SIP to success in 2007

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) has already proved itself to be a key factor in the adoption of IP Telephony and IP-PBX hybrid systems during 2006 and looks set to be the key to opening the Pandora’s box to mass IP voice switch over for companies across the UK during the next two years. 

The fact that, according to one research house MZA Consultants, the market for IP extensions grew by 49 per cent between the second quarter of 2005 and the same period in 2006, should come as no surprise given this important development.  Indeed these sorts of figures look set to be the norm as the market enters mainstream adoption.

SIP will enable IP phones, as well as SIP-enabled mobile devices and applications, to offer highly interactive mixed media communications.   It makes it possible to combine a conference call with video and perhaps Instant Messaging (IM) and file sharing.  It also enables so-called Presence applications so that you can monitor from a device whether key individuals you need to be in touch with are in reach of a device. And then, when ‘presence’ is detected, these systems offer the user the option of video, voice or IM communications with that key individual(s). It becomes possible to run much faster, more informative, interactive communications sessions from the comfort of your desk, or via your smart phone whilst on the move.  

SIP trunking
The first step in embedding SIP into voice systems has been focused naturally on the ‘trunk side’ – enabling carriers to connect out to users using SIP. 

Usage of SIP trunks in the telephony infrastructure offers very real advantages. Notably, they can bring cost savings of up to 50 per cent per trunk, compared with a single analogue trunk connection.

Further benefits of using SIP trunks from Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSP), rather than from traditional carriers, come in both the purchasing and installation models.

Purchasing of SIP trunks allows organisations to add voice trunk connections to their telephony infrastructure on an ad-hoc single purchase basis, as opposed to fixed block purchasing that may be excessive for the needs of the business.

Installation of SIP trunks does not require additional hardware to be installed at the customer premises from the carrier in the form of analogue, BRI or PRI termination hardware or the purchasing of additional hardware for the PBX to support the additional connectivity.

SIP trunks not only add flexibility to the telephony infrastructure, but also reduce PBX management and configuration time when compared to the installation of analogue or ISDN trunks from traditional non-SIP carriers.

Line side SIP developments
SIP trunking aside, major IP voice vendors such as Cisco began launching their ‘line side’ SIP support offerings during last year.  For example Cisco Call Manager 5, launched in March 2006, offers its Linux platform-based SIP offering.  Cisco is not alone.

The bottom line is that SIP is good news for end users planning to deploy IP Telephony (IPT) now or in the next few years. As it becomes a fully established communications standard for multi media session communications, it will also be possible for third party SIP application providers to produce offerings which can be deployed rapidly across multiple vendors platforms.

Westcon has been working hard to identify promising new vendors that have developed products for SIP-based solutions which we know will add value to existing vendors’ offerings.   Through early identification of these solutions we put ourselves in a position to offer proven solutions to our resellers ahead of the competition. 

We predict that there will be an explosion of third party application development within the next 12 to 18 months for SIP systems as the major vendors build out their SIP feature sets and promote their SIP platforms more aggressively.

Up sell opportunities for the channel
Essentially SIP enables the hand shakes between the different types of data which are inherent with the use of different types of multi media data – video, data and voice.  With the knitting together of these types of data over a single IP infrastructure comes an understandable business concern about information security.  

In theory, with so many different streams of data working together simultaneously, there is scope for more and more visible security breaches.  Information security systems may well have to be reviewed and augmented. Business mobile handsets may need to be locked down to prevent third party SIP applications being downloaded onto corporate devices from the internet, for example.

Likewise there will be opportunities to provide data infrastructure upgrades to support and store these multi media sessions for future reference and to ensure Quality of Service and Class of Service across the network.

Resellers will also have opportunities to get involved in the integration of a mass of new SIP-based third party applications mentioned above.  Developments in WiFi simultaneously make it easier to move IP voice traffic over the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), creating high quality VoIP communication on the move in and close to the office.  More scope for integration activity here too!

Fixed-Mobile Convergence also coming of age
Westcon is also exploring the opportunities in Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) in a more serious way this year. With over 66 per cent of workers now using either wireless or mobile computing, any enhancement to the user experience in either of these areas is likely to be well-received by this growing community.  Approximately 40 per cent of all mobile users’ time is spent away from the desk or primary work area, equally, an increasing volume of mobile calls are also being made whilst users are on the work premises

FMC allows the user to make calls from a mobile handset over an organisation’s WiFi network when in range and then switch the call to the GSM/Cellular network when leaving the office or when leaving the range of the WiFi network. Savings from dual mode devices are very clear for all companies paying for more than a few mobile devices.

FMC has thus been recognised by the comms market as a primary area for business development this year. Reflecting this, both Avaya and Cisco both bought key providers of mobile solutions recently.  Cisco recently acquired Orative - a developer of software applications for mobile and smart phones. Orative allows mobile users to be part of the unified communications network simulating the experience to that of an office based user. Meanwhile Avaya's purchase of Traverse Networks allows mobile users to receive extended PBX functionality such as visual voicemail and corporate directory access.

Westcon Group is already offering Nokia Eseries phones for easy integration with Avaya’s Multivantage and Multivantage Express solutions. As additional clients become available Westcon will introduce similar solutions for Cisco, Nortel and other IP Telephony (IPT) platforms later this year. 

Westcon is also planning to package Nokia Eseries devices with ‘wireless’ email, ‘over the air’ software updates and mobile device management using the Intellisync Wireless Email and the Intellisync Device Management solution from Nokia.

This enables real-time access to email, calendar and contacts from both Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes applications, and remote device disable and data delete features for a lost or stolen device. The FMC market also looks set to offer the channel some exciting up sell opportunities in 2007. Again SIP has been central to enabling all this integration and interoperability.

Westcon Group is now well positioned in this potentially booming FMC market space as the only global distributor of networking technology solutions that is already delivering a proposition and this year we will be exploring and bringing to market a host of solutions designed to improve the mobile user’s experience.
 
The need for rapid and effective exchange of knowledge will ensure demand for these systems. Communications systems today need to help us to deliver information and convey knowledge faster and more effectively than the competitor.  Knowledge is not only power but we are increasingly depending on it for livelihoods.  So tools which enable this fast, effective exchange will be widely adopted by businesses of all sizes as soon as the technology is ready.

Against this backdrop collaboration and mobility solutions - all enabled by the development of SIP – will be actively under consideration for purchase by many organisations this year onwards. These solutions should become an easy sell for resellers which know their stuff and can sell them correctly.  Westcon advises resellers to look very hard at these developments as they offer very rich pickings over the coming months and years.