The business phone system landscape is much more diverse than it has ever been, as enterprises now have a choice as to which solution to deploy. In the past, the traditional land line service was the only offering available. Today, thanks to the emergence of cloud computing, corporate decision-makers have numerous options, allowing them to pick the technology that is right for their particular organizations.

The hosted PBX solution is quickly becoming the go-to for enterprise communications because of its inherent characteristics, including increased flexibility and agility. Unlike conventional phone services with a fixed capacity limit, cloud-based offerings are managed off-site, providing businesses with the opportunity to expand or contract bandwidth requirements depending on traffic levels. This is becoming important for the contact center that needs to deal with fluctuating activity.

Cloud-based phone systems are also agnostic, meaning they support connectivity to a number of platforms. This is critical in today's highly mobile business environment, as failing to provide employees – and customers – the ability to access the corporate network will only result in inefficient operations and unsatisfied customers.

Despite these advantages, executives are often still skeptical of the cloud due to past perceptions the business world as a whole held toward the hosted services. In most cases, these apprehensions are really just myths. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean they will be given up easily.

Overcoming cloud myths

A recent report by a major VoIP provider highlighted that a large number of companies do not replace old phone systems because their existing PBX solutions are still functioning – at least on a basic level. In many cases, decision-makers believe holding onto a legacy PBX is more cost effective, as it is not entirely necessary to make an upgrade. The "don't fix what isn't broken" mantra rings true in most companies.

Truth be told, accepting this idea for reality can be dangerous to the overall survival of an organization. While legacy phone solutions may still be functional, they are not nearly as efficient as cloud-based services. Comparably, two competing enterprises – one with a hosted PBX and the other with an old-school model – is like a race between a horse and buggy and a race car. While the traditional vehicle still gets operations from point A to point B, it does so much slower and at a more costly rate than newer strategies.

Managing an old communications platform can also be expensive. In addition to having to pay unnecessary carrier fees and maintenance expenses, employees will not have access to critical phone system features they need to get the job done, the report stated.

"We just replaced our aging on-site PBX with VoIP business phone service. A month after getting the new system, my only regret is that we didn't make the switch to VoIP sooner," he said. "We can now manage our entire phone system with a couple of clicks. The phones are amazing and, best of all, we are paying one-third the cost of our previous setup and we have more features," said Christopher Adams, Former CTO of MyoVision.

In addition to misconceptions regarding cost, decision-makers sometimes believe upgrading a phone system to the cloud is not necessary in today's highly mobile business world, the report stated. This, unfortunately, couldn't be further from the truth.

The significance of mobility

Mobility is undoubtedly an important part of the enterprise infrastructure, especially as bring your own device (BYOD) and other consumerization strategies continue to make headway. However, smartphones and tablets cannot do everything, as most organizations need to have some sort of centralized platform that supports a broad range of communication services - including mobility if decision-makers are into that.

A separate Infonetics Research report highlighted how a large percentage of the business world has implemented a cloud VoIP and unified communications system to act as the glue that keeps a variety of applications tied together, allowing them to be accessed via mobile devices. In fact, the ability to improve mobility was among the top reasons organizations deploy a centralized collaborative platform.

"Our unified communications survey reveals a really important shift taking place as enterprises increasingly use mobile devices to access UC applications. Survey respondents indicate that smartphones and tablets will be the two most widely used devices for UC in 2013, passing traditional computers and desk phones," said Diane Myers, principal analyst for VoIP at Infonetics Research.

In the coming years, enterprise decision-makers need to overcome the misconceptions surrounding hosted PBX solutions, as the technology most likely provides many more advantages to businesses than legacy solutions. By understanding how employees currently plan to carry out mission-critical tasks and how the cloud can meet those objectives, executives can work with a trusted advisor and implement the cloud services they need to stay competitive and keep operations running.

