There are two immutable trends affecting enterprises and service providers. The first is that when it comes to voice communications, we’re rather quickly moving from the legacy PSTN world based on TDM technology, to one based on voice over IP (VoIP).

The second is that increasingly much of this VoIP traffic is going to at some point touch the clouds.

In fact, for service providers, seeking the most efficient and effective means to drive profitability, agility and efficiency in carrier interconnect routing and wholesale termination services the cloud is the answer. This is true regarding servicing new business opportunities, creating new operating efficiencies, and in addressing increased complexity. However, not all cloud solutions are the same. Each has their own technical options, operations capabilities and business models they can support.  

What this means is that choosing the solution that best fits one’s needs is non-trivial based on business imperatives. Hence, making the best selection as with most things is a function of asking the right questions.

What are those questions? Here is a short list to consider:

• Where are the opportunities to enhance wholesale voice termination services?
• What are the critical requirements of a cloud carrier routing platform?
• How can you properly assess the return on investment (ROI) of a cloud-based wholesale voice platform?
• What are the hurdles in moving to the cloud, i.e., how long and how painful from expense and operational perspectives would a move be? And, how can these be overcome?  
• What is the future for wholesale voice services in the cloud and how can they be leveraged?

These are all great questions, and a place to find answers to these and others that are likely on your mind is a webinar I will be moderating on Thursday March 7, 2013 at 2:00PM EST. The in the session, “Cloud and Carrier Routing: Turning Complexity into Capability,  I will be joined by DIGITALK CEO, Justin Norris, and CTO, Neil French, who will address the multiple aspects of selecting the right wholesale termination and carrier routing solution.

As noted at the top, the trends of VoIP and more of it being in the cloud are creating challenges for service providers looking to leverage them to create sustainable business advantage.

Indeed, these trends are accelerating, and now is the time for careful consideration and getting knowledgeable on how best to proceed.