.

IP DESK PHONE SYSTEMS: THE BENEFITS AND POSSIBLE DOWNSIDES

Benefits

• Cost-effective
• Reliable
• Customisable
• Advanced features for productivity
• Great audio connections
• Easy-to-install
• Can be integrated into CRM

Potential Downsides

• Can only be used from your desk
• Dependant on internet connection
• No Instant Messaging (IM) capabilities
• Phone reporting can be inaccurate as staff may decide to utilise mobile, app, or other software calling options because of a lack of flexibility
• Slower to scale than software-based phones

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Free Guide: Everything about NBN & 5G

Softphones: A Software-based phone alternative

While IP Desk Phones have usability, function, and a hint of nostalgia attached to them, modern softphone software can perform a similar job without the curly cords and bulky handsets. Software-based phones or “softphones” are applications that mimic traditional handsets, usually installed on mobile devices, tablets, or even desktop computers.

These software-based phones let you host video/conference calls, take your work on the go, and reduce office clutter by eliminating an additional component (i.e., the hardware-based phone). Softphones also offer another layer of benefits via reporting –  you can leverage metrics and get hyper-analytical on your phone systems, potentially improving your sales cycle, reducing pipeline issues, and creating new opportunities for reps.

SOFTPHONES: BENEFITS AND POSSIBLE DOWNSIDES

Benefits

• More cost-effective than Unified Communication systems
• Can work from anywhere
• Allows remote workers to instantly access business systems
• Instant Messaging
• Instant collaboration through video and conference calls
• You don’t have to provide a mobile phone number to customers as your landline number is anywhere you are
• You can leverage reporting and metrics
• Can be integrated with your CRM
• Doesn’t require physical equipment to set up

Potential Downsides

• Reliant on internet connectivity
• Potential reliance on mobile phone batteries
• Phone reporting can be skewed if staff opt to use their regular mobile phone calling app rather than softphone app
• May require the provision of mobile phones to staff

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What is Unified Communications?

Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is the best of both worlds, your hardware and software working together to provide an all-encompassing communications solutions. UCaaS has all of the benefits of desk phone and softphone systems, plus many more. Since you can leverage IP desk phone systems with an ethernet cable, softphones, IM apps, etc. as part of your package, you can custom-build your ideal phone system for your business.

Why are IM and video calling important? Beyond the on-the-job collaboration benefits, the ways that customers are communicating is changing. Over 70% of all smartphone owners in the United States use Facebook Messenger and other IM solutions to communicate. Combine that will shrinking SMS utilisation numbers, its becoming clear that customers love modern communication methods.

UCaaS gives you the ability to untether your workers from their desks and provide a reliable service for your remote workers. Although UCaaS is the most expensive of the three solutions, there are packaged options that are more cost-friendly. UCaaS has reported growth figures of over 20% since 2015 for a reason; it’s the best of both worlds.

UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS: BENEFITS AND POSSIBLE DOWNSIDES

Benefits

• The best features of hardware-based phone systems and software-based systems – together at last
• Flexibility and unparalleled collaboration
• Enables remote and office based employees
• Flexible and scalable
• Instant messaging and video conferencing for instant collaboration
• Clear reporting

Potential Downsides

• Costs can be higher than traditional systems. But, low upfront costs and easy monthly payments give you higher scale and easier cash flow tracking.

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Which phone system should you choose?

Depending on your business needs, one of these compatible solutions could enable your staff and office productivity while increasing customer satisfaction.

• Desk phone setups require physical hardware (i.e., the phones themselves) These offer a reliable and cost-effective phone system to workplaces that don’t have the need to provide on-the-go communications to remotely based staff.

• Softphone system setups rely on desktop apps to give your workers some of the same functionality as traditional phones without the need for additional hardware. Since it’s a digital solution, you can integrate these with your CRM, make video calls, and use Instant Messaging (IMs). However, you’re relying on mobile connectivity, battery life and might have to fork out to provide the mobile handsets  

• Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) integrate hardware and software phone systems with the added benefit of instant messaging, video conferencing and more. While you have the benefits provided by both IP desk phones and softphone systems, having the complete unified communications solution will also cost you more than either solution on their own.

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Setting Up Your Phone Service: Moving to the Cloud 

While most phone systems of the past were housed within onsite server rooms in the office, more and more businesses are moving to the cloud to take advantage of the advancements in technology.

