VOIP = Voice Over Internet Protocol

'Voice Over Internet Protocol' or VOIP routes voice conversations over the internet or any other IP-based network. VOIP's greatest contribution is the greatly reduced costs, especially for those companies which are call based. This technology provides opportunities to streamline the office communication, with efficient voicemail, call routing, voicemail to email, and auto-answering systems. Most offices switching over to VOIP, site reasons such as cost effectiveness in comparison to PBX systems as one of the major reasons for the change. There are three types of VoIP these being, pc-to-pc VoIP, a soft phone and a monthly VoIP service

This latest technology has several interesting advantages that make it a novelty. ‘Virtual numbers' are those numbers that you can access on your phone but have a different area code. VOIP also facilitates ‘Call filtering', by which you may decline calls that are unidentified or unknown. ‘Call hunting' is a facility, which makes it possible for incoming calls to dial different numbers if you are not available at home.

An ‘upgraded voice mail', you can use through the internet, or even get forwarded to your cell. Another VOIP facility would be ‘Conference calling' to about ten other lines. A ‘Do Not Disturb' facility is also available which allows one from barring incoming calls when you don't want to.

Like any new technology that needs the passage of time to prove itself, the VOIP is surrounded by a shroud of questions that often arise in the mindset of the average new user, so used to his regular PBX system. Industry experts believe that there are plenty of reasons to be wary of this new technology. According to them it eats up bandwidth at a dangerous pace. It can also make the systems susceptible to e-mail or a virus attack leading to complications for Oracle users too. There is another industry opinion that argues that VoIP phone sets have far fewer desired options and features than PBX phones. Apart from this slowing down the entire net work is an associated concern for all industrial concerns

Surveys have shown that 36% of 106 respondents want to use VoIP only in some parts of their organizations. Again another 27% said that they will eventually move entirely to VoIP. Another 22% said that they would deploy VoIP only in remote or field offices in the outskirts. Some others are of the belief that VoIP systems can make enterprises more vulnerable, experts warn that it is necessary to have very good messaging security to prevent exploits that could occur as a result of VoIP. At times vendors promise big cost savings but one should be wary of the actual results.

VOIP, as an industry trend is stable and here to stay. Some of the VoIP service providers might not be very stable since the industry is still in its nascent stages, yet there are plenty of companies which have entered the market in the last two or three years. In the ensuing completion there would probably just some of the bigger companies, in a case of the ‘survival of the fittest' which will actually absorb the smaller companies and help in making the market a more competitive one.

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