Voice-over-Internet Protocol or VoIP works by converging voice and data from two networks into one through Internet protocols and technology.

It has always been that there were two networks -- a phone network and a computer network. Over the past couple of years, the evolution of Voice and Video over IP has made the migration to one integrated voice and data network a reality -- a necessity.

The question that now remains is how an organization should make the leap. We suggest that the benefits of open-standards Voice and Video over IP strongly outweigh any consideration of re-investment in legacy PBX technology, or single-vendor based, proprietary Voice and Video over IP.

Here are some things we at EtherSpeak Communications would like for you to consider:

• Does the solution you are considering let you know the real-time status, or presence of any colleague in your organization? Are they out to lunch, on the phone, in a meeting, unavailable?
   
• If you go out to lunch, shouldn't your calls "find you and follow you," if that is something you want to happen?
   
• The solution you consider for your business should offer seamless call handling based on your presence. If you are working at a remote office -- or a remote hotel room -- shouldn't your calls be directed to where you want to receive them based on how you want to receive them?
   
• Shouldn't you be able to sit anywhere in your organization and use any phone on the network -- and make it your phone while you are using that location to conduct your business?
   
• The solution you consider should get that ugly operator console off your receptionist's desk. Surely, they could make better use of that space. Shouldn't they be able to use their own PC to manage the telephone calls coming into your organziation. Also, shouldn't your sales team receive the incoming calls to the sales line wherever they may be -- at their desk, at their home office, in a remote wireless hotspot -- and have Internet access to respond to your customer's questions?
   
• The solution you consider should give the power back to the users to determine how their calls are handled. Shouldn't your users be able to make as many long distance calls as they need to meet the goals and objectives of the business? Check their voicemail through the computer? Have their faxes arrive and be sent directly from their desktop PC or laptop?
   
• The solution you consider should make use of other forms of communication like instant messaging and chat. Is there a not a place for IMing someone when they may be using the phone, or away from their desk? You know, somewhere between voice mail and typing an email there is a place for a solution that supports user-only instant messaging and chat capability where the IMs are kept within the enterprise. Wouldn't it be great to be able to send an instant message to everyone on your team...instantly?
   
• The solution you consider should permit you to deploy any manufacturer's handset -- not just their own. There are many options for standards-based handsets including different sizes, shapes and applications. Many vendors are competing for your business -- to buy their standards-based hardware -- is good for you and your business. Choices are a good thing for you, your staff and your business.