Is VOIP worth it?

Eniigma

Eniigma

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
Messages
3,631
Reaction score
8,045
Location
Durban
Here is the scenario... I have about 60 internal extensions, of which about 15 are cordless phones, in our factory environment. We currently spend on average about R10k-R15k per month on our telscum account, and about R12k on premicell lines.

If I moved everything to a Voip system would I really save much on this?
Ideally I would be looking at a minimum of R10k pm saving to justify this. I guess (a total thumb-suck figure) that I would need about R200k, if not more, outlay for IP phones, new switches, extra cabling etc.

Oh and I have not looked into it at all. I just don't want to waste a few days doing research and basic planning if it is a non starter.

Any comments?
 
To be crystal clear:
Local traffic: 10 % Saving
Long Distance: 20 % Saving
International: 50% Saving
Premicell: 35% Saving (When converted back to Telkom rates)
No PBX or handset Changes will be required with the "right" provider.

Understand one differentiator about VoIP and Premicells, A VoIP service will capture ALL cellular calls, with no overflow to Telkom (and the costs incurred), and requires less "network split" management.

So do the math on the %'s above, and find the "right" provider!
 
Simply quoting the per minute rate differential is quite naive as it doesnt take into account the (substantial) cost savings derived from per sec billing provided by many VoIP providers. Business calls tend to have a very short ave. length of call and this is where Telkom (min charge) & mobile operators (min 60sec then 30sec blocks) make a tidy profit from providing nothing.

Thats why I pointed Eniigma to this calculator (haven't found any others) so that you plug in your actual usage to get a true reflection of call cost savings.
 
Discounts based on / sec billing

% Discounts quoted, are gauranteed savings, through a per sec billing engine. Any VoIP provider that does NOT provide per sec billing is history!
 
With Telkom introducing Supreme Call, Cell Saver & Corporate discounts, the only way VoIP can combat this IS through per sec billing.
 
Eniigma said:
Here is the scenario... I have about 60 internal extensions, of which about 15 are cordless phones, in our factory environment. We currently spend on average about R10k-R15k per month on our telscum account, and about R12k on premicell lines.

If I moved everything to a Voip system would I really save much on this?
Ideally I would be looking at a minimum of R10k pm saving to justify this. I guess (a total thumb-suck figure) that I would need about R200k, if not more, outlay for IP phones, new switches, extra cabling etc.

Oh and I have not looked into it at all. I just don't want to waste a few days doing research and basic planning if it is a non starter.

Any comments?
Click to expand...

From what I see from you post, you have only one site where all your people are based, thus VoIP savings via toll-bypass just do not apply here. If anything your cost savings might come from ease of management of the enviroment you have.

Depending on which system you select, you might no have to spend on cabling, assuming that all people with extentions have PCs, then you can get IP phones with dual port switching incorporated in them.
 
No IP phones needed!

Most business VoIP solutions come with an onsite gateway, connected to your existing PBX. Thus, you will not need to "yet" replace your existing pbx and handsets. All you want to do right now is manage the cost of your communications bill?
 
The "ACTUAL" Costs, for ONE site.

Numbers quoted are not exact, but call destination ratios have been used. Used ur 15k Telkom & 12k premicell for the analysis, and recalculated premicell cost back to Telco costs @ 35%:
Local (Current) - 10,500. VoIP Cost - 9,450
National (Current) - 3,000. VoIP Cost - 2,400
International(Current) - 1,500. VoIP Cost - 750
Cellular(Current) - 16,200. VoIP Cost - 10,530
Savings after Gateway, Router and access line - 5,140 per month.

No IP Telephony required, Gateway connects to existing PBX. 50% of Telkom infrastructure can also be cancelled, probably saving another 1500 per month.

For purposes of BIAS I will NOT mention the providers name.
 
VOIP is always worth it. Only the initial start up cost is the headache, but as your volume of calls increase, upgrading will be a breeze...
 
Hi,
Below stats might interest you.

30% Average saving on ALL call destinations:
Cellular
International
Local
National

Inbound Call Credits i.e. your account will be credited when you receive calls.
20c/min from Telkom
40c/min from Cell Providers
 
voip

In my mind its a little more complicated than whats being put forward so far. Also there is so much bull going on out there and many don't have a clue.
Calls to cellular networks through GSM routers using a sim card is billed per second. (Its the way those tariffs work, MTN705 etc look it up yourself, Its governed by ICASA)
If you are getting "per minute billing" then the Service provider is just making up their own blended rate, not to mention its really naughty to offer it. (Not many did this as there is no advantage) Don't get hung up on how and what Airtime contracts are best installed in the GSM Router to save money, a good service provider provides a proper blended per second rate and also guarantees the savings. They worry about the tariff required and take the risk upon themselves. There is no benefit to changing out the GSM router model as the the calls may well now leave "over a pipe as voip"
but get shoved into a "farm of routers off site", Its called a "Sim farm" so the call gets terminated via an off site bank of GSM routers anyway. WHY? because the average interconnection rate the GSM networks have set is
R1.25 a minute. The tariffs on the Sim cards are cheaper. I know a few companies that have interconnection with the GSM Networks but they are not used, (they first terminate through their bulk Sim farms) as they cannot be competitive against those using the Sim farm method.
Its all a rouge, most of the sales people of these companies dont even understand, they just go out and sell the "sizzle"
Converting the call destined to the GSM Network first into a VOIP call sending it over Telscum links, just adds an additional point of failure to the equation. Its all hype and proper dose of Bull...t.
Its not proper end to end VOIP its "VOIP ALA Afrika".
One provider tries to sell it this way another this way, end of the day 90% of all GSM destined calls, (that were going over on-site GSM Routers) are still going out of the same GSM routers, but now off-site. Pathetic really.
The less educated clients however, get stars in their eyes and sign up anyway. This is a product of our pathetic attempt to outdo the opposition when the real VOIP advantage cannot be exploited due to interconnect fees. Its a laugh actually. Stick with your on site GSM routers you're safe as houses, the interconnection fees imposed buy the GSM networks keep the real stuff out of the cost savings arena and that ain't changing for a long time.
 
Difference between interconnect and Sim farm VoIP routing.....Call quality and cost, as a business you have that choice (can't answer for those that sell the sizzle!).
I know of Contact Centre's who will not use SIM farm connectivity BECAUSE of quality, and would rather pay the additional cents per second through interconnects to ensure quality. What I take from your message...for a long time to come there will still be a place for LCR, until the SA style VoIP can be streamlined & ........Horses for courses.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X