Phone Cards Digest

Although voice over IP (VoIP) has existed for several years, it has only recently begun to take
off as a viable alternative to traditional voice systems and public switched telephone networks
(PSTN). Interest in VoIP has grown in part because the technology can help both service
providers and enterprises to reduce costs by using a single IP network for both data and voice
applications.

Cost is not the only factor driving VoIP’s adoption. Growing experience and continued
refinements in standards and technologies have led network managers to plan VoIP
implementation as part of a more comprehensive communications transformation. In this
context, VoIP can play a critical role in improving the effectiveness of a call center, for example,
or in achieving the efficiencies of Unified Communications, new solutions that intermix all
forms of communications and media. Service providers are now leveraging VoIP technologies to
introduce a wide variety of value-added applications and services for their customers.
Although VoIP is an attractive alternative to traditional PSTN voice services, deploying VoIP is not
as simple as flipping a switch. Before implementing a VoIP solution, organizations must consider
the following issues:

• What impact will deploying VoIP have on the IT organization?
• What functionality will the organization require from its VoIP network?
• How can an organization evaluate whether their VoIP solution will be able to provide
high-quality voice services?

Organizations can choose from a variety of equipment and networking protocols to implement
their VoIP solution. Just as in data networking, identifying the appropriate equipment and
technology for the VoIP network depends heavily on an organization’s business and technical
requirements.