Companies urged to carefully plan VoIP roll-outs

Companies considering the deployment of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) should first evaluate their existing infrastructure, a leading expert suggests.

Speaking to Securitypark.co.uk, Blue Coat Systems regional sales director Mike Hemes pointed to certain "critical factors" to take into account when transferring to IP telephony.

Despite VoIP offering various benefits to businesses, Mr Hemes claimed these positive aspects will only be unlocked with proper planning.

This includes establishment of average call lengths and volumes, alongside checking if the bandwidth available in the existing network can cope with VoIP.

"With a new generation of mature, reliable solutions, VoIP is once again building up momentum within the market," he explained.

"By planning a VoIP deployment or investing in more bandwidth, companies have adequate visibility and control to make sure they are generating maximum performance and value from their existing wan links."

Jeff Pulver, founder of the forthcoming HD Communications Summit, recently told Telephony Online that high-definition VoIP could represent the future of the industry.