"I want to use VOIP on my current phone system"

A VOIP Gateway is a hassle free way to help you take advantage of VOIP on your current telephone system

Figure 1. Converged Network with Gateway (Click on picture for larger view)

What you can expect (refer to Figure 1)?

1. Reduce Cost
   Calls to branch offices will be free from telco call charges and long distant calls on low internet rates such as 10c anywhere in Australia un-timed, 3c/min to US, UK, China, etc (rates vary by ITSPs)
2. Improve your Business Productivity
   Staff working at home can utilise their existing home phone to send and receive office calls from the VOIP gateway. This means a call to the remote worker is free from telco charges.
3. Flexible Extensions
   IP phones can be utilise an additional telephone extension within the company; this will save your business the cost of expensive legacy telephone handsets.
4. Easy to use
   Staff will utilise the same handset on the existing telephone system and therefore usability will be seamless
5. Low cost deployment
   No change to the telephone system 

*VOIP Gateway may not work on older telephone system

While many telephone systems claim to be VOIP enabled (by adding a module), some fail to produce some important features. A good entry point to VOIP should have the following: 

1. Communicate with SIP (Sesssion Initiation Protocol)
2. An open standard so the VOIP system should be able to communicate with devices other than its own brand
3. Communicate with an ITSP (Internet Telephone Service Provider)

I want to use VOIP and replace my phone system (IP PBX)"

While VOIP gateways and add-ons provide some benefits of VOIP technology, the IPPBX will improve your business communications management, operations and resourcing.

Figure 2. Converged Network with IPPBX for Multiple Office (Click on picture for larger view)

What can you expect (refer to Figure 2)?

1. Reduce Cost
   Call to branch offices will be free from telco charges and make long distant calls on low internet rates such as 10c anywhere in Australia un-timed, 3c/min to US, UK, China, etc (rates vary by ITSPs).
2. Improve Productivity
   Calls can be place on hold and transferred to anyone in the company regardless of geographical location
3. Improve Communications
   Employees can improve communication and sharing of information with instant message, forward faxes, forward voice messages, view group faxes/voice messages to anyone, anywhere within in the company
4. Improve Customer Service
   Whether the staff is available, in a meeting, out of office, not available or out for lunch. Knowing employee status provides a powerful tool to appropriately respond customer calls.
5. Improve Resource Management
   Consolidate skill workers by sending certain call types to the appropriate staff member irrespective of location. For example, when all the support staff in Melbourne are not available then send calls to support staff located in different branch.
6. Easy install
   Only two physical connections is require to physically connection the IP PBX; one to the telephone line and one to the data network switch.