The Vonage Business Cloud is a business phone service solution that provides features such as audio conferencing, caller ID, call forwarding, various integrations, and routing capabilities such as a multi-tier automated attendant system. Vonage for Business also offers unlimited calling and texting and a desktop app for Microsoft, Mac, Google Android and Apple iOS users.
Growing businesses can start with the Cellular plan, a basic service starting at $19.99 per user per month. Team messaging is included, making it a great cost-effective option for companies looking to start collaborating across multiple offices. Premium and Advanced plans add features like CRM integration and call groups. More on this in the next few paragraphs.
Vonage Business One of the Best Services in the World
How much is Vonage Business?
Vonage’s business mobile plans start at $19.99 per month per user per year. These plans are designed for 1-4 users. As your business grows and you need more phone numbers, the Vonage Business service offers discount plans. For eample, businesses with 5 to 19 lines can access plans starting at $17.99 per month.
Vonage Business Pricing
Vonage Businesses requiring 20 to 99 lines in their facility can avail plans starting at $14.99 per month. Businesses needing more than 100 lines for users should contact their Vonage sales representative as these prices are not published. Listed prices do not include taxes or fees. Companies allow him to try the phone service for 14 days before committing.
Vonage features for business users
What are the features that distinguish the Vonage Business Cloud from other his VoIP providers? Vonage Business describes on his website the “over 50 business features” included in the plans. This VoIP feature of his is designed to allow employees to communicate with each other and customers while on the go. Its flexible features allow you to integrate with other tools and applications you already use. Here’s what makes a difference for small businesses.
1. Mobile App
The Vonage Business Cloud mobile VoIP app is an app that your company downloads to your smartphone from the Google Play store or Apple App store. There is no need to download additional application functionality as everything is included in one integrated application. Once downloaded, entering your Vonage Business credentials is a simple process.
After logging in, the softphone will emulate the extension number associated with your login information. This means that all features associated with your account are unlocked and accessible. This includes:
Ability to make and dial calls using the same caller ID information.
The same music on hold is connected to the phone line.
The ability to use flip dialing when you need to make a call. This also applies when traveling abroad.
Access your visual inbox and see your messages transcribed on your screen.
2. Business SMS
The Vonage Business Cloud also has Business SMS, which works independently of SMS messages on smart devices. It totally depends on your internet connection. Therefore, text-based communication is possible as long as there is a Wi-Fi connection. The desktop-based Business Inbox extends this to your computer, allowing you to text-answer customer questions using your keyboard and monitor.
3. Call Back
Call Flip is a convenience feature that allows users to switch from their desktop or softphone to her iPhone or Android phone without missing a call. In Vonage Business, this is done using keyboard-typed codes. Calls are sent to your mobile device so you can work without being tied to your desk. When you return to the office, your calls will be routed to the app or landline of your choice.
4. Voicemail to Email
This feature is similar to the Voicemail Transcription feature in the Vonage mobile app. When someone leaves a message in your inbox, the Vonage Business system will copy it and send it to your associated email account. This saves time by allowing you to spend time reading your incoming messages and checking your email at the same time throughout the day. This is usually more efficient than spending time listening to the recording.
5. Visual Voicemail
Visual Voicemail is designed to make the message retrieval process more efficient. As contacts leave messages, each message is added to the list you see in the app or when you log into the Vonage.com admin portal.
Instead of listening to all the voice recordings in your message list, you can view information that summarises each one. You can identify important messages from ID information, reception date and time, and delete unnecessary messages. Easy to manage at a glance.
6. Work from Anywhere
This feature allows users to build a virtual workforce. With this feature, you can take your landline phone out of the office and use it anywhere you have high-speed internet. You can then transfer calls to your phone, set your extension to ring multiple phones simultaneously, and access all of Vonage’s features. This feature ensures uninterrupted communication.
7. Phone Dashboard
Phone Dashboard allows administrator to see the real-time status of all accounts his users. You can also customise the look and feel, see who’s calling you, and display call extensions. You can also use this feature to restrict access on a per-user basis and turn Do Not Disturb on and off with the push of a button.
Additional Vonage Business Options and Services
In addition to the advanced features we have listed, Vonage for business also offers its customers several additional services. This includes:
Conference Bridge – For an additional $14.99 per month in addition, your business can add a conference bridge that connects up to 30 participants. During a conference bridging call, presenters are given the ability to mute or add participants during the meeting via the dashboard. The Vonage conference bridge is password protected for security.
HIPAA Friendly Features – Vonage has the HITRUST CSF certification, which is considered the most widely adopted security framework for sensitive information. Vonage is a HIPAA compliant provider – your company needs to sign a business associate agreement (BAA) certifying that any information stored is encrypted and protected from theft. Keeping clear records is especially important for contact centers and businesses that require records for confidential information such as electronically protected health information (ePHI). Vonage on-demand call recording (ODCR) provides 15 hours of recording to the user and once recorded, the audio can be emailed. Each user has direct access to their records, but administrators are not granted access unless they are shared.
