Within the next few years, 75% of phone calls will be
made over an IP network. The converged network is here today. The
question for IT directors is not whether to switch to a converged
IP network for voice and data, but when to switch.
Businesses have invested heavily in existing voice and data
infrastructure and are wary of upgrading for the sake of new
technology. Moreover, there is always a risk in tinkering with
something that is not broken.
After all, how often does the phone system break? Compare that
to the bottlenecks network administrators have to manage every day
across the corporate network.
But people are prepared to abandon their voice networks and move
to a converged infrastructure because it allows end-users to work
in a different way.
For instance, Leeds City Council has introduced a multimedia
IP-based contact centre that allows residents to contact the
council via phone, e-mail, fax or the web.
The setup at Leeds even offers video-over IP, to enable the
council to communicate with deaf citizens using sign language.
With IT budgets still pretty static, rolling out a converged
network is an excellent way to lower network costs, since the IT
director only needs to pay for and maintain a single network,
rather than one for telephony and one for data. This frees up cash
to spend on other projects.
At Kent Police, telephony is just another application on its IP
network. The cost savings can be justified on this fact alone. But
there are numerous benefits. As the network is modernised and
upgraded, all applications benefit.
Increasing the network bandwidth or adding Power over Ethernet,
technology that makes sense in a VoIP set-up, can be justified in
terms of spreading the cost over every application that runs across
the network.
Furthermore, by making greater use of the network, a business is
in a stronger bargaining position and should be able to negotiate a
better rate for its data service and maintenance contract.
Beyond VoIP, IT directors should also give serious thought to
mobile/fixed convergence. The idea is that a single supplier is
able to provide mobile phone, mobile data and fixed network
services, all of which can be seamlessly accessed.
Some of the technology is still at an early stage, but it is
only a matter of time before end-users will be able to use a single
device to switch seamlessly between wireless hotspots, corporate
wireless networks and mobile networks.
On a converged fixed/mobile network, it will be possible to keep
tighter control of voice calls. This should avoid the costly bills
that companies face as a result of staff using the company mobile
rather than desk phones when in the office.
An IP-enabled handset would be able to find the lowest-cost
method of making a call, by routing the call to the corporate
wireless local area network or a wireless hotspot instead of using
a more expensive mobile phone network connection.
Some IT directors may be convinced by the case for a converged
network, but are unhappy at having to discard a working telephone
system. They needn't worry. Such concerns can be addressed.
Translation software exists that bridges the gap between the
VoIP world and analogue telecommunications. This allows an IT
director to add IP telephony functionality as and when there is a
business rationale, rather than take a big bang approach.
So now it is even easier to begin a converged network
strategy.
Read article:
Converged networks: The VoIP revolution
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