Making the transition to an all VoIP system is a process that could easily be a combination of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. The implementation of a VoIP switch promises to deliver a number of benefits to the corporate environment, as long as its participants can stay the course during the “cut over.”

Employees at the University of Delaware just had such an experience when the institution made the transition to a VoIP switch in September. The process involved releasing all phone numbers from their contracts with Verizon (News - Alert). Next, the institution switched to a new provider in Windstream Communications, porting their numbers in the process.

The transfer took two hours to move 5,500 phone numbers, and the entire operation was online by 11:30 in the morning. The main reason for the switch: the university didn’t want to continue to maintain its large infrastructure, which was housed underground. The location was not as cumbersome as the makeup of the wiring system.

Thousands of wires made of a pulp insulation would stop working if wet. Keeping the wires undamaged for the seamless operation of the network was an expensive process. The addition of fiber optic cables in the 1980s helped to improve the quality and durability of the network, yet it still required upkeep and attention. The liability associated with a failure was expensive and kept too many people offline.

Putting in a new system allowed for the implementation of more durable cables and a system that will save the university money over time. In just five short years, the university will break even. After that point, the cost structure declines significantly as university users enjoy access to new phones with unique capabilities. Advanced features available include voicemail to emails and forwarding calls to mobile phones when a user is on the go.

One problem did arise with the transition in this case. On assistant claims her department was never notified about the migration and knew only when their landlines produced no dial tone. On the new system, caller voices are muffled and drop out on occasion. She also claims to hear an echo at times. This situation is likely isolated and associated with a lack of training rather than a lack of quality associated with the system.

A migration to a new VoIP switch can produce measurable results, but it has to follow an effective strategy and an aggressive training schedule. Users are more willing to accept a change in technology if they are given the proper tools and training to use the new technology for their benefit. In this case, the university is on a path toward an effective and efficient system, yet work still needs to be done.