Orange Glove Setup – This works as a kind of IT support and works independently of Vonage Technical Support, who will help you install any software feature set related to the service. For example, if a business is trying to set up an integration with a CRM suite like Zoho or Salesforce, the Orange Glove Setup team will help get this app integrated with Vonage. This feature is only available to Advanced Plan subscribers.
Integrations – Vonage is a PBX solution that has seamless integrations for your business to make everyday communication easier. The right integrations help employees be more productive when handling calls, creating social media posts, and collaborating with one another.
Convenient desktop to mobile transition
Overall, Vonage customers who have subscribed to Business Cloud have some positive things to say about the VoIP phone service. They like business applications that are easy to use and provide good stability. There are some complaints about Vonage, but most are limited to how knowledgeable the customer service agents are rather than the communication service itself. Here are some examples from the GetVoIP blog:
“Overall, a good system, fairly stable, knowledgeable staff, a few extra features like mobile and desktop clients, and video conferencing come in handy when you really need it.” – Jeff F.
“Vonage is very convenient for business on the go. I use it a lot on my phone when I’m on the court.” – Mike L.
“We’ve been using Vonage for 2 to 3 years now and it has many great uses for an office phone system. It will take some time to learn how to program phones so only our Admin has that knowledge.” – Linda R.
Vonage Business Alternatives
Vonage for business is ideal for small to medium sized companies, but what if they lack some of the features you need? Maybe your business has only a small number of users, so you prefer a more flexible pricing structure. Some alternatives to consider include:
1. Furthermore
Nextiva has three plans which include Essential, Professional, and Enterprise. Prices are $18.95, $22.95 and $32.95 respectively. All plans have unlimited calling within the United States and Canada, and unlimited business texting starting with the Professional plan. Nextiva stands out because, at a basic level, users are provided with unlimited audio conference calls for up to four participants and are assigned free local and toll-free numbers.
2. MiCloud connection
MiCloud Connect is a cloud communication platform for business from Mitel that has proven to be a reliable alternative to Vonage for business. There are also three plans with MiCloud Connect that are flexible enough for most businesses.
Prices range from $20.99/user/month on the basic tier to $38.49/user/month on the third tier, so these alternatives cost more than Vonage for businesses. However, it does offer collaboration and conferencing options at the first-tier package level.
3. Keypad
Dialpad Talk offers flexibility and mobility for businesses that need it. Dialpad has three different plans starting at $15 per month. Dialpad doesn’t publish prices for their enterprise plans, but just contact them for additional information. All plans come with a 14 day trial to try VoIP business services. Dialpad has integration with Salesforce, Zendesk, and G Suite as well.
4. Go Connected
Pricing and plans for GoTo Connect are similar to Vonage. They offer two different pricing plans. Basic (starts at $22/user/month) and Standard (starts at $26/user/month). All GoTo Connect plans offer more than 80 features to help businesses collaborate and communicate, so you don’t have to choose a higher plan level to get the specific features your business needs.
5. RingCentral
RingCentral has three flexible plans that are versatile enough to grow with your business. Pricing for this plan starts at $20 per month and goes up to $35 per month. The essential plan is limited to 20 users, but the other plans are unlimited. RingCentral also offers a 15 day trial to try their service with all plans.
Who is Vonage for Business for?
Vonage Business helps teams connect globally by making meetings and calls clearer and easier for attendees to join. With 99.999% uptime, calls and data will be dropped less frequently. Vonage is present in more than 18 countries, so you’ll have better growth capacity, which increases your bottom line. Team messaging and video collaboration through the platform increase productivity and bridge the gap between the United States and global offices.
This service has a VoIP security vulnerability that arose because Vonage Business required users to disable stateful packet inspection (SPI) on their network hardware. SPI, also known as dynamic packet filtering, is a monitoring layer that helps determine which packets are making it through your firewall. Without this, there is an increased chance of packet loss and overall loss of security.
That said, Vonage Business certainly has the features businesses need in terms of unified calling and communications. Need a more customised solution for large enterprises? Read our guide on enterprise VoIP service providers – we have their pros and cons and take a look at the features small businesses need to keep employees connected.
Vonage Business has a lot to offer small businesses. Some of its competitors offer more functionality for a slightly higher price. But Vonage has everything a small business needs for unified communications needs. This is a great option for small teams looking to expand their presence as well, as Vonage allows users to select local numbers anywhere in the US or from over 50 international locations.
And that’s it for our explanation of Vonage Business. As we know, Vonage Business is one of the largest service companies in the world, which is already used by many people, especially in the United States. Are you one of the people who use this service?