The keystone that will lock in VoIP as the successor to TDM technology has yet to be hefted into place. It may in fact take another decade before we see the full potential of VoIP phone systems. The keystone we are referring to is the deployment of standards based IP infrastructure by the public carriers.
VoIP phone systems are seemingly ubiquitous. Sexy new VoIP PBX systems and VoIP business solutions are announced almost every day. The technology is credible and past issues including voice quality have been sorted out. What’s the catch?
The catch is that the benefits realized by users of VoIP business phone systems relate mainly to internal communication. Organizations with distributed national and international operations gain the most from implementing VoIP phone systems. They achieve savings because their internal communication doesn’t go via PSTNs and they achieve significant savings as a consequence. Conversely, organizations that don’t have remote operations, work from home employees or a mobile workforce need to be far more creative in making a business case to justify a VoIP deployment.
The greatest pain for business is associated with external not internal communication. Most businesses have more customers than employees. To service, retain and acquire them a business must make an increasing volume of external phone calls. As most VoIP services interoperate via PSTNs employing TDM technology they are not using end-to-end VoIP services. Before that can happen the carriers must upgrade their infrastructure from TDM to VoIP technology.
Are the carriers about to upgrade their infrastructure any time soon? It’s unlikely. Collectively Tier 1 carriers have an enormous sunken investment in Class 4 and 5 switches. They work just fine and will probably continue to work for at least another decade. No matter how cheap the replacement VoIP gear, its more expensive than hardware that’s already installed and on the balance sheet.
Tier 1 carriers also have an investment in existing business models. These models are based on using TDM infrastructure not packets of data. Change is inevitable, but it always involves risk. The carriers have demonstrated time and again that they are risk averse, at least when it comes to tinkering with their main source of revenue. It’s been a topic of discussion for more than a decade, but there’s little evidence of change.
It’s also significant that there is little or no agreement on standards for carrier VoIP. There are even differences between carriers on how they handle SIP trunking and Caller ID. In the absence of enforceable standards between carriers there is little prospect of reliable VoIP peering between carriers any time soon.
For now and the immediate future, enterprise users of VoIP phone systems must reconcile themselves to enjoying less than fifty percent of the potential upside available from their VoIP business solutions. At some point the carriers will replace their infrastructure and agree on standards for IP-based carrier services, but it may take the entrance of a new breed of carrier before that comes to pass.
By: Chris H Green
Posts Tagged ‘Voip Services’
VoIP Phone Systems – There’s a Fly in the Ointment
February 14th, 2010Discover the Cost Saving Features of a VoIP Solution
February 9th, 2010
Today’s society is fast paced and demanding, communication technology combined with affordable pricing and flexibility is paramount. VoIP services are fairly new but have addressed these demands through its evolution.
Remember all the extra features that you have to pay for with your traditional phone service? Well, things have changed with the inception VoIP (voice over Internet protocol).
The reasons why a VoIP solution has become so popular today because it offers a boatload of features combined with huge savings when compared to a traditional phone service. VoIP Solution technology route telephone calls over the Internet eliminating the service that public switched telephone networks currently offer.
Essentially, most VoIP service providers offer free bundled features that virtually all traditional telephone charge for. Comparing service plans is actually quite easy. With the technology being so new each service provider offers different plans and pricing. Take time to review and study the most popular plans and services provided to make the best decision that will accommodate your needs.
Some common features include: Unlimited Minutes, Local Number Porting (LNP), Personalized Voicemail, Free In-Network Calling, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Transfer, Repeat Dialing, Voice Mail to Email, Call Forwarding, 3-way Calling, Call Return, Online Management & Billing, Choose Your Own Area Code, Call Waiting Disable, Do Not Disturb, Anonymous Call Blocking, Distinctive Ringing for Virtual Numbers, Virtual Phone Numbers, Enhanced 911, Works with your Cell phone features, and Toll Free Services.
Businesses can also enjoy the advantage and benefits of an inexpensive VoIP Business solution without the addition of expensive proprietary software/hardware combinations such as PBX units. Inter-office communication systems and long distance calls for an international company can amount to saving tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, in just one year.
VoIP solutions are something worth while looking into, regardless if you are trying to reduce your budget for home or business, the features and huge savings that VoIP provide huge rewards for all.
By: Roy King
