Choosing a system
There are several ways to get your business IP enabled and the costs will largely depend on the features you require and the state of your existing telephony system.
You can continue to make and receive calls with standard phones by using a phone adapter that enables existing handsets to be plugged into a broadband connection, creating a VoIP line.
"This works exactly like a regular telephone service", says Rob Vivian, of telecoms consultancy Kendrick James." Another option is to install software that turns the computer into a telephone, known as softphone. Your telephony features and commands are accessed via the computer, and you talk via a handset or a headset plugged into a USB port.”
While both solutions are ideal for the residential marketplace, Vivian adds they may not be so suited to the mid-sized business environment. A far better option is to investigate the upgrade path on your existing PBX, better known as a hybrid PBX system.
"All of the existing telephony manufacturers are looking to protect their investment, so almost all systems have an upgrade path to IP," says Vivian.
Choosing this route means you can stagger your costs and minimise disruption, by using existing equipment and combine this with a level of IP integration that best suits your needs. The modular nature of IP telephony systems also means you can add new features and functionality as your needs grow.
The third option is to invest in an entirely new IP phone system, but scrapping all your existing phone systems and implementing such a system from scratch is a considerable investment. Businesses that are introducing flexible working or field sales teams can do it cost-effectively with VoIP. If purely looking at desk-based employees who have digital and analogue sets on their desks the business can be more difficult, warns Nortel’s Williams.
Whichever route you choose, it’s important to work with a provider that can offer as much training as possible. Costs can mount up if you have to rely on outside expertise to maintain the system. It’s also worth remembering that VoIP phones are dependent on your computer network. This can be a concern if the phone is critical to your business. If your network goes down, so too does your phone system, so ensure someone in the company has the necessary skills to help out if the system fails.
"Don’t implement technology for technology’s sake", cautions Chris da Silva, MD of Phillips Business Communications. "Consider a phased implementation and trial a controlled pilot for VoIP."
There’s no denying VoIP is booming, with research firm Gartner estimating worldwide sales of IP telephony systems will hit £11bn by 2006. Uptake appears to be rocketing too. A recent survey of 1,500 IT managers in small and mid-sized businesses, carried out by PC Business World, showed that 23% of businesses are actively using it and a further 24% say they have plans to introduce VoIP within the next 12 months.
While many industry experts agree that VoIP has come of age, it could be some time before the majority of businesses feel comfortable relying on their PC and the internet as their main mode of communication. And businesses should not feel compelled to convert to VoIP unless there is an immediate need for doing so. But as more and more industry players are backing IP telephony, there’s no time like the present to consider the benefits such technology could bring to your business.
