Business phone question

[Patrick425]

Not sure if there is anyone out there that has some expertise in this area, but I thought I would give it a try...

 

So, our company currently has an ancient analog phone system. We are looking into getting a Voip system and our outside IT provider is assisting us with this. However, our main concern with VOIP is losing phone service whenever our internet goes down. To avoid this, our IT people are suggesting a redundant internet line. We currently have internet through TWC. Our IT guys a quote from a Ethernet/Fiber dedicated line company. They stated it would defeat the purpose to get another cable redundant line (from comcast or someone) because they would both be on the same backbone and would probably both fail at the same time. At the speed they are suggesting, this redundant line quote they got would cost more than 3 times what we are currently paying (so we would be paying 4 times as much per month - 1 for the original internet and 3 for the redundant internet).

 

Does anyone with any experience with this have any input? Our IT guys stated that the dedicated line will cost a lot more because it's "dedicated" and not shared like cable. When they say you are getting 10Mbps you are getting 10 Mbps. We currently have 35up and 5down (or vice-versa?) and they are saying that's the top speed, not the "all-the-time" speed.

[1992casey]

35up and 5down (or vice-versa?)

 

I can't comment at all on the phone, but it's definitely vice versa.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I don't understand any of the ups and down terminology. I can attest to as a UPS driver is that the TWC phone/internet issues always happens to the same customers in the same clusters. If one business has an issue usually the whole street has the same issue, and its usually the same businesses time after time. I've delivered in Milwaukee, West Bend, Grafton, Cedarburg, Jackson, Slinger, Germantown, and Mequon/Thiensville.

[TooLiveBrew]

A dedicated internet line, if you can afford it, is always ideal imo. I think your IT guys are on the right track. Yes the cost can be high; however we use VOIP & in the year+ I've been with my company (a technology firm), the phones have never been down. I don't know if we ourselves have a dedicated internet pipe, but I know it's what we'd likely recommend to a customer in your scenario. In addition, the sound/voice quality we have is really, really good.

 

Basically, if you trust your IT department, & they're making the recommendation, go with it. IT can be expensive, but if it is there's often a very good reason.

[KCBrewerfan34]

I work for Time Warner in Milwaukee, if any local business needs some assistance I will be glad to help (and sell them)

 

contact me at Michael.thoma@twcable.com