IP: Enabling Anytime, Anywhere Communications

Interpersonal communication is challenging, and the globalization of business

makes it even more so. As organizations become more geographically dispersed,

they need technologies that facilitate effective collaboration. These

technologies need to overcome traditional limitations with new ways to share

information and enhance discussions ultimately leading to better decisions and

business growth. That's why businesses need IP communications today.

It exemplifies the systemic approach inherent in intelligent networking. In

the past, networks traditionally provided connectivity only. Today they can also

solve business problems.

Industry

analysts and vendors alike agree that network convergence using IP technologies

is inevitable, yet conversions occur only when there is a strong business case

for them. According to Meta Group research, the business case for IP

communications must prove operational cost savings, end-user productivity gains,

capital expenditure savings over private branch exchange (PBX) replacement, and

a competitive advantage through new capabilities. Another Meta Group study says

that (January 2004) some businesses wait for current PBX contracts to expire,

others deploy it in new facilities or branch offices, still others-especially

small- and mid-sized businesses-will only converge as IP centrex services

become available from service providers.

Different Strokes for Different Folks



A technology solution becomes a killer application when no one can live

without it. This application can differs widely within IP communications

depending on the nature of the business. Fortunately, the horizontal nature of

IP communication allows deployment of not one but many killer applications, such

as enterprise-wide employee communications, integrated access to data from

enterprise business applications such as CRM, customized for a specific

department or use in a vertical market segment.

Meta Group's research indicates that the number one application driving

network convergence is conferencing. Other popular drivers are IP phone-based

productivity applications such as integrated directories or local transit

schedules, remote user access to mission-critical applications, user mobility,

and networked voice mail.

The enterprises that most successfully adopt IP communications are those with

a solution-oriented corporate culture, however they first need to converge their

data and telephony groups. The converged staff can cross train so that data

people acquire telephony skills, and telecom people learn IP. And despite dire

predictions several years ago, network convergence does not equal job loss. In

fact, as skill sets increase, higher compensation can be commended!

Video Telephony



Traditional videoconferencing and corporate television have been

cost-prohibitive for widespread business use. However today, solutions allow

existing IP communication infrastructure to talk to traditional networks.

Traditional video bandwidth, like traditional videoconferencing, was expensive

and its deployment was limited to in-house television networks and

videoconferencing systems. Ethernet was less expensive than television coax or

leased lines, and the cost continues to drop. For branch offices and tele-workers,

the cost of broadband services has put video telephony within reach.

With IP, picture quality does not suffer and video compression techniques are

smooth. Also, traditional videoconferencing gear was notoriously difficult to

use, often requiring dedicated staff to operate it.

So Do I Need It?



The issue is, even with the economic and technological issues of video

telephony resolved, do enterprises really need it?

It can enhance collaboration between design teams in the US and Europe, manufacturing in Asia, and sales and distribution centers worldwide

Will it replace face-to-face meetings? Absolutely not.

Is it a great augmentation to voice? Absolutely. It changes the tenor of a

conversation and builds bonds between people. Corporate users spend about half

their time in conference calls, and video telephony solution supports multipoint

conferencing capabilities for any combination of video-enabled and voice-only

users. Video automatically switches to the speaker during conferences.

Building Understanding



While unified messaging has been available for more than a decade, customer

adoption has been slow as it was difficult to implement. That is not the case

anymore.

IP communication offers tremendous potential for easing the logistical

barriers of time zones and geographic dispersion. For example, it can enhance

collaboration between design teams in the US and Europe, manufacturing in Asia,

and sales and distribution centers worldwide. It simplifies the process of

connecting with customers, while enhancing the value of your interactions with

rich-media sharing and video telephony.

Mathew Varghese,

principal consultant— ITS Cisco Systems India