While on-premise phone systems require internal IT proficiency to manage the system, as well as heavy investment in the hardware required to power the system, a cloud-based phone system offers a cost-effective and scalable solution that future-proofs your business.

Benefits of moving your phone system to the cloud

• Automated updates
• As-a-service offers predictable pricing
• Little to no initial setup cost
• Saves IT time and reduces the need for additional staff to maintain servers
•  Highly scalable (i.e., you can upgrade your services instantly without purchasing new equipment)
• Better data security
• Uptime guarantees
• Layers of support (e.g., phone tech support, chat, email, etc.)

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Don’t Be Overwhelmed

Choosing the right phone system is all about what works best for your business. For some businesses, a simple IP desk phone setup is the perfect solution, offering a reliable and budget-friendly communications solution. For those with more complex needs, UCaaS is the way forward. It’s fast, secure, reliable, and has all of the features your business  needs to communicate and engage with today’s customers.

Is your business ready to scale to cloud-based phone solution? Let’s talk.

The Cost of Switching to the NBN: How Business Downtime Can Add Up Fast

With its rollout well past the halfway point, your business has most likely heard of the NBN. This government-driven Internet project will redefine Internet service in Australia and provide critical infrastructure to companies across the country. 

Like any network changeovers, there will undoubtedly be some adjustment periods and downtime. Not only can Internet downtime cause tremendous pressure on business continuity, it will also jeopardise your brand reputation. 

So how do you prepare for the switch to the NBN, and what will it cost your business?

Free Guide: Everything about NBN & 5G

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What Is the NBN?

The Australian National Broadband Network (NBN) is a nationwide high-speed broadband network that’s being developed and built by the government-owned corporation NBN Co. to deliver Internet to all homes, offices, and government facilities in Australia. Originally started in April 2009, NBN is expected to complete rollout by 2020.

The switch to NBN is not an automatic process once service becomes available in your area. In fact, many businesses and consumers are being caught out by important considerations including which providers to go with, the type of infrastructure and an NBN plan suitable for your business.

Once NBN rollout is established in your area, all of the following will cease to work:

• Landline phone services that use Telstra (or any company using Telstra’s lines)
• ALL ADSL, ADSL2, and ADSL2+ Internet service from every provider
• BigPond Internet services
• Optus Internet and phone services

It can take up to a month before you’re connected to NBN, which is not an ideal position for any business to be stuck in.

The Real Business Costs of the NBN Switch

According to Gartner, the average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute. Large organisations admit that every hour of downtime costs them over $100,000. For smaller Australian businesses (those with less than 200 employees), downtime costs an average of $2,000 per hour. For most businesses that rely on the Internet, a total Internet blackout would disrupt every aspect of your business. Sales teams would have no one to contact, SaaS contracts would waste away, marketers won’t be able to access marketing and CRM platforms to drive profits, and no communication with your customers and vendors.

The maximum amount of time your Internet could be down during the switch to NBN is 8 weeks – that’s over 80,000 minutes! Let’s look at some of the ways that loss of internet access can have a detrimental effect on your brand.

• No customer support: Being disconnected from the phone or Internet virtually eliminates communication to your customers. This means an inability to answer customer questions, address customer issues, or deal with negative feedback. In other words, it’s a PR nightmare. 68% of customers will never return to a business after a single bad experience. Think about how many negative experiences will happen without the Internet or phone for a month.
• No more leads: No Internet or phone means no sales. Whether you’re chasing that new client, trying to convert that valuable lead, or simply trying to generate more leads with outbound strategies, you may be left in the dark for a few weeks during the switch. That’s a ton of lost potential revenue.
• Goodbye marketing: Not only do you lose access to all of those rich leads, but you also lose your ability to generate additional leads. Without the Internet, you won’t have access to the marketing stack, which means no digital ad campaigns will be live.
• Wasted SaaS: If you purchase licenses for SaaS, IT equipment or subscription-based applications, you’ll be losing money the entire time your Internet is down.
• Data integrity: Losing access to the Internet renders your data vulnerable to threat actors. Your digital safety solutions won’t be online — leaving your entire data network unprotected. Plus, your data may be a victim to loss, deletion, corruption, as well as become outdated during your downtime.
• Legal implications: Many businesses have Service Level Agreements (SLA) with other companies, or they may have partnerships that require a constant flow of data. During an outage, you may not be able to deliver on those promises. This can end with you in court battling a case.
• Reputation damage: Finally, the single most valuable component of your business could be jeopardised – your reputation. Walker predicts that branding will overtake both price and product as the key determiner for businesses by next year. Brand damage is by far the most expensive type of loss. Being unable to connect with, sell to, or enable customers during your outage will damage your brand, losiing customer trust and ultimately, their loyalty. 

