The objective is to create a communications platform that allows your company to communicate more efficiently internally, between offices, and with your customers. It must contribute to your business.

Voice Design Methodology

• Confused about IP Telephony and VoIP?
• Wondering if your behind the times?
• Do you need to upgrade to avoid being out of date?

We believe the simple answer to the last question is no. Not unless you have a valid business case. And the "Business Case" is productivity. At Computer One we term IP Telephony as Desk Phones, Conference Phones and even Mobile Phones (like the Nokia e61i) running on the same network as your Computer Systems. By using IP Telephony, we can increase the integration features available to us, which might include

• CRM Integration
• Presence
• Instant Messaging
• The ability to "Travel" with you phone (VPN)
• Billing etc

Its about increasing productivity - not reducing cost (although you might save on cabling!)

Then theres the VoIP. We term VoIP as the Carrier network. Cheaper rates on your call costs, free calls, and package deals. 90% of the time, your existing phone system can use VoIP with a minor upgrade so we need to be careful not to get caught in the hype.

The Solution - Unified Communications

The overall objective is to create a communications platform that allows your company to communicate more efficiently internally, between offices, and with your customers.

Some simple features:

• Allow a user to travel between sites with their phone in the same way that they travel with their laptop. The Phone is enabled automatically at each office when it is plugged into the data network.
• Reduce call costs by utilising the proposed data network (TOLL Bypass) Do the numbers stack up against the cost of a high quality WAN link?
• Increase the ease of communication between sites, by enabling dial by extension.
• Integration with your time billing systems or CRM.
• Allow video conferencing between sites.
• Enhanced features of new PABX technology
• IP Faxing
• Self managed Call Routing

We call this a Unified Communications solution, where the traditional separate functions and features of a phone system and computer system are combined into "unified" into a single platform.

The key benefit of the unified communication platform is the ability to level off a network infrastructure that has already been created. The traditional data network used for access to resources such as file storage and application (such as email or account systems) can be very simply enhanced to include voice as one of its available resources. By carefully considering all of the necessary elements in the initial network vision process, we are able to build the network in a stepping stone manner to add in the required features.

• The benefit is a single platform is
• Reduction in support costs
• Duplicate infrastructure is removed
• User productivity
• Turn-Key Deployment

Design Consideration

• Geographically Diverse Operation
• Wide Area Network (WAN) connections - MPLS, Satellite, Frame Relay, Public Networks
• Cost of integration
• Local area Network (LAN) infrastructure - Ethernet and Wireless