| If you have a business with a private telephone | | | | Our young internet hasn't yet learned to prioritise |
| system (known as a PBX), VoIP technology | | | | voice over data, and whereas emails and files will |
| removes the need for separate phone and | | | | happily dismantle themselves at leisure, with the |
| computer cabling. The voice calls and data traffic | | | | bits finding their own way to a rendez-voux point |
| share the office computer network, which has a | | | | at the other end, voice calls can't be interrupted |
| single architecture. VoIP therefore saves money | | | | or influenced by other traffic. This is why so |
| on cabling and installation, and allows additional | | | | many internet calls take two or more attempts |
| features such as hot-desking, plus is paves the | | | | to complete, or sound like they're underwater, |
| way for video conferencing, Wi-Fi mobility and | | | | especially when the kids get home from school |
| multi-media telephones, expensive now but no | | | | and start using Facebook and YouTube. |
| doubt will be affordable and the norm in the | | | | The same applies for video communications, in |
| future. | | | | fact any live media transmission doesn't stand |
| This "Localized" VoIP has the advantage that | | | | much of a chance with the internet at the |
| businesses don't need separate voice and data | | | | moment. |
| cabling systems - the entire data and | | | | What about all these free calls? Yes, if the person |
| telecommunications systems can operate with | | | | you're calling is also connected to the internet with |
| one cabling infrastructure, and the telecoms can | | | | a VoIP phone or phone system. But that isn't the |
| be managed and configured within IT policy, no | | | | case for a lot of the time. Most people across the |
| longer being that black art. | | | | world are still hooked on mobiles, and many of |
| Importantly, the office computer network is a | | | | the older generation use a normal landline (a |
| hermetically sealed and secure zone, controlled | | | | what?) so your clever high-tech phone calls that |
| and nurtured by those IT manager wizard guys | | | | have braved the internet find themselves back on |
| who put in place network protocols to allow voice | | | | the traditional telecoms network, often with |
| calls and data transfer to co-exist in harmony. | | | | extortionate call rates. So make your internet calls |
| And then there's this internet thing, now a spotty | | | | short, as they could be expensive before being |
| teenager with a jumbled "free-for-all" attitude | | | | cut off. |
| without management or control. And like most | | | | And here's another thought: businesses who |
| teenagers, the internet still has a few years | | | | decide to use the internet for their internal |
| before it calms down and sorts itself out, from | | | | office-to-office calls need a high-end broadband |
| the telephony point of view anyway. | | | | connection at each end dedicated for the voice |
| With internet telephony, those quality-controlled | | | | traffic, and these come with rental costs, and |
| voice calls must leave the relative safety of their | | | | that's not exactly free either. |
| local network and travel across the choppy sea | | | | So what have we learned? VoIP is certainly the |
| of data known as the world-wide-web, hopefully | | | | future for telecoms. So is the internet. But unlike |
| arriving at another IP phone or system that will | | | | telecoms, an old soldier that's been around the |
| convert the data back to voice. And it can be a | | | | block more than a few times, the web still has |
| stormy trip. Many an important call has been sunk | | | | some growing up to do. |
| whilst crossing the internet. | | | | |