To VoIP or Not VoIP:

1

• To VoIP or Not VoIP
• That is the Question
• Rich Bader
• President CEO
• EasyStreet Online Services

2
Voice Over IP

• Voice is becoming an IP application
• The new convergence
• Really a question of when not if
• VoIP products are ripening at a rapid pace
• Solid standards emerging, e.g. SIP, H323
• Conventional PBXs are approaching end-of-life
• Huge disruption in telecom industry

3
Three Distinct Markets, Three Models

• Residential
• Free on-net calls low cost LD
• Skype, Vonage, Yahoo! Voice, et.al.
• Small business
• IP Centrex hosted VoIP services
• New Linksys One
• Larger business
• On-prem PBX(s) from every PBX network vendor
• Mix of Voice over LAN and WAN
• Key technology Asterisk, open source PBX

4
Why Deploy VoIP Now?

• Could yield lower telco bills
• Tough to prove lower TCO
• Lower admin costs (moves/adds/changes)
• Local control via web interface
• Telephone number is associated with an IP phone
• Integration with PC applications
• Microsoft Outlook integration dialing, caller
  ID, screen pop, voicemail in inbox
• Support for mobile, decentralized workforce
• Call centers particularly benefit
• Road warriors connect via Internet to VoIP PBX

5
Technical Deployment Issues

• Many taking a phased approach
• Target a department and/or function
• Co-exist with current PBX
• Voice over IP (LAN) vs. Voice over Internet (WAN)
• Replace obsolete PBX, moving to new facilities,
  etc.
• Is your network ready?
• Quality of service (QoS), reliability, security
• "Voice and data people don't speak the same
  language. Voice engineers don't want to go to
  IP it feels dangerous to them."

6
What's Coming With VoIP?

• IP phones can communicate with any IP device
  located anywhere
• Wireless IP will provide untethered access
• Biggest long-term benefit is enabling of new
  applications