2. VoIP between sites and home-worker / remote office

Aim: To reduce inter-site call costs without changing the user experience, and adding in basic home-worker support

Many multi-site companies find that staff making calls between sites is a significant company expense. Finding a method of reducing to zero the ongoing costs of these calls would be a real benefit to the bottom line. Also, with more and more people working from home – either permanently or just occasionally – it is useful and cost effective to have home-workers able to make free calls to office based staff and use the company PSTN connection for outbound company calls (no more telephony expenses forms, and appropriate tariffs for outbound calls based on those negotiated by the company with their chosen carrier).

By inserting a Vega gateway between the PSTN and the PBX the Vega gateway can groom calls that are destined for other site(s) onto the IP network. All other calls from the PBX continue to be routed to the PSTN. All calls from the PSTN are routed to the PBX. The source Vega gateway will direct the VoIP calls to specific destination gateways, based on the telephone number dialled (single numbers or number ranges can be groomed off to specific destinations). On receiving a VoIP call, a destination gateway can use the dialled number to decide whether to route the call to the PBX of that site, or break out into the PSTN at that site (this is especially useful where different sites are in different countries – international toll call costs can be reduced to local or national call rates).

If a significant proportion of the company’s calls are made between sites then it is possible that further cost savings can be made by reducing the number of channels connected to the PSTN.

Version 2.1

16 March 2006

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Vega Gateway Scenarios.

©2005-2006 VegaStream Ltd.

 

Examples are given in best faith – ensure that you check the capabilities of systems before

 

 

deploying them, especially the functionality of devices not designed and delivered by VegaStream.

 

VoIPon Solutions www.voipon.co.uk sales@voipon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1245 600560

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Polycom Vega Gateway appendix VoIP between sites and home-worker / remote office

Vega Gateway specifications

Polycom Vega Gateway serves as a crucial component in modern telecommunications, bridging the gap between traditional telephony systems and Voice over IP (VoIP) networks. As organizations transition to digital communication solutions, the Vega Gateway plays a vital role in ensuring compatibility and enhancing connectivity.

One of the primary features of the Polycom Vega Gateway is its ability to facilitate seamless interoperability between different communication protocols. It supports a range of signaling protocols, including SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), H.323, and analog interfaces, making it easy to connect legacy phone systems to modern VoIP setups. This flexibility allows businesses to gradually upgrade their telecommunications infrastructure without the need for costly complete system overhauls.

The Vega Gateway is equipped with advanced transcoding capabilities, which enable the conversion of audio streams between various formats. This is especially beneficial in multi-vendor environments where different systems may use incompatible codecs. Its ability to transcode ensures high-quality voice communication regardless of the underlying technology, thus maintaining clarity and reducing latency.

In terms of deployment, the Polycom Vega Gateway can be implemented as both a hardware appliance and a virtualized solution, providing businesses with deployment flexibility based on their IT environment. This adaptability is crucial for organizations looking to optimize their resources and scale their telephony solutions as needed.

Security is another key characteristic of the Vega Gateway. It incorporates robust encryption protocols, such as SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol), to safeguard voice communications against potential threats. Additionally, the gateway features firewall traversal capabilities, making it suitable for deployment in various network environments without compromising on security.

The gateway is also designed with ease of management in mind. Administrators can configure and monitor the device through a web-based interface or command line, ensuring that managing the system remains straightforward even for complex setups. Logging and reporting functionalities further enhance administrative oversight, allowing organizations to analyze their VoIP usage and optimize resource allocation.

Overall, the Polycom Vega Gateway is a comprehensive solution that addresses the complexities of integrating modern VoIP technology with legacy systems. With its robust feature set, diverse technological support, and commitment to security and manageability, the Vega Gateway stands out as an essential tool for organizations looking to enhance their communication strategies in an ever-evolving digital landscape.