NBN outages are more common than you think. According to The NBN Consumer Experience: Residential Research Snapshot, over 40% of SMEs experienced an outage during their switch to the NBN. And, over 15% of them experience no Internet for a month during the transition!

How Forum Can Help

Are you looking for help switching over to NBN? At Forum, we can help you establish the right framework for NBN migration and get you NBN-ready. There are plenty of reasons to contact Forum Group for help. Here are some:

1. Remote Accessibility
2. Flexibility in the Workplace through Cloud Services
3. IT Systems Hosted on a Private Cloud
4. Technical Support 24/7
5. Pay for Only What You Need
6. A Holistic Cloud Solution 
7. Easily Scale Up Cloud-Based Resources in Tandem With Growth
8. Swift and Efficient Set-up to Get You Started on the Cloud Right Away
9. Low-Cost Hardware Solution
10. Superior Data Security that eliminates downtime 
11. Flexibility of Choice 
12. Ongoing Support from our dedicated Account Managers

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If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your business be NBN ready, let’s talk.

Is 5G Safe?

Already live in a handful of areas across Australia, 5G is the next generation of high-speed mobile data. Optus and Telstra have already switched on 5G in some areas, and are currently on an expansion program to cover the whole country. It’s expected that Vodafone’s 5G network will go live in 2020.

The 5G network harnesses a new technology known as the millimeter wave (mmWave) for super-fast data speeds. Despite the benefits and convenience this technology promises (for both businesses and consumers), many are still sceptical of the health risks it may cause.  

Is 5G safe? This is a question that lingers in the minds of many, particularly those that spend a lot of time online via the wireless network. A big health concern people have is whether the network’s radio frequency (RF) radiation will cause the growth of cancerous tumours.

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4G Vs 5G

5G is the new network technology that follows the 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution).  While 4G LTE operates up to 6GHz, 5G is capable of handling anywhere between 30GHz and 300GHz – essentially, a leap in speed and making data transfer comparatively faster. 

Similar to the 4G network you might be connected to right now, concerns like the equipment you are using to connect, network congestion, and strength of the signal will also affect the 5G network.

You’ll definitely want to upgrade when you hear this: according to Optus, its 5G home wireless service has achieved an average download speed of 100Mbps and peak download speeds of 295Mbps.

Meanwhile, Telstra has achieved speeds of 1,200Mbps (1.2Gbps) at its offices in the city on a Galaxy 510 5G. However, this was the only device connected to the network at testing time. Meaning that when network congestion occurs during high demand period, the speed can be slightly lower.

Compared to 4G, these speeds are still relatively higher. In real-world, 4G attains download speed of between 20Mbps and 50Mbps. Currently, the NBN can only achieve a maximum download speed of 100Mbps.

Free Guide: Everything about NBN & 5G

What 5G Dangers Is The Internet Claiming?

Many Australians are currently worried about the 5G network’s ‘cost’ on public health, but is there really cause for concern? 

The fear for 5G followed a Change.org petition that called for the postponement of the 5G network rollout. It called on the Senate to launch an inquiry to review the safety of 5G frequency in phones.

5G network relies on RF to transmit and receive data. RF radiation is a form of electromagnetic energy consisting of waves of both magnetic and electrical energy moving through space.

Mobile phone radiation is at the lowest end of the electromagnetic spectrum, meaning they are safer than high-energy radiations such as gamma rays and X-rays.

RF radiation has lower energy. The energy it has is only enough to vibrate or move atoms in a molecule, but cannot ionise it. But really, what does that actually mean?

RF radiation cannot damage DNA and hence it cannot cause cancer.

Sounds encouraging.

With So Much Flying Around In The Air, What About Other Wireless Networks?

In a study conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), lab rats were exposed to high 2G RF radiation and 3G RF radiation, and was later found to have developed cancerous tumours. Although the results are alarming, the level of radiation during the study was much higher than the normal exposure level during phone usage.

