10 things to look out for in a cloud PBX provider

Since the unbanning of VoIP in 2004 (viva la revolución!), it has grown from geeky pursuit to mainstream sensation; dodgy calls to carrier-class service. Recently, cheap, copious bandwidth further boosted VoIP, including cloud PBX offerings.

But not all VoIP providers are equal, and sometimes the telecommunications link to the local ADSL exchange requires an experienced hand to overcome issues. So what should a VoIP provider be and do for you to be assured of a great voice service?

1. A managed service

Early adopters of VoIP (early 2000s), typically ICT companies, were savvy enough to connect to a hosted IP platform and run their VoIP themselves. But with the mainstream acceptance of cloud PBX services, today’s providers have to provide a fully-managed service.

Ask whether your provider will handle installation and management of the entire service — from customer premises equipment (your router) through to the hosted PBX solution. This will include a site analysis, prolonged soak test, procurement of dedicated IP Connect capacity from the local exchange, upgrading of the access line to Diginet or a wireless link if necessary, quality-of-service monitoring and redundancy (back-up) strategies.

2. Security

IP lines are quite accessible due to their openness, but to avoid your SIP accounts being used for someone else’s high-value phone calls, defences can be erected on the customer’s as well as the provider’s side.

On the customer’s side these may include securely-generated passwords, tools that monitor and block repeated password attempts, and strong access policies. On the provider’s side, tools should be in place to monitor unusual call patterns, call destinations, number of live calls, account balances and so forth, with alarms prompting investigation when irregularities occur. VPN tunnels used in an enterprise-class service further shield calls from eavesdropping and line-jacking.

3. Service continuity

Good VoIP providers arrange for back-up infrastructure in the case of system failure or disaster — both on site and in the off-site hosted environment.

One way of delivering on-site back-up is to replicate the setup of the hosted PBX on site, on a local “gateway” appliance. Should the line to your provider fail, this device has all extensions, hunt groups, pick-up groups etc pre-programmed on it, as well as local PSTN port (analogue telephony lines out), allowing your service to continue.

On the provider’s side, a “mirror” PBX configuration must exist in a separate data centre, with continual updates and regular back-ups from primary to secondary servers.

Certain quality-of-service applications provide line redundancy.

4. Service level agreements

Sound SLAs are mapped to severity levels. Severity level 1 may mean total site outage, requiring immediate investigation to meet mean-time-to-resolution obligations, whereas level 3 severity may involve something as simple as user error and invoke a lesser response (first-line support).

Are you satisfied with the SLA undertakings from your provider? Is the cost prohibitive or are reasonable break-fixes included in the service?

5. Are they legit or not?

If the provider’s website does not disclose its ECS/ECNS licence number in its obligatory disclosure or terms and conditions, ask for it.

6. Level of connectivity

Tier 1 providers have their own IP networks as well as direct “interconnect” agreements with the fixed and mobile telco networks and other VoIP networks, providing the cheapest and most direct route to the termination point of calls as well as quality assurance. Tier 2 providers connect to the internet and other providers via Tier 1 providers.

Both these instances are acceptable “levels of connectivity”, but anything lower and your provider will go through too many links to reach a terminating provider (serving the called party). Too many hops may detract from quality and bulk up cost.

7. What are their rates?

Do they work on a fixed and transparent margin above the interconnect rate (the charge levied by a provider to terminate a call)? Hence, if the interconnect rate drops, will the cost of calls drop accordingly? Do they charge per minute or per second?

8. Training

Something as simple as transferring a call could lead to great frustration and intense support activities, unless there is a solid hour or two of practiced training and an acceptance test signoff.

9. Number porting

Can your provider port your number to their system? Is it a dealbreaker if they cannot?

10. Reference sites

Some providers serve SMEs, others play in the midrange field, and yet others have an enterprise speciality. What are you, and what demonstrable success does your provider have in that arena?

Profile of a VoIP provider

Selecting the perfect VoIP partner comes down to a few simple issues. Do they have the capacity and inclination to walk you through initial stages, and will they assume ongoing caretaking of the system? Have they got your back with regard to hacking and back-up plans? Are they a serious player? Do they have your interests at heart?

If so, it’s a match.