SMB Converged Networks

• Selling voice and data convergence to SMB
• Head to head: Voice versus data
• A question of application
• How do you demonstrate value?
• Is brand important?

Head to head: Voice versus data

Converged networks are being sold by some resellers that have a background in voice and others that have traditionally earned a crust installing data networks. But which side makes the transition to convergence more easily? Two of our panellists - Robert Brown (RB) from Total Computer Technology and Mal Smith (MSm) from CommSys - debated the issue:

RB: If you are a voice guy going into IT it is difficult, in my opinion, but for IT guys going into voice it is a lot easier.

MSm: I would disagree with that. I can get an IT guy to set a converged system up but there will be some feature that doesn't work properly and we will have to go back out. To do it properly, so you are not spending money on support costs, you still need two different guys even after all these years.

RB: TCP IP and data networking is very specialised. A key system programmer knows phone systems and setting up a handset is easier than setting up a TCP IP network. IT systems are a lot more complicated with things like integration into Active Directory.

MSm: Hang on, you just compared Active Directory to ringing a phone but what about numerous auto attendants and everything else that comes with it? Comparing a laptop to a key system would be a fairer comparison - not Active Directory.

RB: From my experience, it has been easier to up-skill an IT person to learn a key system than to get a phone system guy to make the same transition.