The Time To Invest in VoIP?
87 days ago
When household names such as Cisco, Motorola, Microsoft, BT and Nokia hit the mainstream media with plans to unite mobile telephony and the internet, the world should sit up and take note. But is it time to do more than just test the water? Let's face it, mobile phones cost organisations a great deal of money. In part, it's because calls are more expensive. That's not a problem when people are working away from the organisations offices – the ability to keep in touch delivers benefits that offset the additional costs.
But increasingly employees are using their mobile phones as their principal means of making and receiving calls, whether or not they are in an office where a lower cost alternative is available. They value the convenience of knowing that calls will reach them wherever they are, and of being able to make calls easily to people whose numbers are stored in their directory. Unfortunately, it's a convenience that comes at a cost. Over half the organisations contacted in a recent survey expected the cost of mobile phone calls to rise between 2004 and 2007, some by as much as 25 per cent [1].
Then there's the added cost of managing a ‘fleet' of mobile phones. While organisations usually manage provision of desk-based phones centrally, mobile phone services are often bought locally. This dilutes the organisation's ability to use its purchasing power to get the best deal and can result in the cost of supporting a mobile user being up to three times that of a fixed-line user [2].
Little wonder, then, that mobile phone costs are an increasing concern. But what's the answer? Right now, the best option is to manage mobile phone usage more effectively, perhaps taking advantage of the option to outsource the task to a managed service supplier that can meet the organisation's needs worldwide.
In the longer term, however, technical innovations such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and fixed/mobile convergence will have a great deal to offer.
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