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Enterprises around the world are leveraging hosted PBX solutions, external storage and other cloud technologies in an effort to improve operations, reduce costs and embrace a more agile approach to adapting to future IT services. In many cases, executives implement a variety of cloud services as a way to effectively ensure their infrastructure will be able to withstand ongoing transformations in the computing, communications and general IT landscapes.

The cloud is commonly referred to as "the great equalizer," as the hosted services can be leveraged by companies of all sizes and industries. As a result, the business world has leveled out a bit and has become more competitive, forcing organizations to innovate or risk falling behind. Because the cloud is relatively new, however, executives cannot simply close their eyes and pick a cloud solution to use. Instead, decision-makers need to map out an effective cloud strategy to mitigate short- and long-term complications.

A recent report by the non-profit group ISACA highlighted the importance of establishing a well-rounded cloud governance strategy, as managers who fail to ensure their companies use a cloud VoIP or other offering efficiently will experience major challenges. In many cases, this means changing the perceptions firms may have toward the cloud.

"Board members need a clear understanding of cloud computing benefits and how to maximize them through effective governance practices," said Marc Vael, an ISACA board member. "This requires the board to see cloud computing not as an IT project, but rather as a business strategy."

What goes into cloud governance?

While there are a number of considerations that must go into developing a well-rounded cloud governance strategy, the first thing that executives need to plan is how the technology will augment existing business phone systems and other outdated technologies. In other words, organizations need to be sure they weigh the opportunity cost of the cloud alongside the potential benefits associated with using the hosted services, ISACA stated.

At the same time, executives must ensure their use of cloud services aligns with their enterprises' long-term objectives, according to the news source. This means that firms planning to embrace mobility and support a remote workforce should consider migrating to the cloud, as the hosted services can provide numerous benefits in addition to supporting these endeavors.

ISACA noted that decision-makers must also consider which existing assets might be lost in a the transition to the cloud. When implementing cloud communications, for example, organizations will be forced to replace old phone systems with more innovative, software-based solutions. While hosted voice offerings will still require some hardware, businesses won't need as much and must consider how the transformation will impact operations.

Finally, executives should also be prepared for the new risks they face when implementing the cloud, ISACA reported. Because the cloud environment is relatively new and unfamiliar to many IT departments, enterprises need to be proactive to ensure their use of the hosted solutions does not jeopardize the confidentiality of mission-critical resources or negatively impact sales effectiveness.

Cloud communications is the future

Although there are a number of services migrating to the cloud, communications is quickly turning into one of the most appreciated, as cloud PBX solutions are much more open than conventional phone systems. Business 2 Community recently highlighted the benefits of leveraging a hosted PBX system, noting that individuals can access the network from virtually anywhere on any device, which is becoming extremely important as teleworking and bring-your-own-device strategies gain momentum in the workplace.

Cloud services are also able to adopt more innovative phone system features than their land line predecessors, Business 2 Community noted. This means that employees can access voice messaging, fax to email and other tools that are quickly becoming important for organizations to carry out mission-critical tasks. Additionally, these services are much less expensive than they were in the past, which is especially important in today's competitive business world and unpredictable economy.

In addition, the cloud is extremely scalable, meaning contact centers and other departments that deal with varying traffic levels will be able to keep communications intact even during times when conventional voice services would have experienced bottlenecks and other performance issues. This flexibility also means that features can be scaled down during periods of low demand, which can reduce unnecessary expenses.

There is no doubt that the cloud will continue gaining momentum in the coming years, especially as enterprises evolve and demand more innovative technologies to keep up with the rapidly transforming business and consumer landscapes. Rather than jumping headfirst into the hosted services landscape, executives need to take the time to map out their deployment and governance strategies, as this will ensure decision-makers and employees are aware of the changes taking place within their infrastructure, allowing them to adjust as needed to keep operations on pace with demand.

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A hosted PBX system can take VoIP one step further by migrating hardware off-site. This means businesses can take the tools traditionally managed in-house and move them to the service provider's building somewhere else. In doing so, organizations can reduce maintenance and management fees traditionally associated with keeping a phone system on-site, according to a report by My VoIP Provider.

