Associate Announcement: Protecting your firm from internet phone hackers

Once considered an alternative telephony solution, VoIP (voice over internet protocol) is now a mainstream technology used by an increasing number of businesses due to its superior features and competitive pricing.

With VoIP technology comes a far bigger price for your firm to pay should the phone solution remain unencrypted and vulnerable to potential security risks from clever internet hackers.

During the course of a telephone call, sensitive information is divulged either in spoken voice or in the key tones, known as DTMF tones, used to signal key presses.

Many businesses do not fully appreciate this risk, having been sold a telephone solution that at first seemed cheaper and superior, but often doesn't have the necessary encryption required to protect them from cyber crime.

Reeds Solicitors' approach

One of the leading criminal law firms in the Thames Valley has taken a forward-thinking approach to data security.

Like many businesses across the UK, Reeds Solicitors previously had a traditional analogue phone system. Following expansion into additional regions, an opportunity was identified to centralise their phone system by embracing VoIP technology to reduce costs and future-proof business growth, with phone security remaining a key concern.

Jan Matthews, Managing Director of Reeds Solicitors explains: "With expansion of our services and nine offices located across the South of the country, we have seen a significant increase in the amount of confidential and sensitive information handled by employees on a daily basis. It would clearly be detrimental if some of our sensitive data fell into the hands of cyber criminals, hence why we have invested in the very best telephony security, which also provides us with a cost-effective, scalable solution to support our continued business growth."

Radon Networks, the firm's technology partner since 2007, conducted a thorough review of VoIP suppliers and their technology before recommending Oxfordshire-based telecommunications specialist and supplier VoIP.co.uk.

VoIP.co.uk's SIP Encrypt is currently the only solution available in the UK to offer completely secure VoIP calls and has been recognised for its advanced technology by the industry's Security Excellence Awards, the first telephony company to become a finalist. It is also compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

Adam Crisp, Chief Technology Officer of Voip.co.uk, comments: "The majority of VoIP traffic over the Internet is unencrypted making it at risk from the possibility of eavesdropping. It is therefore vital that businesses take measures to ensure they are protected."

Through the adoption of secure VoIP telephony, Reeds Solicitors is embracing new technologies as well as benefitting from significant cost savings and greater flexibility to accommodate the firm's five-year growth plan.

Jan Matthews, Managing Director of Reeds Solicitors, concludes: "In addition to ensuring our phone system is completely compliant and safe, it was also important for us to have a unified phone system to create seamless communication between our nine different offices with a singular bill for all sites. An added bonus is a 50% cost saving in the first year and beyond, with the ability to quickly increase our telephone capacity should we decide to open a new office."

For further information about secure VoIP telephony, contact VoIP.co.uk: Tel: 01869 222500; Email: sales@voip.co.uk

Photo caption (from left to right): Adam Crisp, CTO, VoIP.co.uk; Jan Matthews, MD and Judy Matthews Practice Manager, Reeds Solicitors; Anj Latif, IT Consultant, Radon Networks.