| If you are a small business and only doing business in | | | | such as the services they will provide. The provider |
| your city and state, you are doomed. Small business is | | | | you choose should have good technical assistance |
| still a big contributor to the nation's economy, | | | | whenever you need it, so if you need to add an extra |
| generating 50 percent of the private, non-farm gross | | | | line, or have calls routed to a mobile phone or have |
| domestic product. But businesses that only do business | | | | any other questions, you can speak with a |
| in the US have declined every decade since the 1950s. | | | | representative right away. |
| What may surprise you is that small businesses make | | | | One thing that a small business will definitely want to |
| up 97 percent of exporters and produce 29 percent | | | | consider when looking for a company is a good |
| of all export value. | | | | reputation. I suggest, at a minimum, a company that |
| So while it is true that small business is still the main | | | | has been in operation for more than ten years and |
| engine for the American economy, those who are not | | | | have ties to many different carriers, both domestically |
| doing business overseas are slowly dying off. | | | | and abroad. Newer VOIP companies with few carriers |
| Now you may think that expanding your business | | | | can hardly offer wholesale VOIP services for a |
| overseas is too daunting. However, opening an | | | | fraction of the normal cost. |
| overseas branch or selling a product halfway around | | | | The other major question to consider is: can the |
| the world is now much easier with the Internet. | | | | company handle thousands of calls at once, because if |
| Certainly a few years ago telephone bills for | | | | not, you will find your calls being dropped or the |
| international calls would have consumed a good portion | | | | conversations so filled with static and noise as to be |
| of profits or made the whole enterprise just too | | | | impossible to follow. |
| expensive to operate. | | | | Check out their website, see if they have a fast and |
| In 1995 a typical 5 minute call to China would have cost | | | | efficient system of communication set up which will |
| more than five dollars. Step in international VOIP. That | | | | help you keep your business moving along as |
| same 5 minute call today can cost as low as 5 cents. | | | | smoothly as possible. |
| VOIP has entered the mainstream and there are now | | | | Now just connecting the call is only part of the |
| thousands of VOIP providers. Choosing the right one is | | | | equation. As I mentioned, the VOIP provider should |
| critical. You want fair decent rates and you want to | | | | have a broad range of services. For example, fraud |
| avoid hidden fees and charges (that is, you don't want | | | | prevention, billing options such as paying by credit card |
| to be cheated). Aside from low rates, there are also | | | | or PayPal account, pinless calling, online call detail |
| many other things you will need to consider as well, | | | | management, etc. |