Besides the financial benefits associated with using a hosted PBX system, organizations that make the switch can experience a number of operational improvements that will give them an edge over competitors in the coming years. This will be especially important as the private sector becomes increasingly crowded and decision-makers need to find ways to keep employees engaged.

As consumerization trends make their way into the workplace, having the ability to support teleworking is becoming important. This is something a hosted PBX can do.

Give strength to remote workers
Businesses looking to stay relevant with the changing times need to support a remote workforce, as failing to do so means they are missing out on attracting and retaining a large portion of today's millennial employees, My VoIP Provider noted. Unlike traditional telecommunications solutions, hosted PBX offerings can provide firm connections between several locations in and outside of the office. As a result, individuals are often given the opportunity to carry out mission-critical business tasks from their home, the road or even a local coffee shop down the street.

Furthermore, hosted PBX services are unbiased to the devices that connect to it. This means that virtually any Wi-Fi-enabled device can be used as an endpoint. This is especially important as bring-your-own-device projects continue to gain momentum in the private sector.

A separate study by Juniper Research highlighted that the number of employee-owned smartphones and tablets used in the enterprise is poised to reach 350 million in 2014, up from roughly 150 million in 2012. This growth will lead to a greater endpoint diversity and will make hosted phone services more appealing to a larger portion of the business world.

Experience greater flexibility
In addition to having the ability to support a broad range of connections from virtually anywhere, a hosted PBX system is also much more scalable than traditional telecommunication platforms. This means decision-makers can quickly add or remove extensions on the fly, My VoIP Provider noted.

In the past, decision-makers needed the help of IT technicians to change the wiring of a land line phone system, which could take several days and be highly expensive. Today, executives can avoid these costs by making adjustments themselves or consulting with experienced third parties for less expensive advice.

As the private sector becomes increasingly competitive, companies of all sizes need to ensure they have the most advanced phone system available to support next-generation collaborative endeavors without introducing unnecessary IT or performance obstacles. By evaluating long-term internal objectives and working with a trusted hosted PBX provider, decision-makers can find the telecommunications offerings that best suit their organizations' needs and goals. In many cases, hosted VoIP will align with these objectives, giving firms the ability to gain an advantage over rival businesses.

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A recent report by InformationWeek highlighted the ongoing need to migrate voice services to the cloud. While approximately 57 percent of enterprises are still using premise-based telecommunication services, roughly 13 percent are using hosted offerings. Another 30 percent have a hybrid strategy in place, which supports a blend of cloud-based and on-premise tools.

Despite the many financial and operational benefits associated with replacing an old phone system and migrating services to a hosted environment, early adopters are quickly realizing that a lot more factors go into the process, InformationWeek stated. Therefore, it is important that decision-makers take the time to carefully plan the migration and select the right vendor, as failing to emphasize these steps will only result in long-term problems associated with using a hosted voice platform.

Finding the right provider
Although a hosted PBX system can introduce a number of benefits to the enterprise, executives must be sure the solution is able to meet mission-critical objectives. InformationWeek stated that reliability is among the top characteristics to investigate, as even the most advanced phone system with poor availability will not be able to provide any substantial benefits {reword}. In fact, the report noted that voice was only second to email as the top communication method used in the workplace, suggesting that telecom tools must be accessible for an organization to thrive.

In other cases, enterprises may find it less complicated to ease into the cloud rather than dive headfirst. InformationWeek said hybrid solutions, which combine both on- and off-premise technologies, allow large enterprises with disparate branches and departments to make the transition safely and efficiently. By taking this approach, decision-makers can develop a phased deployment strategy, moving new solutions to the cloud and keeping legacy services on-site. To mitigate problems with this type of endeavor, executives need to consider where they want to be in the long run, as this will make it easier to migrate VoIP services to the cloud.

A separate report by Gartner highlighted the evolving hybrid cloud market, noting that the hosted services are impacting everything from storage to communications. By taking a hybrid approach, enterprises may be setting up a new paradigm to be used in the coming years.

