TMCnews Featured Article
August 18, 2011
Will VoIP Management Go Mainstream?
By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor
As large providers like Microsoft (News 
- Alert), Google and Amazon push to take VoIP management to an entirely new level; imagine a world where telephone land lines are completely extinct and Skype is accessible to everyone.
In this recent InformationWeek report, BYTE analyst Rob Enderle predicts that VoIP has the dexterity to move the traditional analog voice into a fully-digital system. Voice alone could not accomplish this feat. Enderle said assimilation of all services can progress into video which can then link to related e-mails and message management systems.
Convergence (News - Alert) is the key to the success of VoIP management. In an effort to take VoIP management mainstream, larger providers are launching serves that may not be quite ready to greet the general population. This process is moving VoIP past second-tier vendors and to customers directly.
Enderle noted that the difference is that the top companies in the game are behind the big push to make VoIP readily accessible. This puts a lot of pressure on other providers as traditional voice is becoming obsolete and services are leaving fewer options other than the digital platform.
The end is near and all providers need to take note. There might not be any notice of termination when the big switch goes off. Skype and iPad are some of the top free apps within the iTunes store with more than 27 million users leveraging the Skype network. There are an additional number of users who have access to Skype through Facebook (News - Alert) and Google+ or Hollywood by Amazon.
So far Skype is it. And there are no tough competitors for this VoIP management solution. According to one of its executives, Skype crosses various ecosystems and supports many platforms. Rick Osterloh said the company wants to be the standard for IP communication. Now that Microsoft plans to make Skype its own, this dream may just find a reality.
If they play their cards right carriers can gain the most from VoIP management software. The ability to go completely digital and video capable will advance them into the future. Gartner (News - Alert) analyst Ken Agress believes companies should being implementing a strong IP multimedia subsystem platform to accompany their VoIP services.
This architectural infrastructure is very similar to 3G and 4G networks. In order to move VoIP management into an industrial platform, it will have to adopt the IMS standards.
This plan of action is something that no company has yet to try. Agress said to better position themselves, telecom will need to step up to the plate and apply some sort of VoIP-friendly network. He said Google is already ahead of the curve by owning a considerable amount of fiber throughout the United States. That alone positions them to be a carrier. But telecom isn’t about to become a dinosaur anytime soon.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Juliana Kenny
Internet Telephony Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
CUSTOMER 
Cloud Computing Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
IoT EVOLUTION MAGAZINE
