IP telephony links multiple offices; integrated platform offers call processing and voice applications - Special focus: voice networks - inChord Communications uses Cisco Systems ICS 7750

Communications News, June, 2003

For companies that support numerous remote and home office locations, finding a cost-effective, reliable and flexible way to link all of their workers becomes a chief concern. In addition to cost-effectiveness, a good telecommunications soon needs to be simple to manage-making adds, moves and changes easy to maintain-and it must offer flexibility for future growth.

For inChord Communications in Columbus, Ohio, a leading marketing communications firm for the pharmaceutical industry, these considerations led it to choose an Internet pro(IP) communications solution to support its nine worldbranch offices, as well as its corporate headquarters.

"Our move from a traditional private branch exchange (PBX) to an IP telephony solution was set in motion," says Sean Burke, director of network operations, "when we consolidated three offices into a single headquarters location, and then later expanded our Saratoga Springs, N.Y., branch office by 40%. Since expanding and managing the current PBX system be expensive and time consuming, we looked for alternative solutions, deciding on an Internet protocol communications option from Cisco Systems, the ICS 7750, because it offered a single, convenient telephony and services platform It specifically for the bandwidth and administrative needs of branch and midsize offices."

The solution chosen by inChord offers call processing and voice applications, along with multiservice IP routing in a single integrated platform. It connects with switches situated throughout the office, which, in turn, connect via Ethernet to the LAN that links the desktop computers, servers and IP phones at the location. The switches are responsible for prioritizing the packets of information being transferred along the network, known as quality of service, so that voice packets quality. Outside the LAN, the system connects to an AT&T frame relay network via a fractional T-1 circuit to link with the wider communications network.

Communications systems linking numerous offices need to offers seamless networking, regardless of each location's technology, Burke adds. IP technology, for instance, can be used at branch locations, but the headquarters location could opt to remain on a circuit-switched PBX system. Or, as in the case of the Cisco product, he says, the IP system can work alongside a PBX system at the same location.

"Additional considerations we examined include ease of maintenance, simple additions and moves for extensions, and cost effectiveness, Burke explains.

"VoIP systems feature telephone equipment that hooks into a personal computer, reducing the need for additional telephone cabling and exploiting the existing computer network," he adds. "This feature has proven to be a bonus for future growth and expansion, since there is no need to add bays and cards as in a PBX system. In addition, our IP system is easy to roll out in new sites, allowing rapid deployment with 'cookie-cutter' configurations."

Burke also cites easy maintenance of the VoIP system, with some recent system changes made by the company's IT team using the system-management Web browser on a laptop computer by dialing up the network from a remote location.

"The equipment has proven to be cost-effective," Burke says, "since it reduces the need for additional phone cabling and allows for fast expansion. For instance, adding extensions to a PBX system requires additional wiring, whereas the IP telephony system can just use the new network data ports for its phone ports.

"Changing extensions in a PBX system requires on-site personnel to punch down new wiring," he continues, "whereas this IP telephony system allows the IT team to make changes remotely through a Web-driven interface. In addition, the platform allows simple system upgrades to add new features all in the original chassis." Burke estimates that the IP system saves $100 each time an extension is changed, moved or added.

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