Conferencing requires secure VOIP

A major advantage of VOIP is that it allows employees to take part in meetings regardless of their location. However, a security-aware VOIP provider should be chosen to deploy the system, reports Telappliant.

TMCnet's Michelle Robart says people working from home or other locations can enter meetings via their telephone, computer or softphone using a process called IP audio conferencing.

However, she warned: "Those in the market for a business VOIP service should be aware that every audio conferencing solution does not offer security options to protect against network intruders."

Many businesses might be tightening their belts financially amid the economic downturn, but this does not mean investments in IT communications technologies are being pinched, says 8el.

On the contrary, recent research has suggested the credit crunch has merely prompted smaller firms to invest in IT solutions that can streamline communication options while also cutting costs and improving flexibility, by enabling telecommuting, reduced travel and virtual networking.

VOIP, which enables voice calls over an Internet connection, is one of the IT solutions at the forefront of business' minds, it appears.

With "going green" the buzzword of the day, value-added resellers are looking to gain leverage by highlighting the power consumption, or lack thereof, of the solutions they offer, states CRN.

One solution provider, ICS Telecom, is taking the green movement one step further, illustrating for potential customers the sometimes forgotten power consumption of VOIP systems, from three leading vendors.

ICS has created a document: "The Power of Power and the Hidden Cost of a VOIP Deployment”, which outlines the power requirements and costs to run VOIP systems from Mitel, Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems, with Mitel leading the pack for the lowest power costs.