Benefits of VoIP – VOIP Security Series

Benefits of VoIP – VOIP Security Series

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or IP based networks. While using a VoIP system, a single high-speed connection is used for all voice and data communications. From a business perspective, this idea is attractive; however, if not implemented properly, it can be worrisome for the network and security staff alike.

The idea is a merged data and VoIP network will allow for lower overhead, and result in a financial savings to the customer. Generally, the savings are discovered during deployment and maintenance, as many of the technical and human resources are already in place.

VoIP holds the promise of reduced costs and better features. More competition and innovation should result in better services, lower costs, and more features.  VoIP can make access charges and long distance cheaper.

Part of the cost savings is due to use of a single network, reusing the data network for voice, along with other applications. This is partially true, but networks usually require upgrades to support voice. This includes support for QoS and Power over Ethernet (PoE).

Years ago, some voice system maintenance, such as moving handsets/extensions, required wiring changes. This really isn’t true for modern PBXs, but early VoIP was sold as a way to reduce this cost. VoIP promises reductions in cost due to lower maintenance/administration. The idea is that since VoIP is just another data application, it should be easier for IT personnel to maintain. This is true to some degree, since VoIP shares the network with other applications, but the voice application itself must still be managed.

VoIP also promises to make it easier to integrate voice with other forms of communications, including e-mail, instant messaging, etc. The industry has relabeled “VoIP” as “Unified Communications”, which is sort of just a new label for VoIP, since VoIP hasn’t fulfilled many of the promises it had, but also to describe greater integration of VoIP with other applications.

The major voice vendors are all pretty much focused on VoIP, and it is difficult to purchase large systems that are not VoIP oriented, or at least enabled. The vendors are not investing in legacy technology, so if you want their latest technology, you have to invest in VoIP. Vendors such as Cisco, who have a vested interest in moving the voice application to the IP network, have created the VoIP market. VoIP gives vendors a reason to get you to upgrade your systems.

Traditionally, it was difficult to set up TDM-based access to the public network. Buying and setting up equipment was difficult and expensive. VoIP technologies make it easier to set up access and long distance services, thereby creating more options for enterprises and consumers.

VoIP is most attractive due to the cost savings potential for home and enterprise customers alike. By moving the calls to an IP based network (as opposed to traditional circuit switched), calls of any type become less expensive. In some cases, the call can travel the Internet for the majority (if not all) of the call. Again, this is a move from commercial telecommunication systems to packet switched voice.

By leveraging existing WAN connectivity to remote locations over a dedicated data network or the Internet, organizations can avoid incurring long-distance toll-call charges. Instead of using a long-distance provider’s network for voice connectivity between offices, organizations leverage existing packet-switched networks for voice traffic, avoiding the long-distance network altogether.

 Where a single T1 circuit can support a maximum of 24 circuit-switched voice conversations, VoIP traffic compresses the voice stream to better utilize the available bandwidth in packet-switched networks. Some compression algorithms are able to retain common voice quality while reducing the bandwidth requirements from 64 Kbps per call to 6 Kbps per call.

VoIP also becomes interesting from a network management perspective, as all network traffic (data and voice) now use one network. Significant savings can result from only managing one network, as opposed to concurrently maintaining separate voice and data networks. Deploying a VoIP network has many advantages to an organization. The primary driver is typically cost savings of not having to implement a traditional PBX (with separate wiring) and a data network.

Keep in mind that older data networks may need upgrading to support features such as QoS and power over Ethernet (described later). PoE is needed so your phones don’t go down if you have a power failure.