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Thinking of upgrading your business phone system to the cloud? IP telephony not only reduces communication costs but also boosts your phone system’s functionality. You can expect high-quality, reliable service and an array of advanced calling features.

An IP-PBX phone system is one such IP-based communication technology adopted by businesses around the world. Let’s look at what this service is and how you can integrate it into your existing phone system.

Cloud-Based PBX System: What, How, Why

According to a Global Market Insights report, “the hosted IP PBX segment is expected to become the fastest-growing area of the VoIP market. It is predicted to grow by 20% from 2021 to 2027.”

This means more and more businesses will switch to IP-PBX as their communications infrastructure and solution. But why? How can this service benefit your business? Let’s find out!

In this post, we’ll go over:

• What is IP Private Branch Exchange (IP-PBX)?
• How Does it Work?
• Benefits
• IP-PBX Deployment: On-Premise vs Hosted
• Setting Up Cloud PBX Services
• Want to Upgrade to IP-PBX?

What is IP Private Branch Exchange?

IP-PBX is a cloud phone system that enables, routes, and monitors communication across your private network using an internet connection.

Other names for this system include cloud PBX, hosted PBX, or virtual PBX.

The main role of a PBX system is to manage your business’s internal and external call traffic. But an IP-PBX takes this to the next level. With internet protocol (IP) involved, these calls travel over the internet instead of traditional phone lines.

This means users can make and receive reliable and high-quality business calls from any location, as long as they’re connected to the internet.

How Does IP-Based PBX Work?

The IP-based private branch exchange sits at the center of your business phone network and acts as a modern switchboard element to direct callers to their destination. So, when calls come in, they pass through the PBX system via the internet and then travel to the desired location, extension, or department.

To make this happen, the PBX works with Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). SIP converts voice signals to digital packets. Then, it sends the packets over the internet to the destination. Once they arrive, the packets are reassembled into voice and audio.

To access multiple voice channels simultaneously, you can use your IP-PBX with a cloud SIP trunking service. And with multiple SIP channels in your arsenal, you can access smooth and high-quality voice communication.

Benefits of IP-Based PBX Systems

Most medium-to-large businesses use IP-PBX systems to manage their voice communications internally. This way, you have your own secure phone network where you:

• Route and forward incoming calls to different departments and locations (advanced routing strategies)
• Customize outgoing calls (outbound calls, dynamic caller ID)
• Collaborate in-network (call transfer, merging, conferencing), and more.

To understand how this phone system improves business communication, let’s take a look at the different benefits it delivers:

• Lower Communication Cost — when compared to analog options, since cloud calling is cheaper, and you can integrate PBX within your existing equipment and devices at a low cost
• Reduced Calling Rates — for local, long-distance, and international calls and free in-network calls
• Location Flexibility — by connecting multi-site offices in an affordable fashion
• Improved Functionality — with advanced call management features
• High Availability — with increased reliability and redundancy of your communication network, ensuring uninterrupted service.
• High Scalability — since you can add and remove lines and users as needed – all without completely changing your system or plan.

IP-PBX Deployment: On-Premise vs Hosted IP-PBX

So, how do you set up an IP-PBX system within your business? To answer this question, you first need to decide how you want to set it up. This will determine what type of PBX service and equipment you need.

There are two different types of PBX: on-premise and hosted.

With an on-premise setup, your business houses, builds, operates, and manages the PBX on-site. With this setup, your business is in charge of building and maintaining the PBX system. This gives you unlimited control; however, you will need an IT team to operate the system.

On the other hand, a hosted IP-PBX means your provider “hosts” the PBX equipment at their location and operates the system for you. This means you receive cloud phone services without worrying about routine maintenance, system upgrades, or network routing. Plus, you can still access advanced communication features and customize the service to meet your business calling needs.

Whichever option you choose, you can either select separate IP-PBX and VoIP providers or find a provider that delivers both services. And if you want to build it in-house, then you will need the proper IT infrastructure, software (such as open-source PBX software), and team.

Setting Up Cloud PBX Services

Since IP-PBX is a form of cloud communications, you benefit from different kinds of flexibility.

IP-PBX relies on SIP trunking for voice connectivity. So, you will need a SIP trunk provider to support your PBX system. You can use SIP trunks to connect your existing devices like desk phones to your cloud PBX system. And also gain access to new communication tools like softphones and web dialers.

Additionally, if you are building this in-house with open-source PBX software, you’ll need to decide on key features and functionalities that can help your teams communicate efficiently.

