While companies and individuals contemplate how VoIP could fit into
their plans, Motorola has been busy cranking out products to meet their
needs. The company has recently announced a gateway that's
garnered buzz within the industry, but also in small businesses
everywhere. And it's determined to keep on truckin' until we're one big,
happy, VoIP-connected world. We chatted with Jeff Walker, Motorola's
senior director of marketing, who has led many a VoIP campaign and is
looking forward to leading many more.
Let's start with a glimpse of where VoIP still needs to go. What are
some of the limits of VoIP?
One critical thing is how well a system ties into a virtual private
network (VPN). For a small business that has no telecommuters, this
isn't a big deal. But for individuals that have a home office and want
to tap into the company intranet, this can pose a problem, because not
all terminal adapters work with VPNs, and not all service providers are
open to helping them overcome that obstacle. This has been a significant
difficulty in the past, because it limited how businesses could work
with their employees and still keep costs low. Motorola has spent a huge
amount of time making sure the capability is there, and we have VPN
compatibility built into our adapters. And now you're seeing it with
some other adapters that are coming into the market, too, so hopefully
this is a problem that won't be a problem for much longer.
What's the next wave in VoIP?
Seamless mobility. What you're seeing now are people looking to combine
the convenience of having a cell phone with the lower costs associated
with VoIP. Also, it's very attractive to think of tapping into your VoIP
connection from anywhere, because it allows your cell phone to become an
extension of your office. Motorola has developed some switching
solutions that support that ability, as well as a dual-mode handset that
can be cellular or VoIP capable. It's very exciting to tie those two
areas together, so a home or small business network can be accessed from
anywhere.
Why would this benefit small businesses in particular?
It's difficult for an SMB to have multiple telephone numbers. It can get
too expensive or complicated, and many small business owners are worried
about having appropriate coverage within their facilities as well as on
the road. So to bring everything together into one system simplifies
what they're able to do. Also, SMBs tend to be very budget conscious.
Having cell phone plans and VoIP might compound costs, but if they're
put in concert with each other, it usually drives costs down.
Another attractive aspect is messaging. That goes with the whole
mobility capability. Many people are using their cell phones to do
messaging when they're on the road, by sending emails or doing instant
messaging. If that capability is put together with VoIP, it's pretty
compelling.
How does this work with cellular phone providers? Won't they be unhappy
to see some of their business lost to VoIP vendors?
Actually, what's happening is that they're becoming the same thing.
Service providers, whether it's cable operators or others, are looking
to become multi-virtual network operators and provide service bundles.
So, they'll be contracting with cell phone providers as third-party
vendors, but they'll wrap that capability into a package that includes
VoIP. From an SMB perspective, this is great, because you don't have to
worry about which minutes are cell phone minutes and how to switch to
VoIP from your cell. You just have to shop around for the best service
plan and gauge which company gives you the best access to your
information.
Certainly, by bundling all these services together it's more
cost-efficient, and because this is a hot area that many providers are
entering, the competition for customers also keeps costs low. And you
don't have the headache of trying to sort out who's going to do your
traditional phone services, mobile connection, Internet, and VoIP. It
could be one company, which means one bill, and that's always nice to
have.
How exactly would a small business owner take a VoIP connection on the
road?
It's pretty easy, usually you just unplug your terminal adapter and plug
it into a broadband connection wherever you are. Because the telephone
is associated with an IP address, not a specific geographic location,
your telephone number comes with you. That means an SMB can bring their
entire phone system with them, just thrown into their suitcase. I know
people who have gone to other countries, taken the terminal adapter, and
rather than pay the exorbitant telephone rate at resorts or hotels, they
can make calls for pennies. Or, sometimes, for no fee at all because
they pay a fixed rate. The quality is fine, as long as you've got an
Internet connection, and the portability is incredible. It's just a very
flexible system, letting people make calls from, say, Japan, as if
they're calling from Minneapolis.
Do you anticipate that this kind of system will be embraced by SMBs and
individuals soon, or does it seem like it will remain only for the very
tech-savvy for now?
I think it's compelling and simple enough that we'll see it start to
catch on. Taking an adapter on the road or combining cell and VoIP
systems might sound intimidating to people who aren't technologically
inclined, but providers are making these things very easy. And when
things are both simple and lower in cost, they tend to catch on quickly.