"Hybrid IT is the new IT and it is here to stay," said Chris Howard, managing vice president at Gartner. "While the cloud market matures, IT organizations must adopt a hybrid IT strategy that not only builds internal clouds to house critical IT services and compete with public [cloud service providers], but also utilizes the external cloud to house non-critical IT services and data, augment internal capacity and increase IT agility."

In the coming years, the cloud PBX will undoubtedly gain momentum in the business world, especially as the overall market for cloud services evolves, expands and continues to invite innovative opportunities for growth. By taking the time to assess internal objectives, decision-makers will likely make it easier for their organizations to find the appropriate vendor and deploy the technologies their companies need to survive in today's increasingly competitive private sector.

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A recent Business 2 Community report highlighted how taking the first steps toward technological innovation can be difficult. The good news is that a business VoIP service can be extremely helpful for smaller organizations looking to get a leg up on competitors in their industry. This is because a phone system has the potential to reinvent the workplace, not just introduce the opportunity to take advantage of better quality voice solutions.

In the past, organizations often used cumbersome land line telecommunications systems. While these tools may have suited corporate needs back then, they no longer do the job. Because today's business world is highly mobile, individuals need access to collaborative tools at any given moment – something antiquated offerings cannot do. VoIP, on the other hand, has the ability to support a remote workforce.

What makes VoIP appealing?
Unlike its predecessor, the phone system features associated with VoIP make it an attractive and innovative offering for today's companies. Business 2 Community stated that one of its most important capabilities is providing firms with virtual numbers. This will save customers money as virtual numbers can take on the appearance and qualities of a local presence, eliminating the need for clients to pay long-distance expenses.

VoIP also provides businesses with the ability to use softphone applications that can be incorporated into mobile gadgets such as smartphones and tablets, the news source stated. This means individuals can work outside of the office without losing the ability to connect to the voice network. As teleworking trends gain momentum, this capability will become increasingly important for supporting a next-generation workforce.

What about the cloud?
Cloud computing is among the biggest discussions in the IT landscape, as the technology promises to reduce costs, improve operations and support access from virtually anywhere. A hosted PBX system is no different, as the services are easy to manage because they are essentially maintained off-site.

Cloud communications can be an ideal technology for small businesses or startups that don't have the necessary financial or operational resources to purchase and maintain a sophisticated telecommunication platform in the office, Business 2 Community noted.

A separate report by the Eastern Management Group highlighted how small companies are often the primary buyers of hosted PBX solutions, making up almost 70 percent of all sales in 2012. The survey found that approximately three-quarters of decision-makers were satisfied with these purchases, suggesting that the solutions are ideal for startups and other small organizations that may not have the ability to purchase a sophisticated communication platform in-house.

As cloud and digital technologies continue to evolve and change in the coming years, the services will gain significant momentum in the private sector, especially among smaller businesses. Decision-makers should take the time to evaluate their current collaboration strategies and decide whether switching to VoIP will make a substantial difference. In many cases, the migration to VoIP will make it easier for companies to evolve and keep pace with ongoing technological transformations, which is a critical characteristic in today's competitive business world.

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In many cases, the benefits of using the cloud include the ability to improve collaboration, reduce dependency on outdated hardware and gain access to next-generation tools that will help enterprises survive the competitive business world in the next several years. Yet there is sometimes a resistance to change that companies need to overcome if they are to make headway into the cloud market. A recent ReadWriteWeb report highlighted how decision-makers can overcome these obstacles by planning ahead and developing innovative adoption strategies.

Highlight the downfall of legacy solutions
A lot of enterprises have fallen into the trough of comfortability during the last several years, ReadWriteWeb noted. This means they are using outdated office phone systems and other tools to carry out mission-critical objectives, making it more difficult to perform tasks in a timely and efficient manner. Even though operations are suffering, decision-makers and employees continue to perform the same way they have for years because of a sense of familiarity. This, more than anything else, will be among the hardest things to break.

