Essential Digital Communications and Networking Gear for a Small Business

When establishing an office for a small business a key aspect of your planning should focus on the right communications gear. Few parts of your business will be as mission-critical as the right devices for maintaining close contact with customers, business associates, suppliers, and other vital links in your supply and distribution chain. By ensuring you have the right equipment in place from day one you can help avoid costly communications glitches down the road.

While web-based communication technology is arguably the single most important recent addition to the office equipment suite, earlier forms of outreach continue to play key roles. First and foremost is the phone system. Just about every office of any size will need a multi-line phone system including a personnel directory feature, individual voicemail accounts, and handsets equipped with hold, transfer, and quick dial rolodex functions.

A new type of phone service that could offer substantial savings over traditional telecom providers is VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP phone systems route phone calls via the same Internet connections used for web browsing and email, and cost far less than other phone systems, particularly for businesses that make frequent long distance and overseas phone calls.

Another crucial but sometimes underestimated communication system is the fax. For many legally binding documents requiring signatures or other official authorization, faxing remains the fastest accepted form of transmission. In addition to stand-alone fax machines, there are now web-based fax services available that allow you to send and receive faxes through your email account. In fact, it's likely that in the future fax features will be increasingly bundled into email services and be considered an extension of email rather than a separate technology.

Selecting and Installing an Office Phone System

A key piece of any business's technology base is a dependable telephone system. Though phones are now complemented by Internet applications such as email and the World Wide Web, they still serve as a vital connection to customers, suppliers, and business associates for almost every business you can name. And with the growing confluence of web-based and telephone technologies, it has recently become possible to operate an office telephone network via the same Internet connection that handles web and email traffic.

Internet telephone systems are referred to as VoIP phone systems, which stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol". Instead of connecting to standard phone jacks used by conventional phone lines, VoIP phones send their signals through the same cables and routing systems used to transmit web and email data. In so doing they conveniently circumvent all the subscription fees assessed by telecom providers and thus are substantially more affordable than other telecom services. As a result, VoIP is now one of the fastest expanding sectors in the telecom industry, spearheaded by innovative services such as Skype.

In addition to Skype, other telecom vendors to consider when shopping for an office phone system include Avaya, Lucent, Panasonic, Mitel and Nortel. Important factors to keep in mind when procuring a telephone service include how many incoming lines and phone numbers will be needed, its voicemail functionality, its expansion readiness to provide additional lines down the road, and the types of wireless, mobile, or VoIP features your business will require.

Setting up a phone system can appear challenging, especially for a small business moving into its very first office space. The good news is it's easy to find telecom consultants and specialized online. Try a B-to-B networking service like BuyerZone, search professional networks like Linked In, or check listings on eBay for cheap phone system telephone package deals.

Procuring a LCD or DLP Projector? Be Sure to Know Your Options

An essential communications technology for many workplaces is the digital projector, which allows the projection of computer images onto a large screen for easy viewing by a business audience. Presentation of PowerPoint files, charts, and other graphical data would be impossible without a way to show them in this type of large format.

If you're shopping for a Mac or PC-compatible projector for corporate presentations, seminars, and trade events, you'll want to begin your research by considering projector models from such top brands as InFocus, Optoma, Sharp, Sony, Dell and Toshiba.

You'll also discover there are different types of projector technology to choose from. The main varieties of digital projector currently available are LCD (liquid crystal display) and DLP (digital light processing) projectors. Both projection methods will produce a clear, legible screen image, though DLP projectors have some advantages in the precise shading of the projected images. But both types will get the job done, and for many purchasers the choice between the two comes down to a preference based on cost and brand.

Projectors are also widely used in home theater systems to project movies, DVDs and other video content, and with a ceiling mounted projector it's possible to create your own cinema-style screening room in the comfort of your home. For those outfitting a home office, the chance to watch movies as well as project business presentations with their digital projector may make it an absolute must-have piece of equipment!

Comparison Shopping for Copy Machines and Multifunction Desktop Devices

A crucial part of any office equipment suite is a reliable copier capable of producing high-quality reproductions of important company documents. Copy machines can be equally useful around the house, providing quick copies of bills, legal records, insurance information, medical forms, and other personal paperwork for your files or correspondence.

Copiers range in size from large freestanding machines occupying several square feet of floor space, to small desktop models. The largest, most advanced copy machines include functions for organizing bulk copy jobs of hundreds or even thousands of pages, such as collaters, automated paper feeders, and even staplers. Handy features like these can dramatically speed up the process of preparing a lengthy presentation for multiple readers.

Even compact desktop copiers come with an impressive array of time-saving options. For example, multifunction desktop devices combine copiers, printers, scanners and even fax machines in one compact package, allowing you to handle key copying, printing, and communication tasks with one convenient gadget.

If you're in the market for a copier, it's a good idea to start your search with models from the leading manufacturers, such as Canon, Ricoh, Xerox, Minolta, and Sharp. While you'll find plenty of great deals on brand new copiers at retail sites like Amazon.com, keep in mind that you can also save a lot by acquiring a used or refurbished copy machine instead. Check the auction listings at eBay to find out current prices on used copiers - you may be able to save a bundle while getting a copy machine that's every bit as reliable as the latest model.

Desktop Fax Machines vs Internet Fax Services: What's Right for Your Office?

Sending a fax was once the fastest method for getting printed materials from one place to another. Now, in the Internet age, faxin has a lot of competition in the form of email attachments, websites, and software - but it still plays an important role in business communication, particularly when it comes to official documents with signatures, notary stamps or other legal certification.

Fax technology has come a long way from the first simple fax machines. For instance, web-based fax services including eFax, MyFax and CallWave let you do all your faxing with email and secure websites. Incoming faxes are sent directly to your email account, and outgoing faxes can be sent out as email attachments as well. In addition to providing paperless convenience, online fax services save you a lot of space you'd otherwise need for a bulky fax machine.

Another selling point of online fax services is that they allow you to set up your own dedicated local or toll-free fax number, so you won't tie up your existing phone line when faxing. And because your faxes will be stored on a secure website, you'll be able view them from any computer with Internet access.

If you're in the market for a fax machine, the most innovative models offer a number of functions in one. Manufacturers such as Brother, Canon, and Sharp offer machines with functions including copiers, printers and scanners in addition to fax capabilities. So you'll be able to scan in a document, print out a high-quality copy, save the file to your computer, and then send it out by fax, all with a single machine. Equally impressive, these multi-function machines won't cost you much more than a stand-alone laser printer or desktop copier.

Once you've selected the fax solution that suits your needs best, you're just a few clicks away from great deals on shopping sites like Amazon and eBay, and affordable online services such as eFax, MyFax and CallWave. With the power of the web at your fingertips, finding the right fax system has never been easier!