Large enterprises with distributed operations have until now been the biggest users of VoIP. We
are now about to witness the democratization of VoIP. Business quality VoIP is now available to
SMBs and even SOHO operators. Could we next see a VoIP PBX in every home?
VoIP Phone Systems - Here Comes the Bubble
By Chris H Green
Big business has been onto the virtues of VoIP for years. Companies such as Cisco, Avaya and
Nortel sell billions of dollars worth of VoIP systems annually to large corporations. For big business
there is no real alternative to VoIP business phone systems. For a start the traditional TDM
option is no longer manufactured in volume. Secondly, businesses with distributed national and
international operations can make significant cost savings from using VoIP. They can eliminate the
PSTN costs associated with long distance "internal" calls.
The story is different for SMBs, SOHO operators and the general public. These segments also want
to use VoIP and save money. Their interest was initially sparked via millions of: Skype, Google Talk,
Jajah and Gizmo Project ... downloads and the promise of "Free Phone Calls." They are a bargain,
but not an alternative to a commercial grade business phone service. They're OK for calling friends
and family, but not an option for selling a product or closing a deal.
There are two recent developments that have made VoIP phone systems accessible to SMBs.
(1) Hosted VoIP PBX or Virtual VoIP PBX services.
(2) VoIP PBX appliances suitable for SMB and SOHO users.
Both options will deliver business quality VoIP and SMBs are scrambling to sign up for one or the
other. They don't necessarily obtain the same benefits as large corporations from using a VoIP
business phone system. Typically SMBs don't have the scale or distributed operations required to
bulk up enough savings from simply eliminating the cost of "internal calls." As a consequence the
arguments for SMBs switching to VoIP usually revolve around the ability to project a more
professional image, access to sexy phone features or the promise of Unified Communications.
Inevitably, VoIP PBX appliances and VoIP software will become cheaper, smaller and more
convenient. High speed broadband is already ubiquitous and just as the computer became a
household consumer item, so will the VoIP phone system. Households will have a main number
and family members, especially teenage daughters will have personal phone extensions, voice mail
boxes and follow me profiles.
Is there a VoIP bubble on the horizon? Probably, a VoIP phone system is something that everyone
can use. There is an enormous market to be tapped (pun intended) and fortunes will be made on
the back of innovative business models.
Chris Green is a communications consultant and writer. He notes that VoIP phone systems have
achieved respectability, in fact VoIP is now the default option for business telephony. In selecting a
business phone system the choice is between VoIP and VoIP. Green notes that large corporations
have been using VoIP for years. It's now the turn of SMBs and SOHO operators. Might we see a
VoIP PBX appliance in every home within a decade?
Further articles on this topic can be found at his web site: Business Phone Tools.
are now about to witness the democratization of VoIP. Business quality VoIP is now available to
SMBs and even SOHO operators. Could we next see a VoIP PBX in every home?
VoIP Phone Systems - Here Comes the Bubble
By Chris H Green
Big business has been onto the virtues of VoIP for years. Companies such as Cisco, Avaya and
Nortel sell billions of dollars worth of VoIP systems annually to large corporations. For big business
there is no real alternative to VoIP business phone systems. For a start the traditional TDM
option is no longer manufactured in volume. Secondly, businesses with distributed national and
international operations can make significant cost savings from using VoIP. They can eliminate the
PSTN costs associated with long distance "internal" calls.
The story is different for SMBs, SOHO operators and the general public. These segments also want
to use VoIP and save money. Their interest was initially sparked via millions of: Skype, Google Talk,
Jajah and Gizmo Project ... downloads and the promise of "Free Phone Calls." They are a bargain,
but not an alternative to a commercial grade business phone service. They're OK for calling friends
and family, but not an option for selling a product or closing a deal.
There are two recent developments that have made VoIP phone systems accessible to SMBs.
(1) Hosted VoIP PBX or Virtual VoIP PBX services.
(2) VoIP PBX appliances suitable for SMB and SOHO users.
Both options will deliver business quality VoIP and SMBs are scrambling to sign up for one or the
other. They don't necessarily obtain the same benefits as large corporations from using a VoIP
business phone system. Typically SMBs don't have the scale or distributed operations required to
bulk up enough savings from simply eliminating the cost of "internal calls." As a consequence the
arguments for SMBs switching to VoIP usually revolve around the ability to project a more
professional image, access to sexy phone features or the promise of Unified Communications.
Inevitably, VoIP PBX appliances and VoIP software will become cheaper, smaller and more
convenient. High speed broadband is already ubiquitous and just as the computer became a
household consumer item, so will the VoIP phone system. Households will have a main number
and family members, especially teenage daughters will have personal phone extensions, voice mail
boxes and follow me profiles.
Is there a VoIP bubble on the horizon? Probably, a VoIP phone system is something that everyone
can use. There is an enormous market to be tapped (pun intended) and fortunes will be made on
the back of innovative business models.
Chris Green is a communications consultant and writer. He notes that VoIP phone systems have
achieved respectability, in fact VoIP is now the default option for business telephony. In selecting a
business phone system the choice is between VoIP and VoIP. Green notes that large corporations
have been using VoIP for years. It's now the turn of SMBs and SOHO operators. Might we see a
VoIP PBX appliance in every home within a decade?
Further articles on this topic can be found at his web site: Business Phone Tools.
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