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voip

According to Transparency Market Research, VoIP isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the firm says that “the VoIP services market is expected to foresee continuous growth in the coming years due to cost effectiveness, improving network infrastructure across the globe and rising demand for smart devices.” This growth sets the stage for critical advancements in VoIP technology: here are five prime candidates to benefit your business network.

Improved Security

When it comes to landline conversations, the possibility of a wiretap or other interception is real but unlikely — VoIP, however, offers both increased usability for companies and a corresponding rise in risk. As noted by Business.com, however, VoIP security is also a rising trend: data encryption, real time antivirus software and dedicated VoIP networks offer ways to circumvent issues such as eavesdropping, DDOS attacks and spoofing. Another option is the use of SIP trunking, which replaces the traditional telephony trunk and combines data, voice and video into a single line. It also permits more granular control over network security and improved call protection.

Expect this market to evolve along with data analytics as VoIP security solutions learn to differentiate between “normal” call behavior and more malicious actions. This is especially pertinent as companies inhabit global spaces, regardless of their physical size — even a small security compromise can be financially crippling.
Mainstream Mobile VoIP

Mobile VoIP has been gaining ground for several years, but always as separate from more traditional landline services and even PC-to-PC connections. Now, however, telecoms regulators, like Norway’s PT, have started to recognize mobile VoIP as an “ordinary” mobile service. PT plans to allow the assignment of eight-digit mobile telephone numbers to services, as long as they permit both outgoing and incoming calls, include standard SMS functionality and allow mobile data services. As mobile devices become critical in business networks, this advancement highlights the blurring lines between IP-based and traditional telephony services.

Hybrid Networks

Just like hybrid clouds, hybrid VoIP networks are gaining ground. As noted by Tech Target, “pure IP” VoIP services are beginning to take a backseat to hybrid options. Both completely on-premises and entirely off-site VoIP solutions offer advantages: cloud-based services avoid the need to route through a PSTN, while local networks provide enhanced control over security. Deploying a model that takes the best of both worlds is no longer impossible, rapidly becoming standard practice. For businesses, the prime benefit here is choosing exactly which services to keep on-site and which are better automated by a provider.

Widening Gaps

Another critical advancement for VoIP comes thanks to the widening gap between regulated and unregulated services. NetworkWorld points out several critical differences: regulated providers “touch” as PSTN in some way, requiring them to meet legacy-type standards such as the E.164 numbering plan and support for E911. Unregulated providers, meanwhile, are bound by no such restrictions since they are entirely IP-based. This allows them to offer whatever combination of services they want, without the need to comply with typical telephony standards. While it’s not feasible — or wise — for your business to run an entirely unregulated VoIP, these often provide one-off benefits hard to come by with more traditional services. As with cloud providers, many companies are now choosing to split their VoIP activity among several providers to achieve the best overall benefit.

Global Rollouts

The final big advancement in VoIP? According to Fierce Enterprise Communications, it’s the “global rollout” of Web-based collaboration tools from industry leaders. No longer content to sit on the sidelines, big players are starting to offer all-in-one suites that include worldwide reach and a host of features. While these Unified Communications (UC) tools may not be right for every business, they’re prompting a reevaluation of VoIP quality and service: only the best rise to the top.

VoIP technology is advancing and bringing new benefits to business networks. From improved security to mobile VoIP, hybrid networks, multiple providers and global initiatives, this market is on a roll.

To learn more about VoIP, contact MCC’s Telecom Solutions Division today!