The VoIP Revolution: What’s Coming in 2024 and why your business doesn’t want to miss out!

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has seen extreme growth and evolution over the past decade. As internet speeds continue to accelerate and 5G technology unlocks new capabilities, VoIP is poised for another wave of innovation in 2024. Here are some of the top trends we have noticed that industry leaders are predicting for VoIP next year. 

Expanding Video Conferencing
Video calling has become part of day-to-day life thanks to platforms like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime, especially following the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic. But consumer-grade video conferencing still has limitations for business use, due to the need for multiple users in nationwide locations to all join the same call. In 2024, expect more VoIP providers to continue to integrate HD-quality multiparty video conferencing into their platforms. Web platforms such as Microsoft Teams is becoming a staple in the working day, with features like screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, recording and transcription as standard. Large meetings with 100+ participants will be commonplace, requiring corporate cloud video conferencing software. This will allow remote teams and virtual offices to collaborate face-to-face more seamlessly via their phone system instead of relying on online platforms.

As part of preparing for corporate scale video conferencing, it will also be worth businesses considering their business broadband costs, speed and capabilities on premises. We have many different broadband options available to suit your individual business VoIP requirements.

Advances in Cloud Communications
The VoIP industry is rapidly transitioning from local network hardware to cloud-based services. According to Gartner, over 90% of global telecom traffic will move to the cloud by 2025. In 2024, we expect providers to strive to provide more reliability, security and disaster recovery from cloud communication platforms. On-demand scalability is also a priority to businesses, who want to avoid the hassle of switching platforms as they grow. Cloud hosted communication will broaden options for businesses to deploy phone solutions when and where they need them, with the ability to add users easily removing the requirement to upgrade and change phone systems every time the business expands.

The Rise of ‘Programmable Calling’
Otherwise known as voice API - Programmable voice calls are basically making calls via developer APIs; it is an emerging trend with interactive voice response (IVR) solutions. According to telnyx, Voice APIs can be applied to a diverse range of use-cases, including contact centre and UCaaS platforms, cloud-based IVRs, call tracking solutions and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications.

As this telecom capability expands, expect more customisable call flows that integrate with workplace apps and CRM software. Examples of this integration could be that sales teams could trigger phone calls by tagging leads. Support agents might get notifications of incoming calls with customer records on screen before answering. Programmable calling will automate and personalise voice communications, making the process of helping customers on the other end of the phone quicker and more efficient.  

Built-In Analytics
From call tracking to speech analytics, VoIP data is hugely valuable for understanding customer engagement and employee performance. In 2024, the ability to extract meaning from voice data will be leaps and bounds ahead. Expect platforms to provide embedded analytics tools that shed light on metrics like call volume, wait times, agent productivity and conversation sentiment analysis. Managers will gain more actionable insights to improve call centre operations. The flexibility of cloud communication systems will also allow managers to make changes to call handling features such as call forwarding, recorded voice messages and on hold marketing quickly & efficiently. 

Supporting Remote & Hybrid working
As remote and hybrid working continues to become the norm, with many potential employees now listing the ability to WFH (work from home) as a priority when choosing a new role – many VoIP features will be angled towards this. VoIP services are likely to evolve with features like virtual meeting rooms, collaboration tools, and advanced mobile integrations that make working remotely much easier.

Better Integrations with Mobile Phones
Speaking of mobile integrations - Mobile VoIP apps have made BYOD (bring your own device) policies a flexible option for businesses managing a high volume of devices. In 2024, unified communications providers will tear down more of the walls between office and mobile phone systems. Features like seamless call handoff, twinning mobile and desk phones, as well as mobile access to corporate dial plans will help teams collaborate on the go. We are already familiar with products such as mobile and desktop softphone that offer these features, however we can expect these to be built in features that exist for businesses phone systems as standard. 

The Migration of Landlines to VoIP
Despite the rise of VoIP, traditional landlines still occupy a large market share in telecom. If you didn’t know already, this is set to change very soon – 2025 in fact, in a big shake up  currently referred to as ‘The UK’s Big PTSN Switch off’. Openreach are switching off the PSTN (and ISDN) service in 2025. By then, every phone line in the UK will be digital, routing calls over IP (Internet Protocol) rather than using the traditional PSTN.  BT Open reach says this is because ISDN networks can no longer support the speed, scalability and method of communications that businesses need today. 

It’s not just phone lines that will be affected either - everything that uses a traditional analogue phone network will be affected by the switch-off. This includes door entry systems, CCTVs, fax machines, PSTN alarm systems and even electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) machines.  Ultimately we expect many businesses to be making the switch over in 2024, to get ahead of the final cut off point in 2025. Currently 2.5 million small – medium businesses are still relying on PTSN networks – if this is you, get in contact with our team to find out how to make the switch.

Integration with Unified Communication
In today’s modern workplaces, Unified Communications platforms, consisting of various communication channels like voice, video, messaging, and collaboration tools, are becoming an everyday need. In 2024, businesses will be looking for seamless integration between VoIP and UC platforms so that communication is more streamlined. This integration will give employees a centralised hub for all their communication needs, helping to increase productivity and reduce the requirement for multiple different software applications and platforms.

VoIP phone services have already replaced traditional landlines in a growing number of businesses across the globe. As demand expands exponentially in the years ahead, VoIP providers will unleash new innovations from video integration to intelligent analytics. At the same time, legacy networks will go extinct in 2025 – accelerating migration. The new capabilities unlocked by advancing IP network technology will reshape voice communications and bring people together in exciting new ways by 2024 and into the future. Want to get on board? Check out our VoIP solutions for business.