There's no doubt that people in general are stubborn. Rather than participating in complex training sessions, they would sometimes rather stick to what they know. Executives looking to migrate to the cloud cannot accept this mentality, as doing so is just adding more coffin nails. Instead, decision-makers should highlight the benefits associated with replacing an old phone system and deploying a cloud-based offering.

The advantages of a cloud PBX, executives should say, are vast and wide. Rather than being tied down to the office, for example, individuals can carry out corporate activities at home or on the road via personal smartphones, tablets and other gadgets without introducing connectivity or quality problems. Cloud-based services are also extremely flexible, allowing employees to complete tasks more efficiently than ever before.

Tossing out old habits
While the advantages of using the cloud are pretty well known, many workers will reinforce their argument "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," ReadWriteWeb noted. This is irrelevant, however, as the IT landscape will continue to evolve and change. If enterprises do not jump ahead of the curve, they will find it increasingly difficult to compete and operate in the coming years, compromising their ability to survive in the long run.

The cloud is quickly becoming inevitable, and if employees do not see it, they need to be shown the way. Analysts from ABI Research said nearly half of all enterprise communications will be in the cloud by 2014. Telecom vendors are sure to take notice of this and will likely adjust their offerings to stay relevant in the future. This means any company still using outdated phone systems will lose their service provider and find it virtually impossible to communicate with colleagues, partners and customers. In other words, cloud VoIP is the likely future of all things telecom.

In the coming years, the cloud will continue to disrupt enterprise operations by introducing new analytic tools, collaborative platforms and storage solutions. By planning ahead and working with a trusted service provider, decision-makers can find the offerings that best fit their organizations' demands. This will improve enterprises' chances of success in an otherwise increasingly complex and competitive environment.

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Fortunately, cloud computing is able to meet stringent industry regulations without jeopardizing security, efficiency or collaboration. As a result, healthcare firms are beginning to migrate to the cloud to enhance operations.

A report by Microsoft highlighted how hospitals around the United States are migrating to the cloud to be more appealing to next-generation caregivers. Because the rest of the private sector is well on its way into the cloud, the healthcare sector needs to play catch-up to stay relevant.

"In general, hospitals tend to be behind in deploying new technologies," said Rick Allen, assistant vice president of information systems at Gwinnett Hospital System, according to Microsoft. "But we are competing for talent and new technologies help attract young employees."

Hospitals are also leveraging the cloud to improve collaboration between individuals working inside the facility and those outside of the building. Because the cloud can be accessed anywhere, organizations from all industries can support a remote workforce without impairing overall operations or connectivity. This is imperative in the healthcare sector, as having the ability to communicate with other hospitals around the world can dramatically improve patient care.

"Having the latest cloud technology that supports a wide range of clinical and business applications, user collaboration and needs and still helps ensure HIPAA security compliance enforcement tools is essential," said John Vorreiter, senior director of technical services at Kindred Healthcare Inc., according to Microsoft.

The cloud and healthcare finally merge
Although cloud services have been gaining momentum throughout the private sector, healthcare facilities have traditionally shied away from the technology due their industry's need to meet complex compliance requirements that were somewhat ambiguous in cloud environments. As the hosted services matured, however, it became clear that healthcare could also benefit from using the cloud.

A report by CloudTweaks noted that collaboration is one of the biggest benefits associated with using the cloud in the healthcare sector. The hosted PBX system is an extremely scalable and flexible offering that allows organizations to easily manage intense traffic and support anywhere, anytime connectivity.

Because the cloud also is enabled to work with mobile gadgets, hospitals and other businesses can embrace the bring-your-own-device phenomenon and other trends taking shape in the telecommunications industry, CloudTweaks stated. Rather than being tied down to deskphones, more physicians are realizing the benefits of leveraging personal smartphones and tablets in the workplace. As a result, a large number of firms are replacing their old phone systems with cloud technologies that are more agile and adaptable than the traditional PBX.