Having these features and capabilities enable your business to mix and match devices and build a phone system that fits your needs. And it allows you to connect all local, remote, and global teams under one network while enjoying reliable, global voice quality.

Related: Using SIP Trunks with an Open-Source PBX

Want to Upgrade to IP-PBX?

You can get PBX and SIP trunking services with Global Call Forwarding. Start by signing up for a business phone number or consult with one of our telecom experts to find the right solution for your needs. Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.

If you hang around marketing circles, you’ll hear the term ‘content localization’ quite often. But what is this relatively new marketing tactic and is it something your business needs to consider? The answer to that largely depends on your company’s growth and expansion goals.

Most businesses don’t consider content localization as part of their global expansion strategy. But, there is a reason why many organizations are investing in localization resources. According to research, “you are 75% more effective at selling to international customers when you speak their language.”

And that’s why more and more global businesses are looking to their marketing and sales teams to implement and improve localization efforts.

In this post, we’ll look at the following:

• What is Content Localization?
• Why Should You Consider it?
• Case Study: How Global Call Forwarding Supports Global Customers
• Benefits of Localizing Your Content
• Top Countries and Languages for Localization
• Different Components of Localization
• Developing a Content Localization Strategy
• How Can Global Call Forwarding Help?

What is Content Localization?

Content localization is the process of creating localized or specialized content for specific regions by considering language barriers, preferences, cultural differences, and more.

In other words, you make your content locally accessible to customers in different countries around the world. This often involves:

• Creating country-specific articles: city and country pages, stories relevant to each region, personalized offers for different regions, etc.
• Translating content into different languages: Spanish for South America web traffic, Chinese or Arabic for APAC web traffic, etc.
• Using country-specific terminology in your marketing materials: US = fries vs UK = chips
• Providing local and global support: local contact methods, technical and legal content translations, multilingual support

We’ll go into more detail about the types and components of content you can localize in a few minutes. First, let’s understand why content localization is worth the time and effort.

Why Should You Localize Your Content?

Making your content accessible in different languages and regions allows your business to extend its global reach.

Let’s walk through a scenario: Your business already has some customers coming in for new markets. You can use content localization to double up on your marketing efforts in those regions. Alternatively, your business wants to start fresh in a new market, like opening a new branch or office. You can use localization to engage with potential customers in these target markets and slowly grow your following.

Remember, localization does not only mean translating content into other languages. It can also involve:

• Adapting products (names, key features, UX, etc.)
• Executing local SEO strategies
• Converting measurement units and currency
• Using local contact methods (local phone numbers, addresses)
• Complying with legal requirements and regulations
• Providing local support, and so on.

So, when you localize your content, you implement new ways to build trust and credibility with your global customers. You create content that they easily understand and relate to. And by doing that, they become more comfortable with your company.

Lisha Abraham, Senior Project Manager at Milestone Localization, explains, “Content localization is localizing all aspects of your content to suit your target market. When done correctly, it can significantly help you expand your business in your target market, increase your reach, enhance your brand image, and more importantly, increase revenue by driving more sales.”

Case Study: How GCF Supports Global Customers

Global Call Forwarding is a leading international provider of local and toll-free numbers. We offer cloud communication solutions to small businesses and enterprises around the world.

Given the nature of our business, many of our clients are multinational companies that benefit from localized content. And many already have some sort of content localization strategy in place. Generally, they have international websites with local language content along with a local country phone number. Or, they publish local numbers on their localized brochures.

To support their localization efforts, we have helped many businesses open local virtual offices in different countries with cloud telephony solutions. This way, businesses can access global customers without having to launch physical offices in each target region. They simply purchase a local number, display it on their website or alongside localized content, and then forward incoming calls to their main support center, wherever it is located.

10 Benefits of Localizing Your Content

Now that we’ve covered what content localization is and why it is an important aspect of expanding a business, let’s look at the many benefits your business can experience:

1. Market to a diverse and global audience — After all, most prefer to read content in their local language.
2. Increase revenue by tapping into new markets — Reach new customers and grow new audiences.
3. Develop a strong global brand identity — Global consumers prefer brands with content in their language.
4. Improve sales in existing markets — 55% of global consumers only purchase from websites that include product content in their own language.
5. Establish a local presence anywhere across the globe — Learn how our customer Safran developed a global network with local numbers.
6. Increase the likelihood of receiving sales and support calls — Users feel more loyal to companies that offer support in their native language.
7. Support and boost the return on your international SEO efforts — 68% of online experiences are sourced from search engines.
8. Build trust and reliability — Shoppers care about obtaining product information in their language more than pricing.
9. Gain higher ROI on ad spend — Localized advertising campaigns lead to more clicks and conversions.
10. Track your campaigns — Add unique numbers to track leads from local landing pages, translated brochures, social media assets, etc.

