atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Is VoIP an attempt to steal phone tech work?

The more info I read and the more I learn about VoIP, I come back to the same thought, are the IT guys trying to take over telecom?

The equipment is computer based, the transport is the internet, and the techs are really geeks.

Since the folks in telecom, that have been in telecom for any length of time, know how reliable the internet's up-time is, we should not worry about VoIP replacing the PSTN. For years, the argument has been "Telephone is not allowed to have down time". This one statement is the entire argument of VoIP vs Telecom.

An office with a VoIP communications system that needs to be rebooted, as computers do now and again, will need to do without telecommmunications for the duration of the boot-up process. As the computer loads its operating system, then loads the software required to operate as a telephone system, there is no possibility of a call being received or originated, and this can be up to several minutes. What becomes of a caller, trying to reach you during the down-time? Is that caller provided a notice you are still in business, or does the carrier see no signal from the far end and play the "number not in service" recording? Will the call ring unanswered as currently happens with POTS?

VoIP is a good theory, but until QOS, reliability, guarantee of up-time, etc are improved, I would hesitate greatly before considering a VoIP system.

Yup, you nailed it. That's why we string up every fifth computer geek or IT "professional" (whatever the hell that is) that signs up here.

-Hal

and the fourth one just signed up

OK....yes....the computer geeks are trying to take over the telecom world (as well as every other aspect). I know because I am one (hopefully one of the good ones).

I like VoIP in the rare instances where it is actually needed. That said, inter-office VoIP is stupid and there is no need. Same feelings on VoIP trunking. Sure, you may save a few pennies on calls, but as Frank_DaFoneguy so gracefully put, the reliability is not there.

Now for the profound wisdom......

IF YOU WANT VoIP GET A HYBRID AND A GOOD INSTALLER! there are applications for it....just not as many as "they" claim.

Not true on a private network. There are many ways to do VOIP, on a private network say MPLS or via the public network, the internet. The company I manage moves all its voice traffic on a private MPLS network. The savings in over $200K per year. Call quality on the MPLS is better that the PSTN IMO.

The problem is the marketing is ahead of the product. They are pushing a concept for something that is still in it's infancy working through some growing pains.

I install VoIP systems (utilizing as little internet-based VoIP as possible) and have had good experiences with it. It has proven very versatile and stable. My connection quality is as good as whatever I hook it to.

I think it's less that the "IT Guys" are trying to take over the world but more that they believe things can be done differently. If things never changed then most of us wouldn't be here talking. At one point the computer was considered a fad that would die out as well. Operator's probably hated the invention of switches as well.

Just my opinion.

The problem is the marketing is ahead of the product. They are pushing a concept for something that is still in it's infancy working through some growing pains.

This is how the computer industry works. They pretty much invented that concept. To hell with the customers, I want mine now so I can retire at 40. This is the new generation folks, spoiled rotten by their parents who then gave them a college education. They spend 4 years learning nothing and they think they have paid their dues. They are out to make as much money as they can any way they can and they think they are entitled to it. To hell with honesty, integrity and ethics.

Fortunately the "old time" telecom trade knows the value of an honest days work and working hard to give their customers a product that delivers as promised from day one. Unfortunately that is becoming harder and harder to do with the next generation taking over the leadership and copying the greed the computer industry has championed.

-Hal

The only growing pain of VOIP is the growing pain-in-the-a-- it is becoming!
liquidvw, it was REAL tough to pass up the oppertunity prezented bi yor tipoz! Newtwork and quatily, man those were begging, I guess I'm a better man than I thought! John C. (Not Garand)

LiquidVW is correct. An MPLS managed network is probably the most stable platform between multiple sites that is available today. There is hard and soft redundancy built in so there is no single point of failure. A customer site of ours that has 23 locations with 300 lines received enough savings to pay for new premise equipment at all locations via monthly lease. 24/7 monitoring at data centers insures some serious uptime. Chances are issues are fixed before you know there are problems. Not everyone can afford to play in this arena however. VoIP over anything other than truly managed bandwidth is idiotic.

Wow.

I wish I had a rebuttal but I'd like to retire by 40. Anyone need a pensions administrator and/or accountant? (LOL)

Anyways, enough of the hijack. Back on topic