Question : VoIP Questions

My knowledge of VoIP configurations is very limited. I am very confused about all the different "flavors" of VoIP that exist -- IP telephony, VoIP, Cisco VoIP, etc. And then there are all the different pieces of hardware and building blocks that make a VoIP network.

Now, I'm planning on doing some serious reading regarding this, but I would like someone to give a brief overview.

I work for a retail chain that has KSUs at each of their sites. The sites are connected via an MPLS network. I have been told that management would like to migrate to a VoIP solution in the future. My question is, how many different ways are there to migrate to VoIP?? How many different setups and scenarios are there? If I want to plan for the future regarding a routing solution that will support VoIP, what features. cards. modules should I look for?

HELP!!! :-)

Answer : VoIP Questions

I spoke to the VoIP representative and I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. We have a PBX system. Our T1 line comes in and goes for the data, the other part of it for voice goes to the PBX. If we switched to VoIP we would no longer use the PBX system as it won't work with it.

Internally all calls would run on the network. We would need new switches and routers. We would also need all new phones as the old phones will not run on VoIP. The phone are very nice and have features such as color and can display XML content. You could access voicemail and change features via a web interface.

We have two options:
1. On premise VoIP. This is where we run the entire equipment and become kind of like a PSTN. Good part: You have control over the system. Bad part: You lose power and your calls go to limbo.
2. Off site: The providing company hosts the equipment. If the company loses power all calls still get voicemail and aren't lost.

With either solution we would still need new routers and switches. There's also a slight catch, once the call leaves our network it goes onto the provider's network be it Bellsouth, or whatever, and you get charged certain rates for that.

We were under the impression that calls would be treated as data through the Internet. It is treated as data, but it has to be converted to voice to "jump" onto the PSTN.

So the bottom line is this:

1. Hosted or not hosted?
2. Buy routers, switches, and phones from Cisco regardless of option (We have unmanaged switches. We would need managed switches to really make it work well).
3. Charges based on a similar model to the phone company

Our next step is to contact the T1 Provider as they also offer a VoIP solution. They can look at our current bills and tell us whether the upfront costs would equal out to savings in the long run. They also provide a level of service to assure that the system will be up "X" amount of time.