Top Countries and Languages for Content Localization

According to the Globalization and Localization Association, the most popular target languages for content translation (from English) include:

• French
• Italian
• German
• Portuguese
• Spanish
• Japanese
• Korean
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Dutch
• Turkish
• Polish
• Russian

The top five languages (French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Spanish) cover five major regions. Italian and German are official languages in multiple European countries besides their countries of origin. Similarly, Spanish and French variants are used in multiple countries across the globe.

Portuguese lets you tap into the ever-growing Brazilian economy — the largest country in South America — and offers access to other countries such as Portugal, Macau, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and more.

Now, compare that with the World Bank’s top economies in 2021 (excluding countries whose dominant language is English – US, UK, Canada, Australia):

The most translated languages cover countries whose economies are thriving and where populations continue to grow.

Additionally, among nearly 200 countries, FocusEconomics predicts that Guyana, Macau, Fiji, Niger, and Libya are expected to grow the fastest between 2022-2026. So, if you plan to tap into these emerging economies, you might consider the following languages:

• Guyana – English
• Macau – Chinese / Portuguese
• Fiji – Fijian / Fiji Hindi
• Niger – Arabic
• Libya – Libyan Arabic

The real question is: What regions benefit your specific business? And what languages can help you expand to these areas?

Related: Top 8 Countries for Global Expansion in 2023

Content Components: Where & How to Localize

Now, what parts of your content should you localize? This depends on the type of brand content you work with and the purpose for localizing.

For example, you can localize some parts of your content — create a few articles in target languages — if you only want to build brand awareness. But if you want global customers to sign up and make purchases, then you will need to do more such as translate product, pricing, and checkout pages and include local contact information. In other words, create content that converts.

Generally speaking, here are some content categories to consider within your localization strategy:

Brand and company content

• Homepage, ‘About Us,’ ‘Mission,’ ‘Our Team,’ and similar brand pages
• Local and international certifications
• Service area
• Schema markup to establish status as a local business

Marketing content

• Country-specific product pages
• Blogs and articles
• Landing pages
• Country- or region-specific product names and terminology
• Pricing and checkout pages
• Currency format and currencies accepted
• Local and international payment modes accepted
• Visuals like graphics, infographics, and video

Contact information

• Full local address
• ZIP or equivalent
• GPS information (if possible, embed directions or map)
• Local phone numbers with international codes
• Local email addresses
• Hours of operation in local format (if applicable)
• Language-driven global support teams

Technical and support content

• Product descriptions and documentation
• FAQs and Knowledge Bases
• How-to content and user manuals
• Troubleshooting tips

Legal content

• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy policies
• Disclaimers
• Local regulations and requirements
• Other important and relevant policies

UX and system content

• Platform or dashboard UX (login buttons, navigation bars, CTA buttons, etc.)
• Form entries
• Number formats, and so on.

Developing a Content Localization Strategy

With that foundation, let’s look at what goes into developing and executing a content localization strategy. We’ll cover the following:

1. Research and plan ahead
2. Create a global brand
3. Select target markets & languages
4. Design a content localization workflow
5. Hire the necessary vendors (choose the right translation agency and use localization tools)
6. Start localizing!

1. Research and Plan Ahead

As with any new project, you first need to research. Understand what you are going to do and why you are doing it. This will help inform your strategy and get buy-in from key stakeholders.

It is during this phase that you decide how exactly your teams will go about localizing content:

• What countries and markets do you want to target?
• Which departments will benefit from localization? (sales, support, marketing)
• How much do you want to invest? Low vs high-impact content — Only a few blog posts or your entire library? Advertising campaigns, legal documents, videos as well?
• What types and aspects of content do you want to localize?
• Which teams will be involved in the project? Who will manage which languages or types of content?
• Do you want to work with external vendors like translation services? Or, will you manage this in-house?
• Where will the translated content reside? Will you create a separate website or add a subdomain to your existing website?
• Do you want this content to rank in local search engines? Who will conduct keyword and content research for local SEO purposes?
• What’s the total budget for such a project – cost and time-wise? And so on.

“The most important thing before localizing your content is to plan well and ahead, keeping the end result in mind. Identify and study your target market and proceed accordingly. Content localization can be challenging as it goes beyond just translation. Partnering with the right localization agency can make the process easier and deliver high-quality results.” — Nikita Agarwal, Director and Head of Growth, Milestone Localization.

