The convergence of voice and data using voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology is likely to be an important catalyst for growth in the mid-market and for economic stimulation in SA, according to FrontRange Solutions.
"VOIP technology should be a subject of considerable strategic importance locally because using the Internet to transmit voice as well as data puts customer relationship management and call or contact centre technology well within the price range of small and medium-sized business," says Tracey Newman, FrontRange Solutions SA MD.
"The bottom line is VOIP saves companies money because installation costs are one-tenth of those of traditional telephony switches and VOIP lowers maintenance costs on telephony systems by as much as 70%," she says.
However, Newman expresses concern that the true relevance of VOIP as a wealth builder is tending to be lost.
"Currently, the focus is almost exclusively on VOIP as an efficiency booster and cost saver rather than as a customer service tool," explains Newman.
SA has the potential for using VOIP technology to become a global centre of excellence for contact centres, and thereby a catalyst for job creation and economic stimulation, she argues.
In line with this philosophy, FrontRange Solutions` IP Contact Centre solution uses several IP components, such as the Telephony and SIP (session initiated protocol) Proxy Servers.
"These two components are responsible for intercepting and routing SIP voice traffic across the telephony and data networks. The Telephony Server communicates directly with a SIP capable voice gateway and redirects the traffic to the proxy server, which together with the contact centre server redirects the voice traffic to the most appropriate agent," says Newman.
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