In the last two decades, scientists have conducted a large number of studies to establish whether there’s any health risk associated with mobile phone use. Many of these studies have tried to find a link between mobile phone use and the cancers of the brain and head including acoustic neuroma, glioma, and meningioma.

All the studies we’ve found so far have not shown any clear evidence of a relationship between cancer and mobile phone use. That’s a relief, right?

To put your worries completely to rest, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted that the current RF radiations from mobile phones are within acceptable safety limits. The NTP and the ARPANSA have also not classified RF radiation as carcinogenic.

All this means is there’s nothing to suggest 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G RF radiations are a significant health risk. Phones are safe to use and you should be thinking of switching to 5G soon!

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Forum Will Help You Switch

Running your business seamlessly relies heavily on ensuring your communications tools and connectivity are quick and reliable. If you’d like to know more about getting your staff connected and working like a fully implemented 5G network – let’s connect!

The Latest 5G Compatible Phones for Australian Users

The next generation of connectivity via mobile data has already begun spreading across Australia. While 5G is not currently available in all areas of the country, those looking to upgrade their phone can future-proof themselves by opting for a 5G compatible device.Well, 5G connectivity is no longer the new thing currently, but most parts of the country still have not been graced by the presence. This exhaustive piece offers all you need to know about the available compatible phones, those to be availed soon, and the state of 5G coverage in the country.

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Latest 5G Phones Available in Australia

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

It was the first 5G-enabled device to be launched in Australia. The device is not just among the latest 5G mobile has to offer, but is also one of the most reliable phones in general. It is ideal for an early adopter who does not mind parting with their dollars for the privilege.

The certified 6.7 inches Infinity-O display is great for gaming and videos, and the on-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is equally effective.  The phone comes in different futuristic colours, and the front and back sides are made of highly polished and durable Gorilla Glass 6. With a range of connectivity options, Face Unlock feature, 256GB storage, and other attractive features, this is one of the Android 9 devices that you should go for.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G

Samsung has followed up its Galaxy S10 5G with a second 5G compatible device, the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G. If you thought the S10+ was a little rich for your taste, the Note 10+ takes it to another level.

Samsung’s newest phablet (phone / tablet hybrid) is a powerhouse of a phone. With all the features of the Galaxy S10, plus a bigger screen at 6.8 inch display, and a much-needed stylus to make the best use of the extra screen real estate. The Galaxy Note 10+ is Samsung’s biggest and most powerful phone to date, packing an octa-core processor, 12GB of RAM and a 4,300mAh battery into a phone that is only 7.9mm thick.

For those looking for a 5G phone with a tonne of power, this is definitely one to grab.

OPPO Reno 5G

Looking at this device, the first thing that would click in your mind would not be the 5G connectivity, 10x zoom, or the pop-up camera; but how heavy the phone feels. This is not about the heftiness of the OLED display of 6.6-inches or its 215g weight, but just how the latest instalments match the manufacturers’ transformation from being a value-driven upstart to a key player in the Australian market.

The device is groundbreaking compared to many of its flagship competitors. It is relatively costly but a worthy investment considering its features. The phone also has concealed fingerprint unlock with a lightning speed increased by 28.5 percent. Furthermore, it has amazing battery life and flexible cameras.

LG V50 ThinQ

Also among the first 5G mobile devices in Australia, this device can be purchased exclusively via Telstra at $1728. If you find one screen to be limiting, how about two of them?

What sets the smartphone apart is its Dual Screen accessory that adds another 6.4-inch screen for multitasking.

The device also comes with a 6.4-inch OLED display, 4000mAh battery, internal storage of 128GB, and 6GB of RAM.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G

Similar to most phones in this list, the new release shares incredible similarities with its already-released counterpart Mi Mix 3. Particularly, both of them share a similar slider design. However, the 5G enabled variety uses a different modem and processor. It also preferred due to its larger battery capacity, which is a plus! What gives the device an edge is the fact that it is the country’s cheapest 5G smartphone going for $1,399.

Among prominent features of this device include the magnetic slider and a 3800mAh battery. It has two front cameras of 2MP and 24 MP respectively, as well as pair of 12MP rear cameras. If interested in this incredible product from the Chinese smartphone manufacturer, then you will have to grab a Telstra SIM-only plan.