2. Create a Global Brand

Before you start localization and translating content, it is important to establish yourself as a global business. In other words, take time to develop your global brand and tone of voice. Your brand voice is how you communicate and connect with your target audience. And this is what sets you apart from other competitors in your space.

But why do you need to establish or re-evaluate your brand voice for localization? Because your company is entering new markets and cultures. What may work in one country may not in another. And on some rare occasions, it may even come across as offensive in another country. Your content must speak a neutral language free of regional connotations or metaphors.

Additionally, you want to ensure that all brand communication is kosher and within your brand tone like logo design and other elements. And this becomes more important when you hire vendors or freelancers to translate and localize your content. Having brand and editorial guidelines ensures that everyone is on the same page about your brand and its professional voice.

3. Select Target Markets & Languages

As you’ve seen above, there are many countries and languages to include in your content localization strategy. However, they may not all make sense for your particular business. You need to identify which markets will bring you the traffic you desire.

So, pay attention to your incoming customers. Where do most of your customers come from? Are there any adjacent countries you can target with the same customer base? For example, if you have customers from South America and the US who speak Spanish, it would be worth investing in Spanish content. Then repurpose and localize the same content to target potential prospects in Spain and neighboring EU countries.

The same strategy can be applied to starting fresh in a new market. Say you want to expand your presence in the EU and want to start with France. You can use French to target multiple countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. And, you can repurpose that content for other French-speaking countries in African and American markets.

Now, keep in mind that localizing this content also means providing local support. So, you will need local numbers and multilingual support teams to help customers interested after reading your localized content.

So, take time to decide where you want to expand your business and whether you can afford to follow it up with multilingual support.

Related: Top 8 Tips to Creating a Multilingual IVR

4. Design a Content Localization Workflow

At its basic level, a content localization workflow will look like this with a translation agency:

1. Identify content to translate and localize
2. Assign to employee/vendor
3. Settle on key terminology and brand voice
4. Translate and transcreate (creative translation to make the text coherent and relevant)
5. Review by local native
6. Review by project manager
7. Proofread, finalize, and publish

If you plan to translate internally, then your workflow will be slightly different. For an in-house content localization strategy, here are some best practices:

1. Decide which keywords to target and which keywords should be retained in the original language, translated, or transliterated (written in the script of the target language)
2. Use native speakers to be regionally specific in your translations; don’t entirely rely on Google Translate
3. Plan how to handle difficult terminology (such as product names, technical or legal terms, etc.)
4. Review by someone who speaks the language natively
5. Proofread, finalize, and publish

Create a content localization workflow that makes sense for your business and update it to improve efficiency.

5. Hire the Necessary Vendors

Once your workflow is designed, you can start hiring or assigning the necessary people.

If you’re doing this internally, brief your employees/teams about the project’s purpose and how they will contribute. Then, assign them content to be localized and get to work.

If you want to outsource your translation efforts, then you’ll need to find the right vendors and tools

1. Choose the Right Translation Agency

Here are some factors to consider when hiring localization and translation services:

• Has the necessary qualifications such as ISO 17100 certification specific to translation services
  • “Industry certifications like ISO are important because legal clients need to know that their documents are classified” – Gunnar Hallgrimsson, Business Development Manager at Directum Translations
• Supports multiple languages and language combinations (for example: different dialects of Spanish)
• Provides confidentiality assurance, if needed
  • “It helps clients to know that when they send their documents over, those documents are being held securely” – Gunnar
• Works with native translators having domain expertise
• Familiar with your industry and has worked with similar clients in the past
• Has a dedicated project team to manage the translation process

2. Use Localization Tools

There are many solutions that centralize content production, marketing, advertising, and outreach efforts, even for localization. Here are some types of content localization tools to consider:

• Self-translation services
• Translation management systems
• Translation memory
• Glossary
• Language switcher plug-ins
• Automatic website localization software
• Multi-currency plug-ins
• Schema markup
• Geo-targeting
• Local and international SEO tools
• Keyword research and rank-tracking tools
• Quality assurance tools
• Local phone numbers
• Integrations
• Analytics and reports

Related: How to Display International Contact Phone Numbers on Your Website?

6. Start Localizing

With all the right steps in place, you’re ready to launch your content localization strategy and start communicating with a wider, global audience.

Localizing content like this does take a few weeks to a month, depending on the size of your project. And the results will follow through shortly once you have everything set up. It’s a good idea to use analytics and metrics to gauge the success of your localization efforts. Local and international SEO and marketing analytics tools can provide you with this data and information.

