The first step is to decide when / if it can be useful for migration from traditional voice networks to converged networks. Each company is different, but two important indicators in-site call charges and the need for more agile telephony system geographically (eg distributed mobile station). For many companies the cost of conversion is too high to balance the cost savings. Just change your voice to go easy and suppliers to generate cost savings better.
During the PABX whip hand with producers moving to IP market, not the seller of equipment to move to IP voice - but the market is dominated by equipment from any single player. IP-enable existing PABX infrastructure is often the way forward in cooperation with the Wan you plan carefully. This may suggest to the professional element PABX. If Cisco (et al) is your bag, then look at IPT accreditation and watched back to the evidence.
Receive careful too simple technical information from the sales people. QoS is not really necessary to bring the voice and can carry all the premium costs. Also not strictly uncontended DSL service. We have people running concurrently 3-4 voice channels between the regions on how they think ADSL (20:1) and the easy axis at the edge of the package protects the voice of e-mails and press traffic.
There is no single solution. Finding solutions provider that can work, and recording. Carefully consider changes in the cost of the benefit costs because they are often not clear. Ensuring protection you can imagine up the necessary equipment for IP voice transmission - or have an analog phone backup option.
Just before the end of the VOIP ... take steps back and see the big picture of communication in one area or many companies. You see the number of communication lines Horizontal:
ACCESS / BANDWIDTH
Groupware & MAIL / FTP
IMS to provide
- Chat (IM / Presence Online)
- Voice + (SDP / SIP / etc)
Presence ... users online reachability ... are empirical parameters.
Companies often DIY email / IM / voice system protection &'s schedule, but if this is a standard industry solution today ... Why not outsource that service provider's efforts & Industry Solution then only see a business?
Your real challenge is to get a Hosted Service Provider is already in the Path Convergence (there is very little) ... A service provider that provides Presence (user login / reachability status) such as MSN / ICQ / AIM / YIM / Skype. A person who provides this service, you can
1) bill you properly for reachability online from call-by-call (or a monthly subscription) basis ...
2) to not only provide access to VOIP, but also IM / Mail / Video / Collaboration / etc via IM in SIP infrastructure.
If you have the responsibility for day to day operations of multi-site VoIP network - there are several things to understand.
1) It is not as cheap as the vendor you want to believe
2) Legacy equipment manufacturers a better product and probably a better solution. Remember the old adage about IBM than 60 s. ... no one ever got fired for buying IBM. Now it seems that buying Cisco or Nortel kit safe choice.
3) There is a fee that supports the management types and older may get or understand. LAN just became very important that the communication infrastructure in general. ISN t is only for e-mail again.
No matter the final decision for you .... remember that every day is an adventure. Be careful - that is vigilant and try, try and try again.