As cloud services mature, they will become even more secure, making them a more acceptable technology in today's compliance-focused healthcare sector. However, not all clouds are created equal. For this reason, decision-makers need to take the time to assess their facilities' individual goals and align these demands with an appropriate cloud offering from a trusted provider.

The cloud can be used for a number of reasons in the healthcare sector, though improving collaboration is often recognized as the top priority. By finding the right solutions, companies can ensure employees are able to communicate efficiently without worrying about connectivity problems.

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A Smart Business Network Online report highlighted the importance of developing a robust plan when considering replacing an old phone system. After all, communications is the base for any successful company, meaning a poor deployment strategy will likely send shockwaves throughout the rest of the business.

"You have to evaluate how change affects your business," VoIP expert Alex Desberg told SBN Online. "Change comes with a little pain, and with pain comes new solutions."

Considerations for a new phone system
Embracing change is the key to successfully adopting and deploying a new phone system, regardless of if it is an advanced VoIP service or a hosted PBX system that is managed in the cloud. In most cases, however, decision-makers are opting for the latter, as using a cloud-based phone system provides a number of unique opportunities that go above and beyond the capabilities of a traditional land line solution, SBN Online noted.

When executives decide to migrate voice to a cloud PBX service, they need to consider what operations will not function without a physical land line connection. SBN Online highlighted that some organizations have physical security technologies tied into the land line, as well as fax and credit card processing machines. For this reason, organizations need to consider alternatives for these solutions, as simply eliminating their presence can invite a number of challenges and consequences. In some cases, service providers can give firms substitute versions of these tools that can work over a digital environment. In other instances, completely getting rid of the land line is simply not plausible.

SBN Online said enterprises also need to consider their disaster recovery options and should participate in test runs, or tabletop scenarios, to ensure everything can run smoothly in the event of a natural or man-made emergency.

Why make the switch to cloud VoIP?
Cloud-based phone systems can provide enterprises and small businesses with a number of unique opportunities, including the ability to improve flexibility and connectivity from virtually anywhere. This is especially important among organizations looking to support a bring-your-own-device culture and a growing remote workforce.

Small businesses in particular can experience a number of unique benefits when they migrate voice services to the cloud. Because small firms often have fewer exhaustible resources, they can take advantage of the pay-as-you-go pricing model of the cloud and its unique characteristic to provide a highly scalable infrastructure. This enables companies to support a growing workforce without being concerned about connectivity or the inability to support various endpoints.

ABI Research said the cloud opportunity is real, as more than 40 percent of all communications used in the private sector will be hosted in the cloud within the next several years.

"By 2016, the communications [customer-premises equipment] market will only grow 4.3 percent, while cloud communications will grow by over 21 percent, reaching $8 billion in revenues," said Subha Rama, senior analyst at ABI Research.

By planning ahead and mapping out the route to the cloud, companies can replace their phone systems with a more innovative and functional service, giving them a potential edge over rival firms still using traditional voice services.

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A recent No Jitter report highlighted the benefits of cloud VoIP, noting that it can support a growing remote workforce, enhance business continuity efforts and even improve total cost of ownership. However, companies cannot simply accept the cloud and begin using it. Instead, executives need to plan the migration carefully in order to avoid missteps and miscalculations that could end up negatively affecting operations in the long run.

Quality and compatibility
If any aspect of an enterprise's communication platform does not meet expectations, efficiency can suffer and force organizations to overcome obstacles that could have been avoided with effective planning. No Jitter said decision-makers need to ensure their hosted PBX system provider has configured quality of service (QoS) parameters into the network, reducing the chances of outages, interruptions or slow response time. If QoS is not incorporated into a cloud VoIP service, companies will not be able to enjoy the full benefits of the technology.

In addition to configuring QoS, executives should be sure that the reduced hardware needed to operate in the cloud is compatible with the service, the news source reported. If the workforce's mobile devices are not supported by a particular cloud, for example, individuals outside of the office will have trouble connecting to the network. This will invite a number of unnecessary problems that could have been avoided by taking the time to ensure all platforms are compatible with the cloud.