How Can Global Call Forwarding Help?

We at Global Call Forwarding understand the struggles that come with growing a global business. We also know how international revenue can support the future of such a business. After all, we’ve grown into a global business since United World Telecom – our sister company – formed 26 years ago.

Now, we help other businesses achieve their global expansion goals by providing cloud communication solutions.

Learn more about how we can support your business or browse through the features and services we offer on our website. To get a more customized plan, speak with our telecom experts; call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us today!

It seems pretty straightforward, right? Display your phone number on your website, so customers know how to call your business for support or sales. But, what if you have multiple phone numbers? Or, international phone numbers for different office locations? What is the best way to ensure customers know which number to call for a reliable and good caller experience?

In this article, we’ll go over various ways your business can display international phone numbers on your website, along with visual examples.

Displaying International Phone Numbers on Your Website

So, why do you need to pay attention to how you display your international phone numbers?

If you’re not intentional in where and how you place your business phone numbers on the website, customers may find it difficult to contact you. And this is especially true for those with international clientele. A global business has multiple target locations. So, when you don’t indicate which number goes to which country, customers may end up calling the wrong location. Or, they may not call your business at all to avoid the trouble, resulting in low customer satisfaction and even customer loss.

And so, when displaying your international phone numbers on your website, you want to highlight which location, office, department, and number format customers should follow. This makes the information accessible, enabling customers to contact your business without any issues.

Now, let’s look at some ways to display your international numbers online:

1. International Websites

Most global businesses have different websites for their international audiences. More plainly, they convert (or localize) their main website to meet the different cultural and language needs of their target countries. This is a strategy a lot of international businesses use to localize their web content and make it accessible to a global audience.

So, if your business is xyz.com, the Spanish website for your Spanish-speaking customers would be xyz.com/es, while the French website for your customers in the European country would be xyz.com/fr.

If you have such websites (or plan to build them out in the future), they make for the perfect place to display your country-specific phone number. In other words, display your Spain toll-free or local number on your Spanish website and the France phone number on your French website.

Web visitors will choose the language they prefer, which is usually their national language. So, they will navigate to that version of your website. And here, they will find the right international number to call your business or your regional team.

Learn more about the different types of numbers you can get in our Guide to International Phone Numbers.

2. Phone Number Dropdown Menu

Now, suppose you have more than 4-5 international phone numbers for all your target regions but don’t want to create separate international websites for each. In that case, you will need a simpler solution to display your numbers.

Here’s where a phone number dropdown menu can come to the rescue:

Depending on your website’s creation, you can place this phone number dropdown menu on the top-right side of your homepage or contact page. Either way, choose a location that customers commonly navigate to find help. Then, add your various numbers along with the name of the region. You may even include country flags if desired.

3. ‘Contact Us’ Page with List

Another option for businesses with many international phone numbers is to list all their numbers on the ‘Contact Us’ page. Here, they can create a chart or table with numbers for every country and even include calling instructions and formats.

You can also add instructions related to different departments. This way, customers calling know exactly how to get to the right team quickly, making your business responsive.

4. ‘Contact Us’ Page Highlighting Global Offices

For a more visually appealing alternative to the list, you can simply include information about all your global offices and locations on your ‘Contact Us’ page. Here, you don’t only provide the phone number, but also the address. This is a great way to display your international phone numbers if you have local offices in these regions.

Some businesses even combine the two — they have a short list of numbers on the top and then include addresses further down the page. In any case, you’re free to play around with the design of your ‘Contact Us’ page. However, the crucial thing is that web visitors are able to quickly find what they need without having to dive deep into your website.

5. Phone Numbers for Different Departments

Now, if you have different international contact phone numbers for various departments, you’ll want to make that information easily available as well.

The trick with this format is to be concise and clear. Too many numbers and too much information can easily lead to confusion. You must make it easy for customers to find the department they need for their country in just a few steps or scrolls. More than that, and you’ve lost them.

Carefully Decide How to Display International Contact Phone Numbers

How you display your international phone numbers on your website directly impacts how many customers and prospects contact your company. If they find it hard to call you, they may choose a different company to do business with. So, take time to decide what’s the best way to showcase your phone numbers in a way that makes sense for your customers.

Want to learn more about international phone numbers and how to improve call connections? Our experts and consultants at Global Call Forwarding can help! Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.

More than 76% of consumers prefer phone calls for support interactions. This means your business needs a way to offer reliable and convenient voice communication to customers worldwide. In other words, you need the right business phone number, whether your customers are local or international.

