Voice over IP (VoIP)

Q. What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?
A. Voice over Internet Protocol is exactly what is says. Voice across data links. This can be voice across you existing LAN infrastructure, Voice across fixed line links between sites (leased Lines) or voice across VPN links. It is a way of using existing data links and enabling voice traffic across them to ultimately save you money and enable more fluid working. H323 which is the main VoIP protocol compresses the voice call into a data packet and then uncompresses it once it has reached its destination.

Q. How does Voice Over IP benefit me and my company?
A. It enables you to bring on remote teleworkers, home workers and mobile workers onto the main telephone system. You may already have users connecting remotley for all their data needs (via Vitual private networks, citrix, terminal server) and this is then the icing on the cake. Let them become an extension of your phone system with all the features of the main system. It can aslo enable multiple sites (with the same phone systems) to be able to link together and enjoy centralised communications, enabling all users at all sites to have visibilty of each other (through Phone Manager) and have FREE intersite calls.

Q. What telephone system do I need?
A. The Avaya IP Office range is one the best VoIP solutions on the market at the moment especially for the SME's (5 - 300 users). The IP Office was designed for intergrated solutions, combining voice and data and is the market leader.

The Siemens Hi Path series when linked with the HG1500 card is a very powerfull IP enabled telephony solution that can link multiple sites with systems or add IP extensions. The Panasonic KXTDA is also VoIP enabled.

Q. I have a number of offices / shops will VOIP Technology help me?
A. Most certainly! Large savings can be made from the "FREE" calls between sites, also you could deploy just one phone system and have IP Extensions at all your remote locations. This will save you not only in Line rentals, installations, maintenance but also you only have to purchase one phone system not one for each site.

Q. OK. So what does the network look like?
A. Pictured below is a very typical scenario for using Voice over IP technology. It show the Head Office having the main phone system with a number of remote / home workers being enabled from it using ADSL links. It also shows how you can then add a branch office to the main setup. The branch office can also share the main office voicemail if they require, they will also see each others extensions (through the use of Small Community Networking - Feature of the Avaya IP Office Phone System) but they can use there own telephone lines for incoming and outgoing calls.

Q. I am really interested but need convincing!
A. We have installed a great number of clients sites with VoIP solutions based around the Avaya IP Office and we are able to demonstrate this technology to you in our in-house demonstration suite. We use VoIP in house, our accounts department is in a remote office in Colchester and uses IP Hardphones, each of the directors also have an IP Extension from theirs homes.

Q. Can I trial it before I commit?
A. Yes you can. We have implemented a number of trials for prospective customers who already use the Avaya IP Office telephone system. It is not available to everyone but please ask us to see if you qualify.