There are several important reasons why customers may decide to implement an IP-PBX system for enterprise communications.
Leverage Existing Investment in LAN/WAN Infrastructure
During the past decade customer investment in LAN/WAN infrastructure has greatly exceeded investment in traditional circuit switched voice communications systems. The current installation life of a typical customer’s LAN/WAN equipment is much shorter than their PBX system. Financially, it makes sense to leverage the more up to date LAN/WAN equipment, rather than the older PBX system, to satisfy current and future growth and application requirements. The residual value of circuit switched PBX system components is rapidly declining because the future of voice communications increasingly will depend on packet switched LAN/WAN infrastructures.
Using a single cabling and network infrastructure for voice and data communications applications instead of the traditional two network approach offers customers several advantages: reduced upfront capital expenditures and ongoing maintenance and service expenses, simplified installation and management/maintenance operations, and use of LAN/WAN by an increased number of station users.
Reduce Capital, Network, and Operating Expenses
Using a single network infrastructure for all communications media requirement reduces upfront capital expenditures, monthly network service costs, and operating expenses. Although the current price for an IP-PBX system may not always be less than that of a circuit switched PBX system, the projected cost curve favors the former solution in the future. IP telephone instrument prices will continue to decline as product levels increase. Eventually, many of the equipment cost components of a circuit switched PBX system will be eliminated in a ToIP environment, including port carriers and printed circuit boards, in support of desktop peripherals and trunk circuit interfaces. The cost of a telephony server will be less than that of existing common control complexes.
Using the existing data communications network to support voice networking requirements across multiple customer locations may significantly reduce telecommunications service expenses. WAN-based trunk connections require less bandwidth because of voice compression techniques and packet routing network configurations. Fewer trunk circuits translate to reduced expenses. The growth of broadband optical fiber networks will make bandwidth a non-issue for voice communications. Voice over IP (VoIP) trunking on IP-PBXs is currently limited to private network applications, but eventually will expand across different customer enterprise networks.
Operations, administration, and maintenance (OA&M) expenses are always greater than equipment and telecommunications service costs because of personnel expenses and outlays (salary, benefits, training, and tools). Price curves for equipment and telecommunications services typically decline, but personnel costs always rise. Reducing OA&M expenses is possible only by reducing personnel requirements. One communications network will save on maintenance personnel costs, and the greater centralization of management administration staff will further reduce costs. The days of separate voice and data communications management staffs are slowly coming to an end.
Simplify System and Network Configuration Upgrades and Expansion
The most beneficial ToIP technical advantage is the ease of adding station users and supporting dispersed geographic locations to an existing system configuration. Using the ubiquitous LAN/WAN infrastructure to interface individual station users or groups of station users simplifies network configuration upgrades and expansion. Remote individual IP station users do not require local PBX common equipment (carriers, port circuit cards) to interface to the voice communications system. Using the LAN/WAN to support remote carrier cabinet requirements for station users within a campus setting or across multiple premises eliminates the need for dedicated circuit switched trunk links for signaling and communications. The distributed capabilities of an IP-PBX can also reduce the need for multiple systems in a network configuration. A single system configuration offers several significant benefits over a multisystem network solution, including full feature/function transparency across locations, simplified systems management and administration, and reduced system upgrade costs over the life of the system—one system upgrade, when needed, instead of system by system upgrades.
The underlying technology of an IP-PBX system offers greater configuration scalability than traditional circuit switched systems because it may be simpler and more cost effective to add stations and/or port carriers using the LAN/WAN infrastructure as the cabling and transmission system. For example, IP telephones can use existing Ethernet data ports to connect into the voice communications network, or remote station users using a PC softphone can dial into the LAN/WAN for system access and connectivity. An IP-PBX system reduces the need for interface outlets and wiring dedicated to voice-only communications.
Conforms to Standards
Circuit switched PBXs were traditionally designed to use proprietary signaling protocols in support of call processing and switching functions. Except for ISDN BRI telephones, all digital PCM-based telephones are proprietary to a unique PBX system. The operating system of each PBX system was once proprietary and closed to third-party software programmers. Although CTI has slightly opened up PBX systems, the common control complex remains based on proprietary cabinet and printed circuit board hardware elements. Most IP-PBX systems, however, have been designed to conform to published call control signaling protocol standards, such as H.323 or SIP, and can support third-party telephone instruments for basic call operations and feature operation. The emergence of client/server design IP-PBXs allows customers to use less proprietary hardware equipment and more off-the-shelf system components, such as third-party servers running telephony call processing and management software. LAN switches from a variety of suppliers provide the switching function for call connections.
Support of Applications across the Enterprise
A centralized telephony call server theoretically can support dozens of geographically dispersed locations, as can a LAN-connected applications server for systems management, messaging, or contact center applications. The same features, functions, and applications available at one location can be provided across the entire customer enterprise network without replicating expensive processing equipment. Centralizing systems management, messaging, and contact center processing functions saves money and provides consistent performance potential across the enterprise. The most efficient and cost-effective method to provide access to the centralized processing system(s) is over a LAN/WAN infrastructure using IP signaling and control.
Availability of New and Improved Station User Features and Applications
An IP-PBX system can support an array of new desktop and system features and applications not available with traditional circuit switched PBX systems. The second generation of IP telephones will support many features and options not available on traditional digital telephones. Among these new capabilities are integrated Web browser, unified messaging access, integrated Ethernet switch ports, and multiple directory access. IP softphones will be equipped with integrated computer telephony features and applications without a dedicated desktop voice instrument. An IP softphone also simplifies provisioning of mixed media contact center agents capable of handling voice calls, e-mails, and interactive Web calls.
An IP-PBX supports increased station user mobility and flexibility in accessing the communications network, because there are more methods of system connectivity for communications and/or information access through a greater number of communications devices: desktop IP telephone, IP softphone, wireless telephone handset, and wireless PDA. Each communications device automatically identifies itself to the communications system when it attempts to establish a connection, and regardless of physical location or connection method, the IP-PBX can confirm the identity of the station user with Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) and allow station user access to system features and functions. An IP-PBX system that shares the same network infrastructure as data communications systems and terminals can support a single directory number for each network subscriber regardless of how many desktop devices are installed, if they all share a common telecommunications outlet and Ethernet switch port.
An IP-PBX system lends itself better to the general PBX design trend of increased use of peripheral applications processors to support optional and/or advanced features and functions, particularly those related to messaging and contact centers. As multiple LAN-based servers support an increased number of communications applications, it makes sense from a design perspective to move toward LAN-based common control and desktop terminal equipment. The ubiquitous presence of the Internet, connecting station users regardless of terminal device, makes IP control and communications signaling the logical choice for a PBX system using a LAN/WAN infrastructure.
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