Today, companies have many communication services at their disposal, including telephone, e-mail, pagers, video conferencing and instant messaging. However, many of these services are not integrated and therefore operate in isolation, meaning that simultaneous use or switching from one to another is challenging, if not sometimes impossible.
IP-enabled communication technologies are the answer to these integration challenges as they ensure effective management, improved productivity and efficient information flow throughout an enterprise. IP-enabled communication has emerged as the dominant format for integrated voice and data transfer and is being widely used in countries all over the world. The global market is not only seeing the convergence of IT and telephony, but the convergence of live and static information through integrated business systems, with clear advantages for corporate customers in key areas of efficiency, cost-effectiveness and maintaining a competitive-edge.
IP solutions provide businesses with the flexibility to choose the solution that is most appropriate, ranging from choices such as voice solutions, employing IP technology, a more traditional telephony, or a combination of both. Converged telephony solutions provide customers with the choice of deploying IP where they will gain the most benefits, while maintaining their existing time division multiplexing investments where it makes sense for their organisation.
In SA, however, these technologies have not yet been fully realised due to the local market challenges. Paramount among these is the lack of bandwidth availability and the security concerns associated with bringing critical applications together on one network. However, the importance of implementing these technologies in businesses cannot be ignored, as it gives companies the competitive advantage needed to boost IT infrastructure development, which in turn promotes customer retention and solid internal management techniques.
According to a new global survey, two-thirds of companies are planning to shift applications across most or all of their business to converged networks within the next five years. Implementation has already begun for 55% of firms, although most of these have been deployed in selected parts of the organisation so far.
The survey, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, explores the topic of network convergence with 103 executives, representing over 17 industries across the globe. The survey findings indicate that, among convergence applications, voice over IP (VOIP) will attract a number of enterprise investments over the next three years.
Converged networks - and the applications that run over them - are only as effective as the organisation and people that use them.
Luis Silva, Avaya product manager, Kathea
VOIP`s potential to minimise network management costs is the key motivation for executives implementing network convergence. In addition, Internet telephony, voice, fax, data and video can all be sent over IP-based packet-switched networks, making true convergence and interchange a reality. There are also many Internet telephony applications such as Web-enabled interactive voice response, unified messaging, intelligent private branch exchanges and more applications that are being developed, due to the merging of computer and telephony technology.
The logic and benefits of converged networks is difficult to deny in the long run and many executives expect that converged networks will enable broader use of applications such as video conferencing and collaboration software, which enables multimedia dialogue and document sharing between teams.
However, managers do need to weigh the costs and benefits of each carefully, particularly in comparison with existing technology and the reason behind the move to convergence. Converged networks - and the applications that run over them - are only as effective as the organisation and people that use them. Therefore, management structures and work practices must be adapted to the technology to reap its maximum benefit.
Decision-makers also need to be careful of the so-called next-generation products that, while delivering over the IP telephony network, are only voice-enabled. Therefore, if a company wants to add a hub, gateway, router, firewall, Internet access, remote access server, or data WAN connectivity they will need to access and maintain separate devices.
The latest technology products already have these components included in the application and have one management interface - all of which reduces total cost of ownership and delivers a solid customer relationship management solution to the market. In addition, the solutions available are suited for an organisation of any size, as it includes a capacity switch for users between two and 360 people, all of whom only require one address per device. This ease of use ensures that when a company needs to access the product`s capabilities, it can be done off a single platform. Therefore companies need to look for and ensure inclusion of these elements in the solution being purchased.
IP-enabled technologies need to incorporate applications that can deliver the tools companies require to improve customer service and satisfaction, increase productivity, and boost their bottom line. IP is the way of the future and will ensure companies can truly begin to talk off one page! Organisations will connect via one network, to ensure consistency and complete integrated management techniques are available - changing the way business operates for good. It is now that companies need to obtain the skills and support to ensure this integration is achieved to be a part of this rapid development.
Kathea Communications co-sponsors ITWeb`s channel industry portal, a one-stop information resource on changes and challenges in the channel. Other issues covered in this section include the distribution agreements and rights that revolve around the supply of products, services and solutions to corporate SA.
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