INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT - It's time to get it together

David Norton, sales and marketing director of Samsung Telecoms, examines the gap in the market for integrated voice and data needs.

Every telecoms and datacoms customer wants an easy life, and never more so than now. As voice calls, voicemail, email, Lans and internet access become essential elements of doing business, managing the hardware and software aspects that go into making a traditional voice and data package can be a big headache for small businesses.

Developments in CTI have prepared the ground for convergence, but do not meet the range of business needs. The PC and the telephone are more closely linked than ever before, but do not give users a complete package - such as messaging and internet access.

To illustrate the point, consider a small, eight-person company and see how such an integrated system could benefit it. The company needs two telephone lines with ISDN, a handset per desk, a key system, fax machine and either an automated attendant or a receptionist for voice communications.

The computer network requires a hub and router for net access. Voicemail, an email server and an internet firewall may also be needed. Add on installation, support and configuration costs and the business is looking at significant overheads.

With an integrated voice and data system, this business would make savings by sharing equipment functionality and reducing the need for telephone lines. This would lower the ongoing communications costs.

An integrated package needs to address certain needs - a voice telephone service, a data networking capability, and a message handling system with email, voicemail and internet access. This would mean a single, integrated communications platform combining key features such as call forwarding, caller ID and auto attendant, with data networking, messaging, internet, and administrative functions.

But how do dealers acquire the kind of knowledge that will help them to deliver these converged systems to customers? And what kind of product provides this level of voice and data integration?

Until recently, voice dealers have restricted their product portfolios to voice products alone, and data resellers have also typically restricted themselves to data products, but this is changing as the boundaries between the two begin to become blurred.

In terms of products, there will be some significant developments over the next few months, helping dealers offer convergence, addressing communication needs in the most cost effective, functionally rich way, adding real value to the sale by giving resellers a platform to meet demands, in both the long and short term.

Converged products will give extra sales opportunities - internet access is now a prerequisite for almost any company, and with a converged system it will be delivered with office communications services in one single, elegant package. Converged products are ideal in branch office and retail applications, as they combine all requirements in a single unit.

In terms of delivering systems, dealers will be utilising existing knowledge, cabling and set-up skills, and supplying a complete communications system to customers. Out-of-the-box convergence is almost here, so get ready.