by Eric Eckman, Director of Business Development, Broadvox
SIP-based applications are scalable and easy to manage. They are readily available, affordable and there are many to choose from. Developers are offering SMBs ones that include features to simplify communications and improve productivity. When deploying SIP trunking along with these there are often additional savings because voice and data converge on one pipe, eliminating the cost of separate phone and data networks.
Are SIP-based applications really necessary? Despite technological advances in communication devices, there has actually been a breakdown over the past few years. People are on mobile phones, pagers, using laptop computers, in their offices, at home and traveling, so their location at any given moment is unknown. Phone tag has been replaced with device tag.
SIP applications bridge the gap by connecting smartphones, softphones, computers and other IP-enabled devices, managing them with software that includes basic features like forwarding, busy or out-of-office responses and conference calling. And because most work with legacy telecommunications equipment through an IAD, capital expenditure can be kept small. SMBs can usually keep their hardware and in some cases also current software because the applications are flexible and functional. For example, a unified communication solution can bundle email, voicemail, faxes and calendaring, making it easy to organize and deliver all manner of messages.
Video and phone conferences are easier to schedule regardless of the size or location of attendees. Participation in real-time is possible with a webcam. Presence indicates whether an invitee is available and she can join the conference from a SIP-capable phone or softphone. Once completed, the session can be saved as a data file for historical purposes.
With all the talk about connectivity and being able to locate coworkers and other contacts no matter where they are, it can be unsettling to think that a computer can always find you. These applications, however, often have built-in functions to customize presence indicators and contact points. Users can mange phone numbers and addresses and maintain personal settings such as on vacation, in a conference, out of the office or do not disturb. The productivity tools available today offer flexibility and mobility while preserving privacy.
More at broadvox.net.
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