applications on their own, such as the demand for mobile or remote working that can easily justify a move to IP. The demand for flexible working is just one challenge that is affecting more and more businesses, from supporting field-based personnel to ensuring that key members of staff are always available, wherever they are. With software-based IP systems you can route inbound calls to any location, whether it's in the office or on the move. The same principle applies to making calls - it really doesn't matter where you are, you simply log on with your user ID to any laptop or PC to make a call, whether it's over broadband or Wi-Fi connections."

"The richness of IP telephony solutions provides unlimited sales opportunities for the channel, far more than traditional PBX offerings. We have customers that are really exploiting the other benefits that true convergence can bring. For instance we have several customers that are saving ten of thousands of pounds simply by using the built-in digital call recording.”

The IPT market has a massive amount of potential, and with the right knowledge and the right solution, there is no reason why resellers can't be successful.

According to Tim Webb, general manager at Toshiba, “IPT is more complex than the traditional telephony market due to the networking considerations that need to be taken into account for successful deployment.  Resellers need to be aware of this, and need to be educated in successfully testing and configuring the network to handle VoIP and IPT.  

Resellers certainly need more support in the IPT market than in a traditional telephony market, again because of the network considerations.  Vendors must ensure that their resellers are fully supported in evaluating the network and, in some cases, providing the solution sale to the end-user.  This is why Toshiba are ensuring that resellers have the knowledge that they need to succeed in this market.”

Webb concludes, “ VoIP and IPT provide valuable benefits to customers. Whilst the initial outlay may be more expensive than a TDM system in some configurations, the return of investment comes from the management of a single network for both voice and data, and the reduced total cost of ownership that IP telephony provides. It also removes obstacles to growth, making it easier to add more lines as the company grows, and allowing much more flexibility in employees working location, either at home, on the road or in the office, whilst retaining the feature set they require to do their job.”