Avoid common cloud pitfalls
The emergence of the cloud during the last several years has introduced monumental changes to the business world. Unfortunately, this movement has not been without challenges, as companies of all sizes have encountered numerous challenges by impulsively following the crowd and jumping blindly into the cloud, No Jitter said.

With the proper planning, however, executives can be sure they avoid these problems altogether, enabling them to embrace the cloud for all of its perceived benefits. No Jitter said decision-makers should ask probing questions surrounding the service-level agreement, voice quality and disaster recovery capabilities. Organizations also need to ensure that the cloud VoIP system will support the ongoing bring-your-own-device movement that is rapidly making its way through the private sector.

A separate report by Symantec highlighted how enterprises should focus on developing robust cloud usage policies for employees instead of prioritizing the devices that will access the cloud-based business phone system. When the general workforce is aware of what could potentially go wrong in the cloud, individuals are more likely to be careful when using the hosted services, reducing the chances of encountering problems.

Symantec said executives should also plan to adopt hosted services that are platform-agnostic, meaning they will be able to support a wide range of devices without issue.

As the cloud continues to gain momentum in the private sector, enterprises and small businesses should look to migrate their business phone systems to the hosted environment to improve agility, collaboration and flexibility, gaining an advantage over rival firms still using outdated platforms. When companies take the time to plan their cloud communication migration, they will more likely experience success.

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A recent study of more than 1,200 IT professionals by technology products and services provider CDW​ highlighted this phenomenon, as nearly three-quarters of respondents said their personal use of the cloud and mobile devices is increasing their motivation to implement hosted technologies in the workplace. This is because the cloud can be deployed in multiple ways, including as a hosted PBX system or an off-site storage repository.

CDW revealed that roughly 39 percent of businesses said they currently maintain cloud solutions, up from 28 percent in 2011. More than half of IT professionals also said they are either in the process of migrating or planning to move specific applications or services to the cloud.

“Organizations’ adoption of cloud computing has steadily increased, which comes as no surprise given the growth of mobility and the consumerization of IT,” said Stephen Braat, general manager of cloud solutions at CDW. “By aligning cloud services with critical applications and preferences of employees that use mobile devices, organizations can better capture business value that includes cost savings, increased efficiency, improved employee mobility and an increased ability to create innovative new products and services.”

As decision-makers become more familiar with the cloud in their personal lives, they will be inclined to use the technology for a wider range of functions in the office. This means that cloud VoIP and other collaborative technologies will likely adapt to the cloud and become hosted offerings, increasing their availability and overall functionality.

Communicating through the clouds
A study by Infonetics Research highlighted that the number of hosted business VoIP users is forecast to double between 2011 and 2015. This is largely because a cloud phone system’s features provide a number of benefits to organizations, including increased flexibility, agility and overall connectivity. As the cloud VoIP market grows, the overall VoIP industry is expected to generate more than $76 billion in revenue by 2015.

“We’ve increased our short- and long-term forecasts for the voice over IP services market, as adoption in the residential, small office/home office and business segments continues unabated,” said Diane Myers, directing analyst for VoIP at Infonetics Research. “The residential segment continues to make up the majority of VoIP services revenue, but the real growth is in the business segment, particularly SIP trunking services and hosted VoIP and unified communication services.”

By replacing an old phone system with a cloud VoIP service, organizations can take advantage of a highly scalable, cost-effective offering capable of keeping up with the demands of a growing remote workforce and rapidly evolving corporate environment. If decision-makers neglect the potential benefits associated with leveraging hosted services in the office, they will likely encounter substantial problems in the coming years, as the ongoing use of digital resources creates mountains of information and high traffic volumes in the network.

Forward-thinking executives understand the underlying benefits associated with the cloud, as using the hosted services can introduce advantages at multiple tiers of the company. Although there were a number of security and availability concerns when the cloud first emerged, most of these issues has dissolved. If decision-makers continue to use these as excuses, they will find themselves in a precarious position.

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