VoIP is gaining traction in the enterprise, as more and more companies turn to the Internet for their phone services. In this CIO Briefing, learn more about the costs, benefits, risks and conversion issues of moving to a VoIP system and determine if it's the solution for you.
This guide is part of the SearchCIO.com CIO Briefing series, which is designed to give IT leaders strategic guidance and advice that addresses the management and decision-making aspects of timely topics. For a complete list of topics covered to date visit the CIO Briefing section.
Table of contents
VoIP staffing means balancing skills, expertise
VoIP savings seen in productivity and long-distance charges
Who deserves to be your hosted VoIP service provider?
More resources
[Linda Tucci, Senior News Writer]
Twenty percent of companies that relied on private branch exchange (PBX) have migrated to IP telephony. That's not exactly a red-hot adoption rate, but change is upon us.
According to Gartner Inc., more than 80% of companies are undergoing trials of IP telephony. In three years, a majority of companies will be using it, the Stamford, Conn.-based consulting group predicts. And no wonder, when even equipment like video security cameras have become digital and are now the norm.
In fact, the migration to IP telephony (IPT) is a technology milestone in the view of Gartner analyst Carl Claunch. In his list of top 10 technologies for 2008, Claunch said IP telephony represents the first major change in voice communications since the digital PBX and cellular phone changes in the 1970s and 1980s.
Learn more in "VoIP staffing means balancing skills, expertise." Also:
[Elisabeth Horwitt, Contributor]
About two and a half years ago, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione decided it was time to junk its aging Rolm PBX and roll out VoIP across the company.
The move was long overdue, according to Rod Sagarsee, CIO at the Chicago-based intellectual property law firm. In order to keep the 17-year-old PBX up and running 365 days a year, 24/7 -- a business necessity -- the firm was paying escalating costs in technician overtime, third-party service fees and parts. In addition, moves, adds and changes required changing the wiring at two locations.
After researching the VoIP market for eight months, Brinks chose Avaya Inc.'s VoIP platform. The basic infrastructure, including the main VoIP system, switching backbone and redundant off-site backup system, was installed in January 2006. By early summer 2007, "We had exceeded full ROI from a strict monetary standpoint," Sagarsee said. "If you were to include productivity enhancements, ROI was exceeded from day one."
Find out more in "VoIP savings seen in productivity and long-distance charges." Also:
- Video: Preparing networks for VoIP (SearchCIO.com)
Bowdoin College has significantly lowered overall IT costs, and it now has one of the fastest college networks in the U.S., thanks to a recent network upgrade and a Voice over IP implementation. In this interview, SearchCIO.com Editor Joyce Chutchian talks with Bowdoin College CIO Mitch Davis about how he prepared for Bowdoin's VoIP implementation and advice he has to offer other CIOs who are considering a VoIP implementation.
Understanding the 'free' promises of VoIP (SearchVoIP.com)
Is all VoIP really free? Learn more in this expert response from Carrie Higbie.
[Info-Tech Research Group, Special to SearchCIO.com]
Enterprises investigating hosted VoIP services face a wide array of providers and solution offerings from which to choose. Considering the still moderately high risk associated with outsourcing voice services, it is incumbent on IT leaders to conduct a thorough and extensive evaluation of potential providers and services. Use this guidance to direct a comprehensive assessment of hosted VoIP service providers.
This report includes an overview of the hosted VoIP market and key selection criteria for evaluating service providers today.
Learn more by downloading this free report: "Who deserves to be your hosted VoIP service provider?." Also:
