VoIP
special feature
and simultaneous ring to drive productivity. Adoption of SIP open standards is paramount now and in the future. There are also solutions that are dual stack devices that support SIP as well as proprietary protocols which standards boards have yet to ratify. Skype for SIP is one of those cases were an open standard can coexist in harmony with a propriety protocol that allows businesses access to millions of customers and is easy to use.
It’s important for installers to use the same
service provider they are recommending to business customers. This ‘do as I do’ approach will provide valuable insight into quality of service (QoS) and service level agreements (SLAs) customers are experiencing. Installers, VARs and VADs need to understand if the service provider is offering the right SLA back to the business end user. In the event that a business customer is having problems with their current VoIP provider, the installer can then recommend a known network provider that is well managed with certainty of 24/7 call completion. This is also a revenue source for the installer because network providers provide bounties for every new customer and possibly recurring revenue streams.
Choice of vendor through standards based gear – This is evident with the majority of VoIP gear supporting open standards like Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), the application layer protocol that has emerged as the standard for controlling multimedia communication sessions like voice and video over IP. Open standards provide the flexibility to interoperate with multiple vendor equipment allowing businesses to extend their network offering, shorten product lifecycle, time to market and vendor selection. Many market solutions boast the ability to support open standards as well as proprietary features which also provide business value, uniqueness and security. Automated with predictive provisioning – Simplified installations involve automation. Beware of solutions from network providers that involve manual processes which could mean the provider has not invested in their network or has not certified the right CPE manufacturer to ease the pain of the install and rollout.
GUI continuity – Easy web driven GUIs distill complexities giving the installer a 1-2-3 install procedure. For example, when logging into a Skype device, it’s the same interface no matter the device. This is known as device continuity.
Also, be aware of closed systems that can’t be easily upsold with new open gear coming to market. This path will severely limit the long term value of an installer’s services. Especially since VoIP delivers many upsell applications and enhanced services such as high definition (HD) video conferencing, HD voice, presence
29 New VoIP trends
Once the SLA is in place and everything is running like clockwork, there are newer avenues available to an installer that can help garner a deeper relationship with their customers. For example, Skype and Google provide great add-on services in the cloud for every VoIP experience. Although Google Voice is only available in the U.S., surely they are thinking about pan deployments and availability. Currently, Google has voice trials and pilot programs ongoing in Asia. What’s holding them back? Regulations. That’s why Skype and Google cannot be a primary source of voice termination so network providers shouldn’t be afraid to embrace them (yet). There are no provisions for E911; therefore, voice as an application can’t be mission critical on their networks. Skype’s hopes for a successful IPO may help them drive their presence enabled voice into the
VoIP implementation is a huge boost to any business.
Features and applications are being introduced to further the value of VoIP networks.
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