VoIP broadly divides into services based on IP PBXs or those that are hosted in the cloud. Then, for SMBs, it get’s complicated. Do they want a key system? Can they keep their regular PBX? What’s a SIP trunk? How can they get objective advice? One company seems to have all the answers.

In order to have all the answers you have to be able to deliver all the options. That is surely the only way to ensure that recommendations are objective. In addition, in order to ensure smooth integration with back office systems such as CRM and ERP, serious IT resources are needed. That may sound like statements that are blindingly obvious, but step back and consider the number of vendors to who cover all the bases. Not many. Talk to Cisco and you’ll end up with CallManager.

At ITEXPO (News - Alert) I was talking to a company called Vocal IP Networx (www.vocalipx.com) and after about 15 minutes I was still confused about their offer, but at the same time I was vaguely impressed. I took the documentation and when I was back home in Holland I read it in detail, realized that this vendor certainly appeared to have all the answers, and started thinking about the implications.

It may seem that I have somehow morphed into this vendor’s PR manager, but having written about VoIP from the early days, seen so many variants, and listened to so many claims and counter claims, that I found myself coming to the seemingly obvious conclusion that the more comprehensive the offer, the more likely it is that the customer will end up with the optimum solution.

Start with the Network Service

The performance of any CPE-centric solution depends on the quality of the network and that can normally be assured by employing a managed service. However, if issues arise then finger pointing might follow; therefore it’s good to have one neck to squeeze and one back to pat. Here’s how Vocal IP Networx became that back.

The company was spun off from ATG (Advanced Technology Group (News - Alert)) in 2004, which started out as an IT services company back in 1995. In 2002 this company became a national ISP as a result of working with a number of carriers, e.g. XO communications, Covad (News - Alert) and Qwest. The Vocal IP Networx spin off (a shorter name would be useful), enabled the separation of the ISP and VoIP business from the LAN/WAN integration side of the business.

That was a very short take on the company’s background. It indicates that: (a) the company’s solutions run on a redundant, managed MPLS network (ATG’s); and (b), that a relatively small operation having 40+ full time employees can call upon ATG to install and provide nation-wide on-site services and support, which includes LAN and WAN expertise. It’s an unusual combination of core competences and that’s probably the reason my initial confusion. The network features data centers on the East and West coasts of the States where Broadsoft switches are deployed.

The VoIP Menu

The company is clearly well placed to offer a hosted VoIP service, one that combines your traditional voice, data, PBX plus long distance and conferencing services for a fixed monthly fee. In addition, cloud computing is part of the hosted offer; applications include financial packages, CRM, HR, workflow and custom-built apps.

On the premises-based IP telephony front the PBX products of Adtran, Allworx (News - Alert), Cisco and Toshiba are employed. Features prefix and extension dialing and, because ATG’s network is used, free calling between locations and remote users. A Web-based administrative interface simplifies IP PBX management and enables remote administration.

The IP trunking solution is an attractive option for companies that do not want to invest in phone system upgrades and would like to keep their existing infrastructure. It can be used to converge your voice and data lines in order to take advantage of low-priced calling and data plans; alternatively high-density SIP trunks over dedicated circuits. Again, the use of in-house network enables connectivity to remote users plus extension dialing between different phone systems at different offices as well as free inter-office calls.

There is a lot more on offer, but something called “Plan B” is particularly interesting. The name implies that this solution is designed to overcome carrier failures and delays. That is one of the stated design objectives, which is kind of ironic since ATG is itself a carrier. On a more serious note, it also provides a rapid deployment facility for Internet access and IP Telephony at remote offices or store locations. It needs electricity and cellular coverage, but no landlines.

Plan B can use up to four cellular carriers for redundancy and bandwidth aggregations. It can be offered with IP phones and nationwide numbers, and it can be deployed with a firewall as well as a dial-up VPN to the company’s main office. In addition, this solution can be deployed within 24 to 96 hours within the US, making it suitable for disaster recovery scenarios.