Polycom produces a full range of voice- and video-communication hardware products, including VoIP-enabled phones. Polycom's IP phones are compatible with Cisco's and 3Com's VoIP hardware. For example, Polycom's SoundStation IP 3000 3Com NBX conference-room speakerphone is specifically designed for use with the 3Com SuperStack 3 NBX and 3Com NBX 100.
VoIP gateways are a specialty of SMC Networks. This vendor manufactures the SMCVIP04 four-port VoIP gateway and the SMCVIP08 eight-port VoIP gateway, which feature voice compression mechanisms designed to limit the amount of bandwidth required in the IP network. Standards-based protocols support the gateways' voice quality and call-control routing.
Software. Some VoIP hardware vendors offer optional software. For example, 3Com offers the 3Com NBX IP Site software for the 3Com SuperStack 3 NBX or 3Com NBX 100. This software lets remote employees be part of the IP network. Similarly, Siemens offers the HiPath 5000 enterprise softswitch for its traditional PBX platforms. (A softswitch is software that provides call-control functionality. For more information about softswitches, go to the International Softswitch Consortium—ISC—Web site at http://www.softswitch.org or the MobileIN.com Web site at http://www.mobilein.com/what_is_softswitch.htm.) The HiPath 5000 supports PBX features offered on Siemens' PBX platforms, interoperates with such platforms, and shares applications (e.g., multimedia contact centers and unified messaging) with as many as 2000 users across 64 nodes.
Some vendors provide VoIP software only. For example, for systems in which billing is a concern, LogiSense offers Hawk-i. This VoIP billing software lets network service providers incorporate usage-based billing in their businesses. Service providers can bill customers either before or after they make their calls. Another example is TeleSym. This vendor offers SymPhone Client, a client software program that gives VoIP capability to laptop PCs and Pocket PC 2002 devices. NetIQ's Vivinet series of programs monitor call and network quality, provide detailed diagnostics, and can lessen the skills required for VoIP troubleshooting, both before and after deployment of a VoIP-enabled network.
Go Fast or Go Slow
If you decide to implement a VoIP solution, you might want to take the plunge and quickly change your entire system all at once. Alternatively, you can test the waters by slowly integrating VoIP into an existing PBX. For example, one company used a mixture of IP phones and TDM phones for about 18 months before converting the entire system. The company built a connection through a VoIP gateway to the existing PBX, and the PBX supported calling-name and calling-number displays. When someone called from the PBX, his or her calling name and calling number appeared on the receiving IP phone, and vice versa. So, go fast or go slow—it's up to you.
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