The web has transformed the way we do business, with staggering amounts of money being spent online. However, the potential for businesses to reach international markets is often overlooked or dismissed, and even those who do embrace it often do not make full use of the tools available.

Trading internationally over the web goes way beyond having a multiple language website and corresponding via email, the world of broadband has brought us the tools to cut costs and engage in richer communications.

A technology that is growing hugely is voice over IP (VoIP), which allows voice conversations to be relayed over broadband connections.

VoIP providers are hugely competitive on price, particularly international calling, and generally, calls to other users of the service are free. What this means in practice is not only reduced international calling costs, but the ability to connect multiple international branches and talk to them free of charge.

VoIP also gives users the ability to take their own personal number with them when they travel and use it wherever there is an internet connection to make and receive telephone calls, offering huge cost savings over international mobile roaming calls.

The internet can be considered to be a faceless way to do business at times, however, with fast broadband connections commonplace, technologies such as video and audio conferencing are no longer jerky and poor quality.

High-quality video and audio can be streamed over broadband connections, allowing face-to-face meetings with clients and colleagues across the world, without the hassle, expense and time demands of international travel.

For any business concerned with downturn or increased competition in their particular sector, the many tools that broadband can offer will become highly valuable in reaching new markets both at home and internationally.