Originating Author: Kaushik Das
Enterprises are increasingly looking for newer voice communication technologies to reduce cost and increase the functionality of business telephone systems. Voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) technology is poised to replace traditional circuit-based cellular telephony within the enterprise premises because VoWLAN
- Offers extensive coverage and mobility, whereas a cellphone’s coverage can’t reach certain portions of the premises such as basements, warehouses etc
- Provides potential cost savings over cellular phones, while making use of existing wireless WiFi networks
VoWLAN combines both Wireless LAN (or Wi Fi network) and Voice over IP technologies to deliver enterprise-quality voice communications over the enterprise premises. The main reason for migrating to IP PBX that uses VoIP is to reduce the voice communication cost. Further, a dual-mode, VoWLAN/cellular handset that uses the company's Wi-Fi network can also decrease the cellular communication cost by a significant amount. It is true that VoWLAN may not improve productivity at large (as compared to when enterprises use cellular telephones) oganizations. Nevertheless, an organization can save ongoing voice communication cost every year by having its personnel communicate over the company’s existing WLAN.
The specific challenges for IT managers are:
- The users of VoWLAN expect at least the same functionality or performance they receive from traditional voice solution.
- Integrating voice onto the wireless networks that were originally designed to carry data traffic
- To resolve the issues of capacity, QoS, security, and roaming
Capability of VoWLAN inititative
VoWLAN helps enterprises control the cost of communication while improving overall operations at the same time. For example, in retail organizations, sales personnel can use VoWLAN instead of using wired or cellular phones to communicate with the warehouse about the status of inventory. This improves productivity as well as saves a significant amount of money every year by having its personnel communicate over the company’s existing WLAN. VoWLAN
- Offers mobility, coverage where a cell phone can't reach and potential cost savings over cellular phones, while making use of existing wireless networks.
- Improves in-building coverage. It lets an organization provide pervasive and complete coverage, even in a building's sub-basement if the wireless LAN installation exists.
- Supports mobile voice communications over the existing wireless LAN infrastructure, as used to support mobile data access.
- Enables the enterprise to exercise total control over its own site coverage.
- Enables the enterprise to achieve continuous access to critical personnel anywhere on the premises.
Specific operational goals of the VoWLAN initiative
Expected effects on the IT budget
A significant issue for an IT manager is to implement an effective, reliable, cost-effective VoWLAN solution with low total cost of ownership (TCO). This is particularly true since all the benefits of the system will accrue to business operations, while the IT budget will have to absorb an increase in infrastructure spend.
The TCO includes:
- Initial implementation costs including handset and other hardware, software, installation and training;
- IT management (upgrade, maintenances) and end-user support costs.
For a ball-park estimate of TCO for a mid-size organization, see the table below. These figures assume a Standard Wikibon business model organization with $1 billion in revenue, with 4,000 employees and an IT budget of $40 million per year.
Item | Estimated Total Cost |
---|---|
Deployment cost (WLAN-only handset) | $2.8M |
Alternative deployment cost
for WLAN plus cellular handset | $3.6M (20% more than the above) |
IT management and end-user support costs | $0.5M to 1.0M |
The major expected business productivity improvements include:
- Improved convenience and efficiency in business communication
- In-building connectivity between the employees and the enterprise, anytime, anywhere
- Improved coverage where a cell phone can't reach and potential cost savings over cellular phones, while making use of existing wireless networks.
- Connectivity everywhere in the enterprise, even in a building's sub-basement if the wireless LAN installation exists over there
- Enabling the enterprise to take total control over its own site coverage in terms of voice communication
- Enabling the enterprise with continuous access to critical personnel throughout the premises