Free Guide: Everything about NBN & 5G

Other 5G Phones to Hit the Market Soon

All the devices listed above are currently available for purchase in Australia. But besides them, here are more smartphones with a 5G potential scheduled to be availed in stores between 2019 and 2020:

• Moto Z3
• Alcatel 5G smartphones
• Samsung Galaxy Fold
• OnePlus 7 Pro 5G
• Huawei Mate 20 X 5G

Any Plans for a 5G iPhone?

Apple has not announced any plans for launching a 5G enabled iPhone yet. However, there is absolutely no doubt the manufacturer will upgrade to the next-gen connectivity eventually. At the moment, industry insiders speculate that 2020 is the year-most probably during the year’s second half since the manufacturer is accustomed to releasing new brands every September.

According to analyst Kuo, the phone will come in two models: 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch varieties. Both will have 5G, but they will also offer a cheaper 6.1-inch model will use LTE. 

Know Whether Your Phone is 5G Compatible

Unless your phone is included on the list above, the phone you own at the moment is not compatible with the 5G phone network. With 5G compatibility only just beginning to be included in smartphones, manufacturers are certainly charging for the privilege. As the technology becomes more widespread, we should see competition in the market and efficiencies in production lower the cost of 5G compatible phones.

State of 5G Coverage in Australia

Currently, Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone have begun work on their Australian 5G networks.

Telstra and Optus have the upper hand when it comes to 5G plans. Both companies have already begun offering the fast connectivity. Right now, in fact, you cannot sign up for a new plan without enjoying some form of this next-gen internet connectivity.

Both Telstra and Optus are currently offering a range of plans from as little as 4GB of data to 200GB of data. Both providers are still building their 5G infrastructure and as of now, coverage is very limited. Since it is in the trial period, Telstra’s 5G coverage continues to grow. At the moment, only ten regions and cities have this future-ready network coverage in place. This includes:

• Perth
• Launceston
• Hobart
• Toowoomba
• Gold Coast
• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Brisbane
• Canberra
• Adelaide

Notably, the cities have some degree of coverage, but this does not account for the whole region. Telstra’s dedicated page offers an updated map of the areas with 5G coverage.

Optus is rollout of its 5G network is available in more cities than Telstra, but more sparsely available in those locations. This should increase quickly, as Optus aim to have 1,00 5G sites ready by March 2020. Current availability includes:

• Canberra
• Brisbane
• Adelaide
• Perth
• Fremantle
• Sydney
• Newcastle and the Central Coast
• Hawkesbury River
• Melbourne
• Geelong
• Mornington Peninsula
• And more

In addition to Optus’ 5G mobile network, Optus has also begun rolling out a 5G home broadband network, with an unlimited data plan on a 50Mbps connection available in limited areas. You can check if you’re located in the right location here.

As for Vodafone, they’ve been a little more hush hush when it comes to their 5G rollout, with an expected availability in 2020. We’re sure to hear more from Vodafone as they play catch-up with Telstra and Optus in the coming months.

It sounds crazy that for less than 30 years, we have evolved from the humble SMSs to streaming anything you would like to watch. With mobile data speed kicking up a notch with Telstra’s and Optus’ 5G networks, more 5G-capable devices will continue to enter the Australian market.

Still, if you intend to acquire any of these revolutionary devices specifically for the fast speeds, you must ascertain whether your current location has 5G connectivity. But it might still be the best move to wait for this network to be made available broadly.

So unless you require a new device right away, you are better off waiting for some time – at least until the network becomes more widely adopted and the devices fall in price. At the moment, you can do as many things with your 4G device as those of the latest connectivity, and save some money on the new device.

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Running your business seamlessly relies heavily on ensuring your communication tools and connectivity are quick and reliable. If you’d like to know more about getting your staff connected and working like a fully implemented 5G network – let’s connect!

Don’t Risk Disconnection – Move to NBN Now!

With the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Australia, your existing phone system may no longer be compatible with the Internet infrastructure.

Once your area is ready for the service, you will only have up to 18 months to switch to an NBN compatible phone system. So it’s imperative to switch well before the cut off date, or you’ll risk being disconnected.

Read on to find out more about the NBN network and what you need to do to stay connected.

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Are Your Devices Compatible with the NBN?

NBN involves the use of new technologies. This means the phone services you use now may be incompatible with the new infrastructure. In that case, the transition will affect your business if you don’t migrate to NBN.

