Telephone systems have been a core part of business operations for decades, to the extent that many people cannot conceive of carrying out daily business operations without their benefit. The internet has revolutionised many aspects of modern business, but phone systems are still as vital as ever - though that's not to say they have remained static and unchanging in the digital age.

Many businesses now make effective use of mobile and wireless technology in their telecommunications services, whether it's receiving important calls on their trusty handsets or working remotely on smartphones, laptops and other devices. However, even if you restrict your horizons to the physical office itself, there are still many different options when it comes to choosing your business phone line.

Landlines still mainly use traditional copper wires to send and receive signals, and these same cables can be used for a company's broadband service too. Although there are limitations to this type of phone line, most evident in the sound quality and lag when speaking over long distances, the relative cheapness and wide availability of landlines makes them a common presence in many offices of all sizes.

For some companies however, copper cables belong in the 20th century, and the greatest advantages are to be found when combining business broadband and phone systems to send and receive calls over the internet. These Internet Protocol (IP) phone services piggy-back phone calls over existing broadband networks, and can offer a number of advantages over standard phone lines - not least in terms of price, which can make calling overseas noticeably cheaper.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls also tend to be of higher audio quality, and the technology includes unique features such as video conferencing and file sharing, which can be of particular benefit to companies conducting important business over long distances. If you don't feel like talking into your computer microphone, specialised VoIP headsets and handsets are available, to accurately reproduce the authentic telephone experience.

Even if you do choose to use standard copper cables, that doesn't mean your business needs to settle for second best. Depending on the business phone package you select, you could benefit from a significant number of features to add value to your phone system, from common features like voicemail and call forwarding to advanced services such as conference calls. If a large number of employees will be sharing your network, you may also wish to look for phone systems that offer unlimited connections.

Clint Starr writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.