The need for a human ear [IP telephony

Abstract

Many customers may already be experiencing frustration with call quality when they speak to their bank or building society. A recent survey reveals a worryingly low appreciation of the impact of poor voice quality in enterprise IP telephony systems. As consumers and enterprises alike begin to abandon regular fixed-line telephones in favour of VoIP and IP telephony (IPT) products, it is important that there is a stringent focus on call quality. A recent survey by independent technology research firm Vanson Bourne revealed that two out of three large enterprises use IPT in some capacity, while half of those use it throughout the company. As IPT becomes commonplace, the aim is to reduce network and support costs, as well as manage the IPT system in-house. As this survey shows though, the first step is true appreciation of the complexities of real-time voice applications. Ensuring data is correctly transported from one point to another is simply not enough, especially as businesses rely on IPT to interact with customers and clients alike. It's time for a different approach to diagnostic tools; the human approach where conversational and listening quality are king.