Use of Internet Phones in Information Systems
VoIP Internet phones have found their niche in the business world. After years of testing voice telephony over the Internet, VoIP configurations are becoming integrated in computer networks as an alternative to a regular phone system. A couple of reasons for the popularity and increased usage of VoIP are cost and versatility. The basic functions of VoIP rival landline systems in areas of portability and data management.
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Cost Factor
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VoIP technology with Internet phones have the distinct advantage of being used across an information systems network supporting voice and data transmissions simultaneously. Internet phones can use the same client server network as regular computers use. Money is saved through the integration of telephone lines into the network, eliminating the cost of spending for additional equipment. Maintenance costs to maintain IP phones on a network are cheaper. In addition, upgrade costs to the network pertaining to memory capacity to support IP phone integration are minimal.
Customer Service
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VoIP technology includes business tools to enhance customer service and help desk responses. The computer system can display an incoming call and route the call to an individual or VoIP extension. The data displayed on the screen shows the caller's phone number, the expired time of the call and voice message if the caller chooses to leave a message. Merged with CRM software, this feature of voice provides a powerful customer service response system.
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VoIP Portability
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VoIP phones on an information systems network allow for personal assigned VoIP phone numbers to become portable. Any workstation having access to a VoIP interface on the network can be logged in to and used. The VoIP phone number is not tied to a dedicated terminal, which makes it portable. This feature also extends to people working from remote locations (home, coffee shop, library, etc.). Regardless of the location, an individual has the same phone number on the network.
Technical Information
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If a company is implementing a VoIP phone system on an existing network system, there are several factors to consider. The first factor is the number of phones implemented on the network. Second, the network server must have the capacity through the central processing unit and memory to handle voice and data transmission concerning regular data and VoIP communications. Last, a business should decide on the type of Internet connectivity needed to support VoIP applications and the entire network. T1 and T3 data lines (which contain the highest speeds per megabyte in the industry) should be researched and considered if VoIP is used over a large office network.
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