Voice over Internet Protocol Gains Interest

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is the term for a relatively new technology whereby organizations use the internet, private data networks or both in lieu of conventional telephone networks. The switch to VoIP is gaining interest in banks, insurance companies, local governments, school systems and health care organizations. The major benefit is lower communication costs. The major roadblock is the fact that people with VoIP can only call other people with VoIP. VoIP systems can also cut maintenance costs because the same IT staff can handle a single system for telecom and data. There is far less wiring since remote locations need access just to the main network rather than their own voice systems. Low costs and high reliability are even prompting many companies to trust VoIP systems with their most trafficked and most critical functions such as their customer call centers. With VoIP, companies can centralize customer service at its headquarters, providing more efficient service while cutting costs. Like the Internet, VoIP has provided a relatively inexpensive way to link disparate locations. While VoIP still has shortcomings – the need for consistent technologies between parties and subject to power outages and computer failures to name a few - it has evolved into a viable business telecom option.