Author Archive
Pre-Deployment Testing and Implementation of a Converged Network
After all the planning has been done and the network assessed, the conclusions drawn and assumptions made must be tested to assure that they are correct before moving on with the migration. Testing new applications and hardware in a production environment can be potentially disruptive to a business if things don’t go as expected. It […]
Rules of Deployment: The Life Cycle of a Converged Network
A major shift in telecommunications from circuit to packet switched technology, along with increasing sophistication of the corporate LAN/WAN, is prompting businesses of all sizes to consider merging their voice and data networks. Increased bandwidth availability through gigabit Ethernet and fiber trunk lines allow for telephony to be treated as any other application on the […]
Rules of Deployment: Inventory of Assets and Existing Capabilities
Inventory of Assets: Know what you have to work with by taking a full inventory of all your network hardware including switches, routers, servers, existing PBX’s, cabling and end user equipment. Make sure to take note of their processing power and throughput capabilities, as well as any nodes that are not VoIP aware. Also be […]
WiMax, VoIP, and the Metropolitan Area Network
The emerging IEEE 802.16 standard, commonly known as WiMAX, promises to deliver last mile wireless broadband internet access capable of carrying data intensive applications, such as VoIP and streaming video, to Metropolitan Area Networks, as well as sub-urban and rural communities. WiMAX is considered a disruptive technology, designed as an alternative to fixed line DSL […]
WiMAX, VoIP, Killer Apps and the Digital Divide
The emerging standard 802.16 defines a network of wireless broadband at speeds capable of delivering triple play access to voice, data, and multimedia internet services. As a disruptive technology, WiMAX stands to compete with cable companies, the Telcos, and the 3G cellular networks. Thanks to the IEEE standards committee and the WiMAX Forum, the […]
The FCC, TWC, Skype, and the Cellular Industry
On March 1, 2007, the FCC ruled in favor of a petition brought by Time Warner Communications, stating that local exchanges cannot deny access to wholesale telecommunication carriers (TWC) to provide services and exchange traffic, including voice over Internet protocol (VoIP).
The decision overturned rulings in South Carolina and Nebraska that allowed local rural exchanges to […]
Fixed Mobile Convergence: Bridging the Cellular Landline Divide
As more and more consumers opt out of traditional telephone services in favor of cellular phones, the undeniable trend in the telecommunications industry is the development of fixed to mobile convergence, or FMC, to allow cell phones to seamlessly switch from the cellular network to a landline network infrastructure, and back again.
The dwindling revenues […]
VoIP Security Threats Explained
In a recent report issued by CompTIA, the Computer Technology Industry Association, 50% of small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) had very little trust in the security offered by VoIP vendors, or for that matter, voice over IP security in general.
It is true, having your voice and data running on the same infrastructure leaves […]
VoIP Over WiFi for Businesses: Sending Voice Over the Wireless LAN
The convergence of data and voice networks in the business environment takes on a new twist with the emergence of wireless networking. The freedom of mobility offered to users in a wireless LAN has proven to provide a noticeable boost in productivity, efficiency, and. employee morale. No longer is the work force tied to their […]
IP Telephony Over Wireless Networks
The advent of wireless broadband has put a new twist on peoples mobility and communications. Wireless broadband connections can take many different forms. From an extension of conventional wired networks in your home or office, to wireless coverage of entire metropolitan areas, to the proliferation of WiFi hotspots all over the world, the Internet truly […]
