Bundling internet and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services means getting both your internet connection and your phone system from the same provider or under a single contract. For many Canadian small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), this can simplify management and potentially improve reliability, but it's important to understand the trade-offs and how it fits your specific needs.
Why bundling matters for SMBs
VoIP phone systems rely entirely on your internet connection to work. If your internet goes down or becomes slow, your phone service will suffer, leading to missed calls, dropped conversations, and frustrated customers. Bundling can sometimes mean your provider prioritizes your VoIP traffic or offers better support because they manage both services. However, it also means your entire communication infrastructure depends on one provider, which can be a risk if that provider has outages or poor customer service.
From a business perspective, downtime on phone lines can directly impact customer trust and staff productivity. For example, a retail business in Toronto with 50 employees might lose sales and damage its reputation if customers cannot reach them during peak hours. Also, if your VoIP provider and internet provider are separate, troubleshooting becomes more complex—each might blame the other when issues arise, delaying resolution.
A practical scenario
Consider a mid-sized consulting firm in Vancouver with about 30 employees. They initially purchased internet from one company and VoIP from another. When their internet slowed during a regional outage, their VoIP calls dropped frequently. Because the two providers blamed each other, the firm's IT manager spent days coordinating fixes, which distracted from other priorities. After switching to a bundled service from a managed IT provider who guaranteed service-level agreements (SLAs) covering both internet and VoIP, the firm experienced faster issue resolution and more consistent call quality.
Checklist: What to consider when bundling internet and VoIP
- Ask about SLAs: Does the provider guarantee uptime and call quality? What compensation is offered if these are not met?
- Check redundancy options: Can you add backup internet connections or failover for VoIP to reduce downtime?
- Understand support processes: Who do you call first when there's a problem? Is there a single point of contact?
- Compare costs carefully: Bundling may offer discounts, but ensure the service quality matches or exceeds your current setup.
- Review security measures: How does the provider protect your VoIP calls and internet connection from cyber threats?
- Test call quality: Ask for a trial or demo to assess voice clarity and latency before committing.
- Evaluate scalability: Can the provider easily add or remove lines as your business changes?
Next steps
Bundling internet and VoIP services can offer convenience and potentially better service coordination for Canadian SMBs, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. To decide what's best for your business, discuss your current pain points and future needs with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can help you weigh the benefits and risks, and design a communication setup that supports your business goals without unnecessary complexity.