There are a few different types of international phone numbers that businesses can use to expand their global reach and provide reliable and uninterrupted service.

To choose the right international phone number, you must first understand the different types of business phone numbers available.

Understanding the Different International Phone Number Types for Business

So, how do you choose which international phone number type is right for your business?

Here are some things to consider before buying an international number for business communication:

• Which countries do you want to communicate with? Where will customers call from?
• What is the purpose of these numbers? Global customer support, an internal help desk, sales, etc.
• How can you expand internationally cost-effectively?
• Can you conduct business operations virtually?
• Do you want to establish local points of presence with a physical office and in-house staff?
• How easy do you want to make it for customers to reach your business?

You can learn more in our Guide to International Phone Numbers.

Based on these questions, you’ll have a better idea of your phone number needs. Now, let’s have a look at the different types of international phone numbers, along with:

• How each number type works
• International phone number format
• Pros and cons
• Relevant documentation information

Related: Learn about Phone Number Regulatory Compliance

1. Local Phone Numbers (Geographic Numbers)

Local phone numbers are virtual numbers with area codes assigned to particular towns or cities in a country. These local numbers – like national and mobile, and unlike toll-free numbers – can be reached from outside the country as well.

Businesses can have geographic numbers that are tied to specific cities. These are charged at the rate of a local call. They’re good for establishing a local presence overseas, as they enable your business to have an in-country appearance.

Companies can also use local phone numbers as employees’ direct numbers and for more localized campaigns.

Example of a local phone number: 561-xxx-xxxx, where 561 is the Boca Raton, Florida area code or 020-4xxx-xxxx, where 204 is the London area code.

2. Toll-Free Numbers

Toll-free numbers are free for callers. In other words, toll-free numbers are free to dial, so the recipient pays for these calls.

These numbers add credibility to businesses (especially for small-to-medium companies) as they present a more comfortable, reliable, and accessible calling solution for customers and prospects. As such, toll-free numbers are ideal for sales, support, and internal help desk hotlines.

However, these numbers can only be reached from within the specified country. And so, they’re not ideal if your company wants to have a single business phone number for multiple countries.

Cloud phone service providers also offer international toll-free numbers. Businesses can get these for different countries and forward incoming calls to desired destinations worldwide. Callers from those countries can call the company for free.

Example of a toll-free phone number: 1-888-xxx-xxxx, where 1-888 is a US and Canada toll-free code.

3. Local 2-Way Numbers

Local 2-way voice is a cloud telephony service that lets users make outbound calls with a local phone number while displaying an in-country caller ID. In other words, this solution ensures that calls made from your local number are guaranteed to reach—even if you’re not calling from within that country or region—and will show that region’s local caller ID. Since these are local phone numbers, they will adhere to country and region-specific local phone number formats.

Example of a local 2-way number: 03 9xxx-xxxx, where 39 is the Melbourne, Australia area code

4. National Numbers

National numbers are similar to local numbers, except they’re not tied to a specific city. However, you can use these numbers to establish your business presence in a country. In other words, they help you develop a more nationwide presence instead of a citywide presence. These numbers are usually reachable from anywhere in the world.

Example of a national number: 0330-xxx-xxxx, where 330 is the national code of the UK.

5. Mobile Numbers

Mobile numbers are like cell phone numbers. They’re reachable from anywhere in the world, and some even have incoming SMS capabilities.

What sets mobile numbers apart is that they work very well as employees’ direct phone numbers. Employees can include this business contact number in their sales pitches, support outreach, and email signatures to encourage more connections.

Example of a mobile number: 0xxx-xxx-xxx for Australia mobile numbers.

Choosing Your International Business Number

Business phone numbers are important for developing strong relationships with your customers, prospects, and vendors.

As you can see, there are a few different ways to integrate international phone numbers into your communication stack. Even if you already have a business number, you can use other international numbers to target new markets and extend your support coverage.

Check out our Country Coverage to see if we cover your target countries.

Still unsure what’s the right choice for your business? Our experts and consultants at Global Call Forwarding can help you find the perfect solution for your communication needs. Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.

Businesses that experience any type of downtime face the risk of financial penalties, reputational damage, loss of customers, and more.

And with 1 in 5 organizations reporting that they experienced a severe outage in the past 3 years, it’s more important than ever to fortify your business’ systems and processes.

You can build your business’ reliability by implementing backup power sources, internet connections, network devices, phone lines, and redundant routing strategies.

In this article, we will cover the basics of redundant routing, including its definition, importance, how it works, and so on.

Redundant Routing Meaning

Redundant routing is a failover strategy that ensures every call connects by rerouting traffic to alternate destinations if the primary one fails.

