Etisalat highlights insights in Enterprise VoIP environment at VoIP World MENA 2007 conference

Abdulla Hashim, VP, Enterprise Solutions, Etisalat was a key note speaker at the event. Etisalat was the Enterprise Services sponsor at the conference which helped participants understand how organisations can effectively leverage the VoIP opportunity and focus on the key issue of VoIP business strategies.

In his address to the attendees, Abdulla gave them a comprehensive overview of the VoIP environment starting with the different models of VoIP services available. Enterprises increasingly now are adopting IP-PBX or PBX+ VoIP gateway solution mainly for security and ownership reasons. The rollout of IP-based solutions are also being largely driven by PBX depreciation of each site. In the case of SMEs, IP-Centrix (shared services) models are gaining traction; since the model makes VoIP network available at a relatively low cost.

In terms of enablers for IP Telephony in enterprises, the main ones are investments in LAN, Hybrid IP/TDM equipment and broadband access + IP VPN for smaller sites. Enterprises are also looking to save on telecom costs in terms of Voice access and traffic, centralized operations ,equipment cost in addition to enhanced business communications with value added VoIP services.

In his presentation Abdulla also focused on the increased adoption of Unified Communications among enterprises in terms of converged applications. In a InfoTrack Converged Applications study, Unified Communications had the highest rankings in potential business value of all converged applications. Unified communication is clearly set to grow and will reach $ 4.3 billion in 2011 from $ 1.2 billion in 2006.

According to an IDC 2006 study, upgrade of traditional PBX is the top reason driving IP-PBX installation . Enterprise Users have been increasingly asking for the advanced functionality offered by IP Telephony with features like Dynamic call routing and enhanced mobility which enable significant business process improvements. Moreover it also leads to a lowering of support costs for maintenance and requests by as much as 80% and lower.

In conclusion, Abdulla commented on the fact that the UAE VoIP market is still being defined by the TRA and Etisalat will do all it can to support the regulator. Etisalat will support the TRA in defining the regulatory framework bringing the advantages of VoIP to the UAE market. On the infrastructure side, Etisalat is committed to overcoming potential challenges in the VoIP deployment in terms of Quality of service and upgrading of LAN and WAN infrastructure of enterprise customers as part of Etisalat's total managed services solution.