Enhanced Services For IP-Telephony
by Edwin Mier
Posted 2/2004; Published 9/2003
Abstract:
In this, the latest BCR product evaluation, our goal was to see what’s
coming down the pike that could motivate and propel enterprise deployment of
IP-telephony even faster. What new services, features and capabilities are
offered that exploit the unique aspects of IP-telephony—like data-voice
convergence and distance insensitivity? Are new “killer applications” waiting in
the wings?
Our research turned up a burgeoning number of review candidates, so we
adopted a few guidelines for this test:
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The application packages had to run over an IP-telephony environment.
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The “services” they addressed had to be new and “enhanced,” going beyond
traditional features available on TDM-PBXs.
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The most intriguing and prevalent new applications, it seemed, were in the
categories of messaging, conferencing and collaboration. So we decided to
focus on application packages addressing at least one of these areas.
Invitations went out to dozens of vendors offering such packages, and the
available review time-slots quickly filled. The seven packages evaluated, from
six vendors, are:
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3Com’s messaging-oriented VCX 7300 Suite, which runs over
and requires the vendor’s high-end, SIP-based VCX 7200 IP-telephony system.
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Interactive Intelligence brought two different packages:
The Enterprise Interaction Center, or EIC—a full-featured IP-telephony
system that bundles in the enhanced-services apps—and Communité, an advanced
messaging system that “back-ends” an existing PBX, IP-PBX or telco switch.
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Mitel’s new Your Assistant application suite, which the
vendor is expanding considerably over the next six months.
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Nortel’s impressive new Multimedia Communications Server,
or MCS 5100. |
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Siemens’ bold new OpenScape, the only package reviewed that
was developed to run on Microsoft’s RTC (Real-Time Communications) Server, a
centerpiece of the new Win2003 Server.
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VocalData’s VOISS (Voice-Over-IP-SoftSwitch) package, which
provides the basis for an increasing number of service providers’ IP-Centrex
offerings. Only IP-phones go on the user’s site, everything else runs at the
service provider’s point of presence (POP.)
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Because of the broad diversity of these products—no two are the same—it was
decided that a Best-in-Test scorecard would not be appropriate. Architecturally,
the delivery of enhanced and advanced features is addressed in very different
ways.
Today’s “advanced-services” packages and platforms vary considerably in
market focus, platform base (server hardware and operating system) and feature
function support. Among the widely supported features are unified messaging for
voice mail, email and fax, scheduled audio conferencing and rules-based
voice-call routing, like Find-Me/Follow-Me. The applications and features that
are being readied for market include on-demand conferencing, multiparty
videoconferencing and collaboration capabilities like whiteboarding, IM/Chat and
document sharing.
The success of these packages may put to bed the issue whether VOIP has a
“killer app.” It may turn out to be not a single application, but the right mix
of applications that deliver clear productivity gains and return on investment,
which propels us into an IP-telephony future.
About the author:
Edwin E. Mier is founder of Miercom, a
network consultancy and product test center based in Princeton Junction, NJ
