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Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the ability to speak over a data network based on Internet Protocol.

Its greatest benefit to companies is the dramatic gain in productivity by seamlessly connecting applications as well as interoffice communications.

Billed as the next best thing since sliced bread, VoIP has made believers out of many and given headaches to IT and facilities managers.

VoIP comes with a price that's not only associated with the equipment, but more importantly the time, energy, and commitment it takes to do it right. It's important to fully understand the technical issues that exist in VoIP and partner with a business communications provider that knows how to overcome them.

VoIP's problems have been widely discussed by telecom professionals since its inception. Business communication providers are in the trenches on a daily basis and understand the technology problems and challenges.

Common VoIP related issues include high or low voice levels, known as clipping, and exorbitant noise or echoing caused by poorly configured data networks. Users may also discover a delay before they hear the other person's voice.

If additional software is added to the network without modifications then latency will increase, deteriorating call quality even further. Something as simple as an employee accessing a file from a server can cause network congestion that will negatively affect a co-worker's conversation. IT managers must monitor performance and uncover these types of issues.

The allocation of bandwidth for Internet connectivity causes an entirely new set of problems. If there is a lack of upstream bandwidth, VoIP will not be effective. Upstream bandwidth is typically minimal compared to its downstream counterpart and quality will be impacted without system enhancement.

A growing number of users on an organization's network will put a strain on bandwidth as well as network capacity. Voice quality will decline when the network is overloaded with too many users. Since VoIP is a relatively new technology, it will not be compatible with many legacy systems or LAN/WAN firewalls resulting in an additional investment in other network components.

Before investing in a large-scale VoIP deployment or even in a small trial, you need to know how well your network infrastructure will handle the additional, quality-sensitive voice traffic. Many seemingly well-planned trials encounter delay after delay, exceed cost estimates, and are eventually cancelled when the network proves unable to meet the unique requirements VoIP places on it.

85% of networks are not ready for VoIP. 75% of companies that do not perform a pre-implementation analysis of their network infrastructure will not realize a successful implementation. Properly assessing the system before, during and after installation will uncover hidden problems.

The issues raised are not deal breakers when analyzing whether VoIP is the answer for your business; however, they need to be taken into serious consideration.

Selecting the right business communications partner with a team of technicians that are industry certified on both VoIP technology and equipment will increase your level of comfort, minimize unforeseen problems, and create an environment for seamless transition.

The sooner one realizes that the implementation of VoIP is not as easy as plug and play, the better the chances for a successful migration.

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