Unfortunately, connecting to the NBN is not automatic, so it is up to you to find out whether your device is NBN compatible.

This is where Forum Group can help. We will check all your devices for compatibility and help you migrate to the NBN service network. We will also advise you on the most suitable solution ideal for your business needs.

Free Guide: Everything about NBN & 5G

Check if your special equipment is compatible to the NBN

While migrating common devices such as phones, laptops and computers is straight-foward, if you have special equipment that operates on a landline phone connection, you will need to check with both your service and device providers whether they will still be compatible with the NBN network. Contact your device providers to check if you need upgrading. 

At Forum Group, we will help guide you through this checklist to prepare you for the NBN connection. Once you have signed up to a plan that suits your business needs, we will work with NBN Co to arrange a technician to install your new service.

The devices you need to check:

• EFTPOS or health claim terminals
• Existing landline phone services
• Fax and teletypewriter devices
• Auto-dealers, medical alarms, or emergency call buttons
• Lift emergency phones
• Monitored fire alarms
• Business security monitoring systems

Reach out to the service provider of any special equipment to find out if your devices are compatible with the NBN. Following this, you will work with your service provider to migrate to the NBN. 

If you are not the owner of the premises where you do business, you can inform the landlord that the building needs registration. And if you are leasing a business premise, you need to seek your landlord’s permission before installing the NBN equipment.

What Disconnection Would Mean to your Business

Many Internet and landline services offered via cable or Telstra’s copper broadband networks will stop working. However, the NBN rollout will not affect the services provided over the satellite, wireless, mobile, or fixed-line networks.

An unplanned disconnection may have serious ramifications for your business including:

• Lost revenue
• Loss of service to your customers
• Damaged business reputation
• Lost employee efficiency

Note that the moment your area is ready for service, NBN will give you only 18 months to move to their network.

Once you place your order, your existing services will still be available for up to 6 months as you wait for the NBN service.

Why Choose Forum Group?

At Forum Group, we offer a wide range of IT solutions, and we will help you migrate from your current system to the NBN system without a hitch.

With our secure private cloud solutions, we will ensure your data is secure by storing it in Government graded (Tier 3) data centres based in Australia and with back-ups in place.

All our hosting and support are in Australia. When the system is down, we will be able to pinpoint where the problem is and act fast.

 Other benefits you will enjoy from Forum include:

1. Cost savings: With a traditional phone service, you often pay for local, long-distance and international calls. With SIP, the new communications technology compatible with NBN, pricing is cheaper and costs can be anticipated more accurately.
2. Immediate ROI: SIP technology requires minimal upfront capital investment.
3. Network consolidation: SIP lets you combine your voice and data into a single network, saving costs.
4. No expensive hardware or infrastructure: Traditional phone services may need new phone lines, mobile devices for remote employees and other telecommunications’ equipment.
5. Mobility: With SIP, you can use a proxy (localised) phone number. Our phone system solution offers flexibility, giving you the option to transfer your existing phone numbers should you move office. Not only does this save time and cost, our solution can consolidate your business locations and remote workers into a single network.
6. Unified communications: SIP acts as a gateway for IP-based communications (data sent over the Internet). Benefits include collaboration apps, instant messaging, mobility, and other versatile, cloud-based applications for business productivity.
7. Reliability: As there is no physical infrastructure, SIP isn’t vulnerable to outages.
8. Easy management: SIP, with VoIP phones (digitally enabled telephone lines), let you manage your own network, including call routing, changing extensions or adding phone lines.
9. Advanced features: These include easy setup of call unattended, integration with your CRM, and voicemail to email.
10. Top technology: Forum Group uses Mitel or Yealink – both excellent brands. These come in the Express, Executive and Enterprise ranges designed to suit the size of your business.

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An unplanned disconnection due to the NBN will cost your business, so we strongly recommend you to get a head start on migrating your phone system. We make the switch easy, and your transition will be smooth and seamless. If you’d like to learn more about how Forum can help your business be NBN ready, let’s talk.

Technology Marches On: Make Sure Your PBX Follows

Everyday, technology advances. Unfortunately, not everything marches with it. More and more businesses are still stuck on outdated PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, phone systems. But searching for the right phone system to support your growing business needs can be challenging.

Like any other technology, phone systems are constantly being improved and becoming smarter. With so many new features, it’s difficult to keep up to date on what’s available and how to make use of them. We’ve put together a guide with the latest features your business needs to boost office productivity while standing apart from your competition.

