| Voice over-Internet Protocol, or VoIP, has been largely embraced by the government sector, and is now becoming more and more popular in various private industries. Although it’s far from being mainstream, it is being used by health care companies, school districts and other large organizations, and technology experts say this is the way of the future — much like high-definition TV, VoIP will eventually become a standard.
“This is where the communications industry is heading. The traditional way (of telecom) is going away,” said Mark Johnson, CenturyTel business customer manager.
The definition of VoIP seems a bit confusing because each phone, Internet or cable utility uses a different method for delivering the technology. In a nutshell, VoIP allows for phone calls to be made over computer networks, converting analog signals into digital data. The network itself, however, varies from company to company. While the Vonage service you see advertised on commercials uses the Internet, for example, many local utilities use their cable, Ethernet or fiber-optic networks, which are considered more secure than the Internet.
Qwest uses a OC-192 network line, which is the fastest connection available. “You can download the entire Library of Congress in one minute (with that connection),” said Michael Kay, Qwest business sales manager for Washington State.
Qwest offers two options under its OneFlex® Hosted VoIP, one for larger companies that have multiple locations, and one for middle-size businesses with two or three locations.
“The biggest advantage (in using the technology) is the buzz word in the industry: convergence of voice and data into a single pipe,” Kay said.
For businesses with more than one office location, even in different cities, VoIP could tie all the locations together and eliminate the need for different service providers at each location (and there are no long-distance charges between locations). If the company already has a strong data network in place, there is no need for extra wiring and sometimes there is no need for a lot of extra equipment. In fact, where once there were separate cables for the telephone and for the computer now there is one.
The cost is based on the application, which will drive the need for specific equipment, as well as the existing infrastructure. “If you don’t have a good data network, you don’t have a good Voice over-IP network,” said Evan Burk, CenturyTel business-customer engineer.
VoIP can be used for a variety of applications, from voicemail delivery to email to videoconferencing via the computer. And if a person moves to a new office, the extension can just follow along — moving the phone “line” is as easy as plugging and unplugging the computer. In addition to consolidating the phone lines at multiple locations, a business can have added security by using VoIP. For example, one of CenturyTel’s Gig Harbor customers, the Peninsula School District, now has phones in every classroom (the calls roll directly to voice mail during class time). In case of an emergency, if a teacher calls 911, the dispatcher can tell not only the building from which the call originated, but the exact room as well.
For a growing company, switching to VoIP may be to be more cost-effective than upgrading the PBX phone system. Where phone systems are often restricted in the number of lines that can be added, there is almost no limit to the VoIP capabilities. And if a business expands out of the area, their service provider is no longer physically restricted either.
“The nice thing about voice over-IP, we can provide service outside our area — you’re no longer bound by a footprint,” Johnson said. “If you need to upgrade, (switching to VoIP) generally it’s about the same cost, when all said and done.”
Telecom companies are now seeing new sectors interested in the technology, from financial and retail to nonprofits. And while not all telecoms offer VoIP to residential customers, some, like Comcast, have digital voice residential services that are growing in popularity. Comcast is slowly starting to venture into the business arena with its digital voice, but its residential IP-enabled phone service is catching on. According to Walter Neary, Comcast public relations director for Washington State, the company’s employment base in Bremerton (which serves Kitsap and Gig Harbor areas) has grown from 56 in early 2006 to 83 today, with a total of 67 technicians in the field.
“Business is growing, and it’s fueled in large part by the popularity of the phone service,” he said. The signal is carried over cable; the service includes free calls nationwide and to Canada, voicemail sent to the computer, as well as a bundle that can tie in phone, Internet and cable service into one.
“It’s been very successful everywhere, including Kitsap,” Neary said, adding that the company is gearing up to market more aggressively to businesses.
How does a business know when is the right time to move to VoIP? Jacquie Goodwill, Washington/Oregon pubic relations manager for CenturyTel, said the best approach is to work with a reputable telecom company that will help assess the business’ needs, applications, future growth etc. to determine whether VoIP is feasible and cost-efficient.
“You need to have a telecommunications company that’s ethical and will determine if you just need to replace the system... or if it’s time to make the switch,” she said. |
