Taking everything into account with regard to telecommunication and related infrastructure and the continued convergence of voice and data across the spectrum of the business, it is inevitable that all messaging will be collaborated in a pure unified messaging framework with communication centrally controlled through one device in real-time, wirelessly.
It is interesting to note the level to which we have expanded and developed as far as telephony and telecommunications is concerned. The convergence of cellphone infrastructure and mobile headsets is a case in point.
Today we are able to connect the cellphone to the mobile headset which is, in turn, connected wirelessly to the switchboard. It bodes well for the direction of communication infrastructure management and related costs.
Price and the impact on a company`s bottom line in terms of technology investment will always be a factor to consider. For instance, there is as much speculation around voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) today as there was when the technology first became available.
VOIP infrastructure can and does make a difference to a business` ability to communicate. The advantage to business cannot be questioned if it is integrated according to key requirements that are identified and discussed upfront, with a special emphasis on telecommunication infrastructure.
As an example, broadband, while relatively expensive in South Africa, is still affordable to small to medium companies. Issues such as running voice over ADSL line, VOIP within the SoHo environment and available bandwidth are still relevant when one considers latency and quality of service limitations.
It would be foolish for a company to invest in and integrate this technology without having conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing infrastructure and current spend on telephony.
The real cost is still somewhat of a grey area. The fundamental factors to be considered include the level of use of telephony, routing national and international calls and how much capital must be set aside for the once off and monthly investment.
Today, development around voice applications and related infrastructure has made the technology more reliable. New technologies continue to enhance the experience and we are slowly, but surely, moving towards voice over wireless broadband.
Looking ahead it is likely that the PBX as we know it will be replaced in the next decade. Most companies and vendors will focus on the network infrastructure business case, and ignore the cost of reworking enterprise system interfaces from PBX to Internet Protocol (IP) telephony capability.
One should also bear in mind the evolution of Linux-based solutions that will also add value within certain environments.
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