Global System for Mobile (GSM) was not only the first mobile telecommunications system in the world, but also the most popular. GSM is like the old man that was once the popular jock at high school. His looks have faded, the knees have given in a bit, and the six pack has turned into a serious dad bod — but his kids still think he is cool. But they’re teenagers now, so…

The reality is GSM is fast becoming outdated with the rise of a younger, fitter, more visionary voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP) technology.

Why VoIP is becoming more relevant than GSM

Compatibility with modern technology
While GSM is the OG (Original Gangsta) of mobile telecommunications and is still used today, it simply is not as compatible with modern technology as VoIP. More and more businesses are moving their technologies to the cloud. Having a GSM account as opposed to a VoIP account will limit your business capabilities.

Hardware needed
VoIP requires less hardware as new telephony integrates seamlessly with VoIP providers. VoIP can connect directly to your PBX, whereas the old-school GSM will need additional hardware to do the same thing. Less hardware means less costs.

Number porting
With VoIP, you can keep your fixed-line number (011, 010, 021) when porting. You can’t port a fixed-line number to a mobile GSM service. Imagine the headache and cost of new business contact details.

Connectivity
GSM will only work when there is mobile network coverage in the area, whereas VoIP does not rely on mobile coverage. Instead, it works with any Internet connection or with a dedicated line to a VoIP provider — there is no need for Internet at all in this case.

Call rates
Since VoIP call rates are governed by communications regulator Icasa’s interconnect call termination rates, they can be substantially reduced in comparison to GSM call rates. GSM call rates are governed by the fees charged from a variety of mobile network providers it has to connect with in order to make your call. Seriously, who wants to pay a higher phone bill?

Quality
The quality of a VoIP call exceeds that of a GSM call. This is based on the Mean Opinion Score (MOS — measures subjective call quality) for VoIP calls, which is 3.5 – 4.2 out of 5. GSM calls are scored 2.9 to 4.1 out of 5.

Scalability
An entire enterprise can have all their inbound and outbound calls routed from a single SIP trunk. One GSM Sim card can only support one call. VoIP allows you to utilise less equipment and produce a higher level of productivity.

Vox Voice Calling App – VOBI
VOBI is Vox’s voice calling application. It gives you a SIP account on your mobile phone, allowing you to call to, and from, anywhere in the world at reduced call rates. There is no need for roaming as VOBI runs over any Internet connection — not just mobile data. VOBI can connect to your company’s cloud-hosted PBX when the power goes out, when you travel for work or when you work from home, allowing calls to be accessed remotely and business to continue as usual.

Visit the Vox website to find out how you can level up your life and your business today with Vox’s VoIP application, VOBI.