JSE-listed CS Holdings has been awarded South African IP Telephony specialisation status from Internet networking specialists Cisco Systems.
The IP Telephony specialisation recognition acknowledges CS Holdings for its knowledge and expertise in selling, designing, installing, and supporting a multi-service network solution. The specialisation is targeted at the enterprise and small and medium-sized business markets, and focuses on the hardware and software in the Cisco IP Telephony product line.
"Essentially, IP Telephony comprises voice systems that are computer-based and use the Internet protocol to ride on data networks," explains CS Holding executive director Johann Kunz. "Traditional voice communication has long been digitally-based, including phones, switching and signalling. IP Telephony, however, is the latest in applications of computer and network-based technologies for voice communications."
IP Telephony is a basic component of what is typically referred to by the industry as convergence. Convergence is the melding of voice, data, video, and multimedia technologies--formerly disparate entities--into a single, unified, digitally-based technology.
The obvious advantage of convergence, says Kunz, is that instead of many items to buy, install, manage, learn to use, and pay for cabling, connections, devices and tools, there is only one of each of these. "Fewer moving parts mean (theoretically) smoother operations, happier customers, easier management, and lower costs. Additionally, since the voice call is utilising unused bandwidth on the data network, voice essentially `rides free` on the existing network infrastructure."
The question remains when (and whether) to implement IP Telephony in some form or other. "While it is generally argued that standard voice technology will remain viable for the foreseeable future, IP Telephony is being punted by the general media and customers may soon demand to know more," Kunz notes. The criteria used to decide whether or not to implement IP Telephony are the same as those used for any other technology decision. Generally, four major factors drive a move to a new technology - economics, changing functional and/or technical requirements, improved manageability, and hype.
"To make a successful and, equally important, justifiable technology change, you need economics and at least one other factor in support of the change," says Kunz, and points out that hype doesn`t count. "In other words, the equation Managed Total Cost of Ownership = Common Operating Environment + Common Support Environment, should always be considered."
"A move to a new technology such as IP Telephony must be financially advantageous to the company," he continues. "The argument that a new system is full of whizz-bang technology and makes your job easier typically will not convince the powers-that-be that they should buy it, unless there is also some financial benefit for the institution, or it is at least a break-even proposition. In the case of IP Telephony, there are several economic factors to consider: saving on telephone systems and calls, utilising one network instead of two, and the technology lifecycle.
"As an IP Telephony Certified Company, CS Holdings can assist and guide customers in the evaluation, procurement and implementation process. Clearly, numerous factors need to be considered and dealing with a company such as CS Holdings will ensure that the necessary expertise is available," Kunz concludes.
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