Businesses should consider introducing VoIP hardware from phone manufacturers Avaya and Cicso, according to experts. Ace Winget, technology correspondent at ezinearticles.com, highlighted the merits of introducing phones from the two rival firms.

Avaya phones are relatively inexpensive and provide easy access to high-quality conference calls.

They are ideal for smaller businesses due to the low start-up costs and they would not be affected by the limited amount of phone extensions available, Mr Winget said.

Cisco VoIP hardware, on the other hand, offers an unlimited amount of phones for larger companies, while they also have videoconferencing features which are not available on Avaya handsets.

Mr Winget expressed his belief that, whichever phone is chosen, businesses should plan for future expansion.

He said: "You want to stay within your budget, but still getting the most that you can. It is also important to know your company's current size and estimated future growth."

The basic Avaya model is available for around £51, while the lowest price Cisco handset costs £66.