November 10, 2005
Is VoIP ready for the enterprise
The hype surrounding VoIP can make IP telephony sound as the right choice for every company; however, this need not be the case. In fact, even the companies that are opting for VoIP are not doing away entirely with their traditional telephony setup. Companies that rely too heavily on telecommunications should consider the impact of VoIP on their business. Medical clinics and sales persons cannot afford dropped calls and poor voice clarity.
Cost savings do not always justify making a switch in technology. The quality of VoIP service may vary from one market to another and also between providers. Cable companies and phone companies offer better voice quality in their VoIP services as compared to that offered by startups. The dependence of VoIP on high-speed connectivity and the availability of power can affect its reliability. Even if high-speed connectivity and broadband are available, if the bandwidth is already being used for other purposes, VoIP may suffer.
Even though the number of features provided by VoIP is increasing, a VoIP system may not be able to offer all the features that are required by an enterprise, most prominent being E911. VoIP offers long-term savings but has a high initial cost including that of the IP-based PBXs. Also, wiring up a building for high-speed Internet can be expensive.
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