The Gaining Flexibility with VoIP

VoIP is not just about making and receiving telephone calls; it’s about a whole
new way of communicating. Sure, it includes telephone calls, but there is so
much more to the VoIP telephony picture. VoIP integrates most if not all
other forms of communication. You can even run videoconferencing to your
desktop.
With VoIP, your company enjoys increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
These improvements are typically realized through the flexibility
offered by enhanced calling features. A few calling features, such as voice
mail and call transfer, have been around in the POTS world for quite some
time. On the other hand, integrating data, voice, and video applications to
run over a single network and work with wireless phones are more recent
innovations made possible by IP telephony.
Following are some enhanced calling features made possible by IP telephony:
Vemail: Before IP telephony and VoIP, you accessed voice mail through a
telephone and accessed e-mail through a computer. With VoIP, you can
read your voice mail on your computer screen and listen to your e-mail
through an IP-enabled telephone. The new term for this converged feature
is vemail (pronounced “v-e-mail”).
Web surfing: Because VoIP operates with the same set of IP rules and
protocols that support Web-based applications, it is possible to access
the Web with an IP-enabled telephone. If you have an IP telephone with a
large enough screen, it can display Web pages or a list of your favorite
Web links. For instance, you could use your phone to view your stock
exchange trading status or the current weather forecast.
In an IP telephony world, these calling features (and many more) are available
with no monthly recurring charges. VoIP, with all of its many benefits, is
quickly replacing traditional POTS-based technologies. VoIP is even becoming
a superior replacement for many former computer-only applications.
One of the big stories with VoIP is the many new and exciting features that
increase your ability to be agile and mobile. You no longer have to say “I’ve
got to get to a phone!” VoIP can be on your desk, computer, mobile phone, or
PDA. It can be hardwired or have no wires at all. This flexibility is astounding
to those familiar with traditional telephony.
If you have a mobile user base, be sure to check out IP soft phones. A soft
phone is software that works on a laptop computer or pocket PC and provides
most of the functionality of a traditional desk phone. If a user can connect
to a network, the soft phone provides a way to reap the benefits of IP
telephony regardless of location.