VPN cements building success

Converged voice and data VPN wins April CRN/Syscap Approved Technology Innovator of the Month award

A joint project to provide a 50-site converged voice and data virtual private network as a managed service is the winner of the April CRN/Syscap Approved Technology Innovator of the Month award.

Specialist IP reseller Vodat Solutions and service provider ANS are supplying the service to building firm Willmott Dixon Group, with ANS delivering all of the engineering and support services.

The system could save up to 60 per cent on network infrastructure overheads.

About 25 building sites and other locations have been connected to a WAN via ADSL, giving workers network and internet access, email and Voice over IP (VoIP). Eventually, the network will cover 50 locations.

Duncan Murray, network support manager at Willmott Dixon, said: "We wanted to look at reducing the cost of the network. Vodat's solution has increased productivity."

Previously, Willmott Dixon was using ISDN and Kilostream links to connect sites and central offices. Vodat was asked to look at the potential for ADSL and suggested using VoIP.

About half of the installed sites already use VoIP and the cost savings have been significant, said Murray. Vodat's service costs 2.5p per minute for UK calls while internal calls are free.

The company can also plug in applications such as voicemail, unified messaging, conference calling and video over IP when required.

The project wins the fourth monthly CRN/Syscap Approved Technology Innovator award for 2003.

The monthly winners will be put forward for two annual awards, one for innovative projects in the public sector, one for the private sector, to be presented at the Channel Awards in November.

To enter for an award, visit www.technology-innovator.co.uk, or call Lisa Glover on (020) 7316 9056, or email technology_innovator @vnu.co.uk.