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Looking Out for Features: Basics to Keep in Mind

Regardless of the size of your business, ensure your search for a PBX has these basic features available:

Automated Attendant: Don’t miss out on business with a cheerful voice to greet your customers and alert them that you’ll be with them shortly.

Voicemail To Email: Never wait to check your voicemail in the office again, when you can just receive them as e-mails in file friendly audio format (WAV).

Mobile Twinning and Hot Desking: Link your office phone to a cell phone and receive calls anywhere without being tethered to your desk. Gain the freedom to move about as you please, without risking missing a call.

Call Parking and Holding: Have calls held on one phone and received on another. Never again have to worry about receiving a call at an inconvenient location and getting stuck there for the duration.

When choosing the features you need for your phone system, you should also consider hosted PBX or cloud PBX. While both solutions operate off-premise and connect through the Internet, hosted PBX is pay per seat – easy to scale up or down according to your business requirements.

Get access to our free eBook on Cloud Computing

Forum Group’s LivePBX: The Advanced Solution

Introducing Forum Group’s LivePBX, a hosted phone solution that delivers on all of the basic features plus a dozen of the latest, technologically-inclined capabilities. 

Imagine, for a moment, that you’re out of the office for the day and you’ve just missed a very important call on your desk phone. If you don’t have a way to follow up immediately, then you’re almost guaranteed to lose that lead and any business that it might have brought with it.

But with the LivePBX system, received voicemails can be automatically sent to your email or phone. You can even set your call to simultaneously ring on your desk and mobile, or set an auto-forwarding rule to patch the call straight through to your mobile, no matter where you are.

Below, you’ll find just some of the features that makes LivePBX stand out from any other system.

• Call Centre Platform: For those clients that need a more powerful tool for advanced real time requirements in managing their call handling platforms. This service includes display boards and monitoring campaigns, and is better suited for clients requiring real time analysis and monitoring, along with reporting and management.
• Service Level Agreements: The LivePBX – Base Platform – Express (2 Core/4GB RAM/50GB HDD) is hosted in our secure government-based tier 3 Data Centre, continually monitored within our advanced LiveOffice environment. Our onshore support team is available to assist with issues between 7AM and 7PM on weekdays. Alternatively, any issues encountered outside of these hours can be logged 24/7.
• Call Reporting: A simple but powerful tool for business owners struggling with call handling. A Graphic User Interface is used to show missed or abandoned calls, and call handling times for office/app using staff.
• Hosted or Cloud Unified Communications: eliminates disjointed, multi-vendor communications. Have all of your communications integrated into a single platform. 
• CRM Integration: deliver a personalised customer experience by having customer information at your fingertips. Streamline call logging and reduce time spent on manual data entry.
• Locally Hosted: With everything hosted and supported locally within Australia, help will be there when you need it. We have a 24/7 support line open for any problems that require immediate solutions.
• Tailored Solutions: Any sort of problem or issue can be tackled by one of Forum’s solutions experts. If it’s not covered here, we can tailor a solution specifically for  your business.
• Scalability: Whether it’s adding multiple sites to your Hosted platform, adding handsets for a home office, soft phones for your field staff, or scaling from 2 users to 1,000 and beyond, you won’t find anything lacking in our scaling capabilities.
• Versatility: Our solutions integrate seamlessly with a wide range of soft phones, fixed IP phones, and even wireless devices such as Wi-Fi or DECT (cordless handsets).
• Convenience: Moving your office to a new location can often be an inconvenient and costly exercise, especially if you want to retain your phone numbers. Forum offers the flexibility of retaining your existing business number for far less than our competitors: only $10, with no overcharging.
• LivePBX SoftPhone: Softphones (software that allows you to use your smartphone, tablet, or computer as a phone to place, receive, and transfer calls over the internet) offer unprecedented amounts of flexibility and mobility to your sales and staff. It’s a highly sought after feature for any company that involves large amounts of external staff, while still allowing you to present an advertised singular office number.

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If you’d like to learn more about our phone solutions, simply fill in our contact form and one of our experts will get in contact with you.

12 Reasons to Partner with Forum

The NBN and the cloud are two critical factors impacting business success and competitiveness in the ongoing digital revolution in Australia. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from the new infrastructure by embracing NBN-compatible phone systems as well as deploying their enterprise applications in the cloud.

