As never before, businesses that wish to be successful in a global environment require a global presence. And, as never before, that means global organisations need secure simple, streamlined communications to enable an increasingly mobile global workforce to collaborate successfully. And what better means for mobility than voice over internet protocol (VoIP)?
VoIP is the use of an internet connection to deliver high quality voice calls through a VoIP service provider that connects the call to the traditional fixed-line network.
Public networks, and fixed-line operators, are now increasingly transitioning to VoIP to leverage the potential of internet technology. For business, the key potential of VoIP technology lies in its ability to enable voice traffic to be carried over networks in the same manner as data traffic.
Voice and data convergence are the latest buzzwords to be creating a substantial impact in the business arena today. By leveraging the potential of VoIP businesses are able to converge their voice and data networks in a single structure. As well as the obvious cost efficiency implications, this also has significant implications in terms of the added value functionality that data networks can provide, as well as overall network control. IP telephony - telephony built on VoIP - is therefore the key concern for business users considering the move to IP.
When comparing IP-based communications systems to historic systems, it is important to realise what a fundamental shift in approach this demands. The most important factor for consideration is that fixed line legacy telephone systems are closed, proprietary systems with limited intelligence. They can only enable one service: voice, and client devices (phones) are hardwired to the infrastructure, making any amendments, additions or other changes to the overall infrastructure (whether that is new phones for new users, or change of numbers) very difficult to achieve.
IP PBXs, however, are open systems (computer servers) that process telephony signals in the same way as data. IP PBXs and their client devices (IP phones, PCs or notebook PCs) connect to the network, and calls can follow users around the network and other IP networks in the same way as email does. What's more, the client devices can be wireless as well as wireline so the medium could hardly be more flexible.
The potential of IP-based communication is therefore essentially about building flexibility into all forms of communication, as well as unifying communications on a single platform. Perhaps most importantly, it's about building flexibility on which to build future business operations, as well as to improve business efficiency today.
Pull your business out of the dark ages by future proofing your business communications. A converged solution is light on the balance sheet, but reaps in benefits for your business.
Mohammed Khan is chief executive of YCV Business Telecoms For more information visit www.YCVBusiness.com [1]