1. Moving from PSTN to VoIP<\/b><\/p>\n
Recently studies have shown that most telecommunications companies themselves are switching over from PSTN to VoIP.\u00a0Why? Because it is ten times cheaper to power a VoIP data centre than a room of TDM switches. It goes without saying then that a VoIP system will be ten times cheaper to power in your business too. In our article The 10 Benefits of a Virtual PBX System<\/a> we look at a multitude of the benefits of a Virtual PABX system run on VoIP such as scalability, low upfront capital expenditure and good voice quality and why a Virtual PABX system is such an excellent telephone system choice.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve already decided to move to a Virtual PABX system, there are a few points you need to look at in order to be able to migrate from PSTN to VoIP and then make use of a Virtual PABX.<\/p>\n 1.1 Establish a Migration plan<\/b> 1.2 Structure your network and introduce VLANS per extension<\/b> 1.3 Test the Cabling<\/b> 1.4 Make sure your security is up to scratch<\/b> Above we discussed the benefits of moving from PSTN to VoIP and how this will assist in running a Virtual PABX system. A Virtual PABX system will allow you to take advantage of the provider\u2019s expertise and capital outlay. Simply put, you will benefit by economies of scale, by sharing the IP PBX system with many others in a multi-tenant cloud configuration, you will be able to enjoy large cost savings. Furthermore you will be using a top of the range IP PBX which may have been out of your budget if you were to buy it and operate it yourself.<\/p>\n For the best advice on how to migrate to a virtual PABX system, as well as the best deals and service on all PBX and Virtual PABX systems that suit your business needs, contact ECN today<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nEstablishing a migration plan, will include the following points:
\n\u2022 Ensure your current PBX supports SIP termination, if it doesn\u2019t support SIP you will need to go out and buy a SIP gateway. This is just an IP voice to PSTN convertor; alternatively, you could just buy a VoIP PBX.
\n\u2022 Move existing lines and numbers to the new IP system (local number portability). Make sure you have the extension plan documented so that so that you can use this to configure the new IP service.
\n\u2022 Go slow \u2013 Move a single business line, then test it before committing your important sites to the migration.<\/p>\n
\nThis step will entail the transition from the existing telephone structure to an IP cable infrastructure. There are two options here, either to use the existing data network cabling if there is any for data and voice or run a separate infrastructure purely for voice. It is advisable to opt for the latter for better quality calls.<\/p>\n
\nTesting both jitter and latency are important in order to ensure clear quality and minimal delay.<\/p>\n
\nFinally, making sure that your VoIP firewalls and security control are up to date with the latest security standards.
\n 2. Consider the Cloud and a Virtual PABX System<\/b><\/p>\n