Communication without limits

For the modern business of today the advantages of converged communication networks are compelling; however, their deployment can be complex and single vendor solutions can often be restrictive.

Finding the right partners that are committed to providing best-of-breed IP unified communication solutions will abate this perceived pressure and allow an easy transition to the “when”.

“To stay ahead of your competition, you need communication systems that will grow with your business and give the assurance that your networking investment will generate maximum business value and a seamless integration with best in class IP telephony and unified communications applications,” says Grant Oliff, MD at Talk Fusion.

During the course of this investigation into advanced telecommunications for business, there are several questions that should be asked, and more importantly, answered.

A core fundamental pivot point for an acquisition should be conceived around the financial implications that advancement in technology will create. Clarity should be sought on the total cost of ownership prior to considering the solution - VOIP is a heavy hitter in this particular department, with progression coming at a relatively low value when compared to other solutions.

Scalability is the next burning issue that needs to be addressed, and as a business flourishes and exceeds expectations the choice in IT solutions should be adaptable to this ever changing landscape. With the advent and introduction of broadband services, VOIP can be tailor-made practically “on the fly” to support this requirement.

Another piece of information that one should have at their disposal is portability, both from a physical hardware perspective and that of the actual digits themselves that provide the contact. A change in contact details can often be misleading and VOIP supports the notion of consistency by affording its users the luxury of total control.

Lastly, consider the “value-adds” purported within other solutions, and be mindful of the fact that with VOIP, functions such as caller ID or call waiting are in most cases a standard feature.

“One needs to choose the right partner going forward. Customers needs a supplier that is flexible and in a position to offer best-of-breed products,” says Oliff.

In general, embracing industry standards such as SIP, 802.1X and LL.DP-MED, enable the delivery, choice and flexibility, which in turn facilitate higher returns on investment and a lower total cost of ownership.

“With an overwhelming array of technologies and codec, a good rule of thumb is to ensure that your VoIP infrastructure subscribes to industry standards such as SIP, a-law and u-law, g-711 and H-323,” says Michael Kissoglou, Sales Director at Talk Fusion.

All things considered, taking in account the benefits that VOIP can bring, the efficiency, cost of ownership and portability, to mention but a few, the very next question that should be asked is “when?”