Voice Over IP

Voice over IP (VoIP) has increasingly emerged from a 'bleeding' edge technology to a widely deployed voice service. Essentially VoIP takes a standard (analog) voice conversation and converts it into internet traffic (IP). The conversation can then be sent across the Internet, bypassing the traditional phone network entirely before being re-assembled on the other end. Quality of Service (QoS) is a primary concern to ensure that the conversation is crisp and clear for both parties, but today's technologies and the widespread availability of broadband addresses most of these concerns.

Telecommunications providers routinely use IP telephony, often over a dedicated IP network, to connect switching stations, converting voice signals to IP packets and back. It is also widely employed by carriers, especially for international telephone calls. It is commonly used to route traffic starting and ending at conventional PSTN telephones.

For mid-market companies VoIP offers a very enticing promise: reduced toll charges, extremely flexible voice service and consolidation with data services. Companies in the SMB segment generally deploy VoIP in one of three ways: Telecom service, IP Phones, or (occasionally) via PC workstations with VoIP capabilities.

Telecom service is the most common. Your phone service provider delivers phone service via VoIP, but hands it to your equipment as analog service. This allows a company to leverage their existing equipment investment while reaping the cost savings associated with VoIP. Additionally, this service is often dynamically bonded with internet broadband service, allowing for more bandwidth when lines are free. In Houston, there are a number of  providers offering this service, most notably Cbeyond Communications. AT&T (formerly SBC) and Verizon Business (formerly MCI) also offer similar solutions.

IP Phones allow a business to implement VoIP service all the way to the receiver by using phone systems built entirely on an IP platform. This has the additional benefit of allowing a company to use the same cabling and termination for phones as they do for their network. There is an advantage to having all business communication data consolidated on the same equipment, but bandwidth usage and Quality of Service (QoS) must be carefully accounted for by the design and implementation team. Too often IP phone systems are foisted on unsuspecting clients by telephone system companies who do not adequately understand or do not adequately prepare the client for the ramifications of consolidated IP traffic. Properly implemented however, these solutions provide an extremely flexible, scalable and versatile business tool.

With any technology, the most important consideration is the positive effect it will have for your company. Archer Solutions' trained staff will help your business analyze how VoIP can increase productivity, provide greater growth flexibility, and reduce costs. Additionally we look at the whole picture - evaluating your total network infrastructure instead of simply pushing product.