More and more small businesses are cutting the cords and utilizing VoIP for their telephone service. Dozens of VoIP technology providers are continuing to push the envelope by adding useful features to these telecommunications systems that are powered by broadband internet.

This technology has been around for years, but the number of options and the level of quality has increased greatly. But how do you decide whether to move forward with VoIP?

Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages:

The Advantages:

• Cost savings compared to traditional landline service
• The features are fantastic and are continuing to improve
• Scalability doesn't require new costly hardware
• Customizable call screening and call forward rules
• Take your conversation from the office phone to your mobile phone

The Disadvantages:

• If the power goes out, the system is down (unless you have a generator)
• If your internet service is down, your VoIP system is also down
• Sound quality can be an issue if you don't have fast broadband service
• In an emergency, calling 911 does not work
• If you don't already have high speed broadband internet, it can be costly