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Your voice system may soon have an unwanted and unexpected visitor-spam-but chat is just one of the potential risks and pitfalls of migrating to voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony. Most of these challenges can be mitigated, however, through effective planning. Here are some key suggestions from Deloitte to a successful deployment:
Look beyond cost reduction. The case for VoIP is not just about cost reduction-it is about using technology to transform voice communication throughout the enterprise. The success of VoIP will force legacy carriers to compete, driving down prices across the board. If price is the main basis for your VoIP business case, price cuts by incumbents may take that basis away. A proper business case looks at VoIP from every angle.
Be thorough with your references. Scrutinize VoIP deployment references. The best data on VoIP performance comes from the managers and staff who use the technology every day, not the executive who signed the purchase order. Because VoIP technology is still relatively immature, performance varies from one environment to the next. Confirm that references are comparable to the planned deployment, particularly in terms of scale and interoperability with existing enterprise applications.
Start with the network. VoIP performance, reliability and security are all largely determined by the quality of the network. Consider upgrading your network to ensure acceptable voice quality and consistent performance. Address security holes and review network management tools and procedures.
Check for interoperability. VoIP equipment from different providers is not always compatible. Using handsets from different vendors can...