For this reason, it is also commonly referred to as failover forwarding or failover routing.

Voice redundancy is the method of installing backup systems and protocols in case your main phone network fails. And redundant routing plays an integral role in this process by increasing your phone system’s availability and reliability.

How Does Redundant Routing Work?

Many businesses use call routing technology to effectively direct and distribute all calls to teams and locations. But what happens when your main office doesn’t answer due to high call volumes, system outages, or a crisis?

Enter: redundant routing.

Once a call fails to connect to your initial destination, redundant routing redirects the call to another phone line or location based on your preset rules.

Most failover forwarding services also allow you to select the amount of time the call rings at each location and the ringing strategy (random, sequential, or simultaneous).

If, for some reason, none of your backup destinations connect, you can loop the forwarding sequence to try each location again or simply route calls to your voicemail.

With every alternate call pathway you add, you increase your phone system’s geo-redundancy and the overall reliability of your business communication.

Example:

Let’s say your primary location (Office A) experiences a power outage due to inclement weather in the area. When an incoming call attempts to connect to this location, it will ring for 15 seconds. When no one answers, the system determines the call failed at Office A.

So, redundant routing takes over, and forwards calls sequentially to the first phone number (Team B) based on your preset rules. The call again rings for 15 seconds. If this location fails, it forwards to the next destination on your list (Call Center C).

And it repeats the same steps until the call successfully connects or routes to voicemail.

Why is Redundancy Important in Business Communication?

Voice communication remains a prominent channel, with more than 76% of consumers reporting a preference for phone calls for support interactions. This means you must ensure your business phone network is always available to customers. And with failover forwarding, you can do just that.

Here’s why this service is important for business communication:

• Ensures all incoming calls connect, so you don’t miss lucrative opportunities.
• Routes calls automatically when lines are busy or inoperable.
• Decreases the number of lost or dropped calls.
• Fails over to any IP-enabled device located anywhere in the world.
• Connects multiple locations, teams, devices, etc.
• Maximizes your business’ productivity.
• Protects against phone service disruptions when redundant routing is included in your disaster recovery plan.
• Maintains business continuity during crises.
• Lets you build reliability and uptime within your phone service.
• Assures quick response rates and increases connectivity.
• Improves caller experience by increasing your service’s availability.

How to Get Started?

With redundant routing in place, you can rest easy knowing that your business network is prepared for disruptions. However, it is essential to note that this feature is only as reliable as the provider you select.

So, look for a provider with high-availability infrastructure with an uptime of 99.999% or more.

Start by reviewing each service’s network reliability by ensuring they include multiple points of presence (PoPs) and data centers as well as customizable redundant routing options. Inquire about:

• How they prevent network disruptions
• What happens to call traffic if their service fails
• Do they have backup routing for their network
• And if they have recovery plans in place

Once you find a reliable provider that fits your needs, sign up for the service and set up failover routing for your business.

Redundant Routing with Global Call Forwarding

Global Call Forwarding delivers cloud phone services to businesses around the world. Our service includes failover capabilities like redundant routing as well as other advanced communication features.

We’ve built a reliable and high-availability network through long-term relationships with telecom carriers and local partners. And when adding new vendors, we carefully evaluate whether they comply with our strict reliability and quality requirements.

We also have multiple PoPs across the Americas and APAC as well as a 99.999% uptime guarantee.

On top of that, Global Call Forwarding offers 24/7 support and a dedicated account manager for every user, so you always receive help when you need it.

Ready to get started? Sign up online or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171.

SIP trunking delivers cloud communication capabilities and improved functionality to your existing phone system in an affordable and easy-to-use way. And with the right provider, you can even boost the reliability and quality of your phone network.

So, how do you choose the right SIP trunk service for your specific needs? Here we list the top 9 SIP trunk providers in Ireland with information on features and pricing.

Choose the Best SIP Trunk Provider in Ireland

You’ll find many providers offering Ireland SIP trunking services. To choose the best SIP provider in Ireland, start by identifying your budget and communication requirements. Then, research and compare multiple services. This helps you find the right solution for your specific needs. And it ensures you have access to uninterrupted and high-quality voice services.

What to Look for in SIP Providers?

When researching for a new global SIP provider, look for:

• Availability of cloud phone numbers and voice solutions in target regions
• Range of features included within the plan as well as premium features and services
• Different pricing and payment options (look for volume discounts and competitive pricing)
• Long-term contract requirements and hidden fees (set up, one-time, cancellation, minimum, etc.)
• Easy-to-use online control panel or dashboard
• 24/7 responsive customer support

List of Ireland SIP Trunk Providers

Here’s a list of Ireland providers that offer SIP trunking and other voice solutions to local and international businesses. We’ve listed down the features offered and pricing information.

