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VoIP: Conferencing and Convergence
The VoIP technology has made it easier for businesses with limited budgets to compete with their larger contemporaries. Aside from providing small businesses with a way to call 800 long-distance numbers cheaply, the set of new features it is regularly introducing gives users the kind of sophistication that used to be associated with multinational companies.
Two of the most notable features available in VoIP include conferencing and convenience. Below are the details about these features:
Conferencing
Any good system from VoIP service providers is capable of supporting audio, and even video, conferencing. Multiple users can participate and collaborate in a meeting virtually and in real time. No matter their distance, high-fidelity wideband VoIP connects users seamlessly and the participants can talk and hear at a normal volume.
It is also possible to integrate the conferencing feature with other collaboration tools. During the conference call, users can synchronize their calendars, view presentations, exchange large files, and even view each other’s desktop. This kind of integration is known as “unified communications.”
Getting this technology is not difficult at all. Tech companies are offering enterprise-level solutions. It is also possible to read up on VoIP reviews and conduct VoIP comparisons. For example, Microsoft entry into this field is the Office Communications Server 2007 (OCS) which enables SIP-based calling, instant messaging, presence-based call management as well as audio, video, and web conferencing.
Convergence
Convergence is enabling different technology to be synchronized so they can work with each other. It is the basis of “unified communications” wherein the system can handle voice mail, phone calls, instant messages, emails, faxes, video conferences, and other types of communication. In cases when you’re in an area where the phone call can’t be received, the VoIP system can send you a message that someone has tried to call you.
As you can see, VoIP offers highly sophisticated features that you don’t normally get from traditional phone services. And as it becomes more common in the workplace, the communication features between large and small companies is increasingly blurred.