As a cloud solutions company, we offer a range of business Internet options including the NBN, as well as PBX phone systems and data integration services. So, you can count on our holistic package for a seamless transition to the cloud and the NBN, whether you need VoIP, cloud computing, data, or a phone line installation.

We offer you a private cloud to host your VoIP communication systems (voice, data or video sent over the Internet), applications and data, and phone lines here in Australia. Plus, a dedicated account manager will stay in touch to review your account regularly and address your growing business requirements.

Do you need a new phone line connection or system compatible with the NBN? Are you looking to move your core business applications, such as printing and payment processing, to the cloud?

Here’s how we can help transform your business:

1. We Offer Remote Accessibility

We can migrate your business applications to our private cloud servers, giving your staff remote access to enterprise software and data, 24/7. Your employees can work from home, the office, their local coffee shop or even while travelling – a great way to enhance productivity.

2. Our Cloud Service Enhances Flexibility in the Workplace

Our NBN-compatible cloud service delivers workplace flexibility. Depending on your data security policies, your staff may access company systems and data via desktop computers as well as personal devices, such as smartphones – allowing your staff to work on any device at any time.

3. We Host Your IT Systems on a Private Cloud

We provide cloud infrastructure dedicated to only your organisation. With a private platform, we can cost-effectively customise features based on your technical and business requirements.

This gives us the flexibility to address your data privacy, security, and compliance needs in which its public cloud counterparts cannot guarantee.

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4. Access to Technical Support 24/7

Our call centres are located in Australia, which means you get access to unlimited support from local experts, 24/7. No more waiting on hold for unhelpful overseas call centre support. 

5. You Pay for Only What You Need

With the flexibility to deploy your business apps on a made-to-order cloud infrastructure, you pay for only what you need. This means you won’t bear the cost of cloud-based IT resources you don’t intend to use. Forum’s cloud offering is billed on a per-seat subscription, eliminating the need for upfront costs and allowing your business to scale effectively.

6. We Offer a Holistic Cloud Solution

We deliver a holistic cloud service so you can access all your computing resources “under one roof.” We bring everything together, from printing functions, VoIP communication, and data entry to reporting, invoicing, payment processing, and order delivery. By integrating all these different systems, we help to enhance workplace collaborations.

7. Easily Scale Up Cloud-Based Resources in Tandem with Growth

Our cloud service is scalable to meet your changing business requirements – you pay for the latest technology for a monthly per user fee. When you need to add users, we’ll scale the IT and business communication resources available to you accordingly.

8. We’ll Get You Started on the Cloud Right Away

The Australian government is more than halfway through the NBN rollout. We’re here to help if you wish to act swiftly and get an NBN-compatible phone line installation. If you need to move your apps and data to the cloud right away, we’ll make it happen super fast too.

9. We Offer a Low-Cost Hardware Solution

With the power of our cloud solution, you don’t need top of the line desktop computers and laptops. Instead, you can invest in more budget friendly hardware while relying on the cloud’s processing power to do the heavy lifting. 

In addition to our cloud solutions, Forum also offers IT hardware procurement and Desktop as a Service (DaaS). We can tailor our cloud solution so that all of your devices talk to each other.

10. We Address Cloud Data Security and Eliminate Downtime

We use government-grade security to protect your apps and data in the cloud. The entire cloud infrastructure meets Australian compliance and server security laws.

We also provide redundancies for our Australia-based data centres and servers to keep your business data and software accessible 24/7. Our data recovery provisions, fail-safe measures, and backups prevent the permanent loss of your customer/enterprise data.

11. Flexibility of Choice

Our cloud solutions are available in a number of tiers/options, allowing you to choose a solution that’s right for your business and in line with your budget.

12. Ongoing Support

A dedicated account manager will continue to work with you closely. We’ll regularly review our service to you against your changing business requirements. Forum also runs a biannual customer feedback program designed to gather meaningful insights from our customers and make our service to you the best it can be. We want to ensure that everything works out for you over the long term.

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The objective of the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout is to transform Australia’s business phone and internet communication systems. As such, Forum Group can help with a seamless transition to the NBN.  Whether you need a PBX phone line installation or cloud services integration, we’re an expert you can trust.

If you’d like to learn more about how the Forum Group can help your business, simply fill in our contact form and our team will be in touch with you!