*Note: Costs mentioned in this article are current at the time of publishing and may be subject to changes.

Global Call Forwarding: A SIP Trunk Provider for Ireland

Keep an open mind when browsing through different Ireland SIP trunk providers. After all, this service determines how well your business communicates with its customers and prospects.

Want to learn more about our service? Global Call Forwarding is an Ireland SIP trunk provider offering SIP trunking solutions to businesses across the world. Find out more by chatting with our experts or requesting a demo! Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online!

With the growing demand for follow-the-sun service, more and more businesses are looking for a way to boost their accessibility. Establishing an after-hours phone service is a great way for your business to meet customer expectations.

So, in this article, we’ll cover everything from defining after-hours service to walking you through how to set it up.

What is an After-hours Phone Service?

An after-hours phone service helps businesses remain accessible to customers and prospects outside regular business hours. It consists of time-based call routing rules that automatically direct callers to an alternate destination during predetermined times.

As such, callers receive service and assistance at their convenience – even if your business is closed. This also means you can easily provide global customer support without operating on a 24-hour schedule or asking employees to work the graveyard shift.

How Can Businesses Benefit?

Customers these days expect businesses to provide round-the-clock service and support options. Luckily, with after-hours routing, you can do just that. But how does boosting your accessibility benefit your company? Let’s take a look.

• Improve caller experience by expanding your availability. This way, customers always receive service and support at their preferred time of day.

• Increase retention rates by establishing a consistent communication method. Since callers can always get a hold of you, it deters them from contacting competitors instead. And it increases both customer trust and loyalty, as you are always available when needed.

• Generate more leads and boost sales by avoiding missed or unanswered calls. This way, you never miss an opportunity to identify valuable leads or drive conversions.

How to Set Up an After-hours Phone Service for Your Business

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s go over the process of creating an after-hours phone service for your business. We’ll break it down into 3 simple steps:

1. Get a Call Routing Service
2. Configure Time-Based Routing Rules
3. Test Your Service

1. Get a Call Routing Solution

Setting up an after-hours phone service begins with getting a call routing solution. Since many different providers offer business hour routing services, comparing each option to your communication needs is essential.

To determine if a provider is right for your business, consider the following factors:

• Experience in telecommunications
• Pricing options within your budget
• Setup or installation fees
• Activation times
• Other available services and features that improve efficiency (besides call routing)
• Uptime guarantee and service reliability
• Customer support options

Once you’ve found a provider that matches your requirements, sign up for their service and wait for it to activate.

2. Configure Time-Based Routing Rules

Since many call routing services are entirely customizable, there are a few different ways you can equip time-based routing. Naturally, how you configure these rules depends on your specific needs and chosen provider.

Those using Global Call Forwarding for their after-hours phone service can configure routing rules in their online control panel. From there, you can set up time-of-day call routing one of two ways – using our advanced routing capability or creating rules in the IVR manager.

The advanced routing feature allows users to set up after-hours rules based on:

• days of the week
• times during the day
• start and end dates (if applicable).

And you can forward all incoming calls to one or multiple other locations. This is a great option for those looking for a simple setup process that routes callers directly to another line.

Here’s an example of an after-hours routing configured through our advanced routing feature:

On the other hand, setting up an after-hours service through our IVR manager allows you to create a more complex phone service. You can add announcements, decide what happens if a call fails, establish waiting periods, and much more. This is great for those looking for a more customizable solution.

Here’s an example of an after-hours phone service configured through our IVR manager:

After deciding on a configuration method, you must choose where you want to forward calls coming in outside business hours. This decision will depend on your business structure and resources. But, here are some options to consider when determining where to route your after-hours calls:

• Distributed teams such as remote or international personnel
• Offshore call centers and BPOs
• Answering or receptionist services

3. Test Your Service

Once you’ve configured your routing rules, it’s important to test your after-hours phone service. This way, you know it works as intended. And if there are any bugs, you can fix them before they become a problem for callers.

Launch Your After-hours Service with Global Call Forwarding

Ready to set up your after-hours phone service? You can get time-based routing with any pricing plan from Global Call Forwarding. And since all of our solutions are cloud-based, you benefit from their affordability, flexibility, and scalability.

If you need additional help creating custom routing rules or setting up an after-hours routing, chat with us online or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171. We’re here to help!