IP Telephony: the basic Q&As

Q: What is IP Telephony?
A: Think of voice as simply data, transmitted via the Internet – Voice over Internet Protocol.

Q: Is that it?
A: No. The implications for business are vast if the concept is package and fully exploited. The system that Samsung calls a Virtual Enterprise uses IP Telephony and related technologies to build a network of central and remote sites, home workers, customers and supplier sites, all seamlessly connected via secure voice and data links over private lines and the public Internet.

Q: And the benefits of that are?
A: Increased corporate efficiency through lower infrastructure and communications costs, and improved mobility, flexibility and work/life balance for individual staff.

Q: But I still have a telephone system?
A: Yes. Samsung’s converged enterprise IP solutions provide all the conventional voice applications of a modern telephone system — access to central databases, toll free VoIP, distributed call centres, video-conferencing etc. They are also ready to support future applications such as’ presence management’ - automatically reaching any user on any device with any type of message, irrespective of location.

Q: Is it correct that one of the major benefits of VoIP is significant cost savings?
A: The Virtual Enterprise can provide far more connectivity for a much smaller outlay. The potential savings are huge — perhaps 75% of communications costs for a company opening a new branch office.

Q: What risks do I face moving my communications into a new technology?
A: It’s not that new. VoIP has been operating successfully for over 10 years. The fact is, telephone companies worldwide have been slow to adopt IP in an attempt to protect their fixed line businesses. Read more about this and case studies in IP Telephony Solutions at work or the Newsweek VoIP article.

Q: Technology is always evolving. How ‘future proof’ is VoIP?
A: Every major telco has now acknowledged that VoIP is the future; all are now upgrading their networks to handle Internet calls – British Telecom, for example, is investing US$20 billion in IP Telephony systems.

Q: What kind of business can benefit most from VoIP?
A: From SMEs to multi-nationals any business will benefit from the efficiencies and increased communications scope of VoIP. However, it is particularly beneficial for businesses with multiple branches or a mobile sales force or even a widespread customer or supplier network.

Q: I’m not very familiar with Samsung, why would I choose them as a partner in IT Telephony?
A: Over 40 million people a day all over the world use Samsung products for business communications. A global leader in electronics, communications and digital media technologies, Samsung is one of the world’s largest corporations, with some 175,000 staff and an annual turnover of $88 billion. An annual R&D budget of $2.4 billion puts Samsung at the forefront of research into digital convergence. Our proven IP Telephony solutions will enable your business to be more creative, work more productively and generate more revenue. As we like to say, Samsung means business!