VOIP Technology Options for Commercial Users
By · CommentsOver the last decade a new technology called VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) has been introduced to the telecommunications industry. The purpose and design are to assist businesses moving towards telecommuting, which in the long run should relieve transportation costs as well as keeping expansion costs down. As in all new technologies the industry carriers as well as manufacturers have been working diligently in regards to keeping up with this new technology.
In the last couple of decades the telephone system manufacturers have been building digital systems that are dependable and have a long service life. This isn’t always so with onsite/housed VOIP systems. They are usually server based systems with some digital type operating systems. Meaning that these systems aren’t completely VOIP by design!
Some have performed well and, as always, some are lagging behind. There are many new manufacturers popping up and as we at Fontes Telecom have seen, here today gone tomorrow. This technology as we see it here at Fontes Telecom is here to stay and will someday be the main forms of communicating, both commercially as well as personally.
Our focus is to educate the consumer on some of the items to be considered when thinking of going to VOIP technology for commercial use. There are two options when deciding VOIP as your solution.
- Option 1 – The hosted VOIP solution.
- Equipment investment would be more cost effective!
- Your company wouldn’t have deal with the licensing and software items.
- No warranty items when it comes to the server.
- Upgrades and enhancements will be supplied by the VOIP system provider
- Reduced calling costs, local and long distance
- Option 2 – The housed VOIP solution.
- Higher investment costs as well as additional maintenance, software and licensing items.
- Warranty item
- Three to six year VOIP system life
- Possibility of manufacturer not supporting system after short period of time
Additional item to consider when looking at the housed VOIP system.
- Life of system.
- How long has the manufacturer been in business
- Is the system user friendly
- Having a good consultant when thinking of VOIP solution
- Hosted system less IT costs
- Does hosted solution provider have redundancy in place
- Will also need additional carrier items, such as PRI, TI, local loops and or SIP from the carrier.
Fontes Telecom also recommends going with a proven manufacturer, such as Cisco, Avaya/ Nortel and or possibly Microsoft. Fontes Telecom would recommend going with either a true digital system and or a completely VOIP solution. We at Fontes Telecom strongly recommend going with a hosted VOIP solution.
If you and or your company have any questions, or are interested in finding out more about VOIP and how it can streamline your business, you may contact Fontes Telecom for more information.
The Telecommunications Closet (TC)
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Over the years the telecom closet has made many changes.
It has gone by many names.
- MDF – main distribution frame room
- IDF – independent frame room
- MPOE – minimum point of entry
- And of course the Phone closet.
The TC supports Voice applications, Data applications, Video equipment and, of course, Alarm hardware.
It is a very necessary room in regards to your communications now and into the future.
It should be determined in the engineering stage of your building design.
Where should it be located? Determine the size of the closet, verifying power requirements as well as environmental requirements.
In a lot cases this room is not available, for the building was designed to only cover the utilities from the street. This is called a utility closet. In the past, these rooms were used to house everything when it came to client’s communications. It housed numerous clients’ telecom hardware and infrastructure from the street. They also housed the janitor’s equipment and a lot of other items.
In this environment, it left client’s hardware vulnerable to theft, improper power requirements, and inefficient air flow and of course dust.
It is recommended that you work with a Telecom Consultant such as Fontes Telecom Consulting to ensure properly planning of your TC closet build out and that you have the proper location on where your TC closet should go. Make sure you get the industry specified power to the telecom closet and workstations. Again, consult your Telecom Consultant. This will ensure that your IT/Telephone/Alarm techs can have easy access to your working hardware in addition to keeping your costs down.
Stantec Located in Rancho Cordova
By · CommentsFontes assists Stantec in the engineering of clients new Telecommunications Closet placement and build out. Fontes engaged in the cabling of new cabling for the expanded offices of Stantec. Fontes to upgrade and expand clients Nortel MICS system to accommodate expansion and future growth.
The Importance of the Telecommunications Consultant
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As the Telecom industry continues to change /evolve Business clients just can’t keep up with all the new services and hardware the industry has to offer.
In this being said, It has over whelmed the carriers customer service departments, in regards to finding out exactly what the client and or possible new client’s needs really are. This has led the industry into seeking the services of the telecom consultant to help assist these businesses. They have created incentives for the consultant in the hopes that this time consuming aspect of the process will be accomplished prior to a order being placed.
Which in turn makes the carriers more time efficient, leading to reduced costs (re: manpower) which then can be handed down to their clients. Allowing them to focus on creating better infrastructure and over all better service to the client.
Clients in turn benefit from this in regards to getting the circuits needed, the right hardware needed to work with these circuits, competitive pricing regarding services the carriers offer as well as the cost of the hardware needed. Client saves in regards to the time it takes to get something ordered as well as streamline the bills they receive there carrier on a monthly basis.
All resulting in a more stream lined process for both the client and the carrier.