Definitions:

SIP, in itself, refers to the Session Initiation Protocol, which was developed by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). SIP is a text-based protocol similar to HTTP and SMTP, which allows users to initiate interactive communications sessions. In this case, SIP is used to set up and terminate VOIP calls. The goal of this protocol is to be very simple and solve only a few problems while allowing other protocols to still do their thing. That means that SIP works well with HTTP, XML, VXML and even overlapping protocols with large market share such as H.323 and MGCP. SIP, though easy to work with, is not a magic bullet and still requires that the network be designed and implemented with proper QoS (quality of service) in order to achieve good voice quality.

What is SIP Trunk or SIP Trunking? The term “Trunk” has long been popularized by the TDM world as a circuit between telephone switching equipment which normally denoted a physical connection. In the SIP world, people use this term a little more loosely but normally it is meant to denote an interconnection to the PSTN, a SIP-based interconnection between IP PBXs (to replace tie lines), or a SIP port on an enterprise server (to support additional functionality such as voice mail).

Show Me the Money

Many customers have been promised large savings by migrating to SIP, and while this can be the case, it is not always a given. Personally, I am also interested in SIP due to the enhanced features and capabilities it affords, but the promise of cost savings often gets people more excited. The vendors know this, and often lead with this line of reasoning. One of the benefits of SIP is that you can move multiple data types including voice, video and data all down a single IP trunk. This often allows users to consolidate or eliminate traditional TDM connectivity. We have seen costs savings from 10 to well over 50 percent when customers properly implement this technology. Your overall savings will depend greatly on your need for redundancy, call traffic, number of locations, geographical footprint, hardware upgrades and the vendor integration required.

Is it for Everyone?

There are downsides to SIP such as limited vendor interoperability and testing. You will also find some carriers will only support hardware from a small number of manufacturers. Depending on how the solution is engineered, a company can inadvertently create a single point of failure which may not have existed with their previous TDM configuration. Companies with heavy regulatory considerations such as healthcare should also move cautiously to limit risk.

AirStash – If you are an iPhone user and wish you could add removable media for backup when on the road you will love the AirStash which combines a USB Flash Drive with a WiFi Access point in a small footprint that will fit in your pocket. You can also use it for a variety of other scenarios. http://www.airstash.com/

Panologic – You may be familiar with thin client but if you haven’t explored Zero Clients yet then you will likely find this interesting. The Pano Cubes offer a sleek solution that uses minimal power, offers several security advantages and leverages vmWare. http://www.panologic.com/

Light Blue Optics – Turn any flat surface into a touch screen. http://lightblueoptics.com/products/light-touch/

Solio Rocsta – A solar charger that’s as easy as clip-and-go. Great to have when traveling or camping – http://www.solio.com/charger/solio-charger-rocsta.html

ZipShot Tripod – An ultra light tripod that let’s you have more photo options while you are on the road. http://www.zipshottripod.com/product.cfm

Switch – A new take on the multi-function Leatherman tool. http://www.quirky.com/products/35-Switch-Modular-Pocket-Knife

Toshiba Camileo – A 1080p camcorder in a tiny package that’s just .7 inches thin with a 5 megapixel camera and HDMI output. http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/adet.to?poid=450294

Sprint HTC EVO 4G – I just hope this phone lives up to the hype because the specs are awesome: two cameras (a front camera for conferencing and a rear camera for high resolution photos), built-in stand, 4G speed, 4.3 inch screen and wifi hotspot capability. The only bad news is the 4G supposedly drains the battery and some early testers claimed to have issues with the memory cards that were shipped. http://www.pcworld.com/article/192286/sprints_htc_evo_4g_5_killer_features.html

While there were some great products and services offered in the Expo Hall, I was most impressed with the presentations and materials shared at the show (which included presentations from many of the vendors in a non-sales format). Some of the hot topics included:

• Power Issues – These popped up in nearly every session.
• New Government mandates such as U.S. Federal Executive Order 14423 – Government Agencies must reduce power consumption by 3% a year or 30% by 2015.
• Many solutions were on display to help you manage or lower you power consumption.
• Temperatures are rising in the Datacenter to cut power usage – Microsoft will not buy datacenter equipment that will not operate at 95 degrees.
• PoE Plus is coming which will allow even more power hungry devices into the datacenter
• Discussions took place regarding cabling benefits to accommodate higher heat.
• Cloud Computing – Concerns over security and unintended consequences seemed to crop up in each discussion regarding these services.
• A potential issue raised was “What if another user in the public cloud committed a crime and the entire system was taken off-line for chain of custody requirements linked to a criminal investigation?”
• Multiple mentions of Gartner reports on ASP adoption in the 1990s were compared to the estimated adoption rates of public cloud services today.
• Private cloud infrastructure performance and support requirements were discussed at length in future proofing sessions.
• Cyber Terrorism – Certainly hot with many experts and users swapping stories and concerns.
• Estimates were made that between 90-270k Chinese were being trained to steal secrets and maliciously attack systems by the Red Army. Of major concern were the tools and instruction now available.
• Cyber attacks in the past were overwhelmingly linked to data theft. However, in the past year, malicious-only attacks accounted for 20% of the total reported.
• Cloud environments were particularly grilled with numerous stories of issues already being reported.
• Various devices and attacks were discussed at length.
• Solutions Gaining Popularity
• Flywheel solution and implementation are definitely gaining traction.
• HVAC and Power in an outside container is definitely making a push, though there is more interest than adoption at this point.

Have you ever considered how much time you spend on hold each day? A few surveys have attempted to calculate how much time the average person spends on hold. According to a CNN survey, the average person spends approximately 60 hours on hold every year. If you happen to be an executive, the numbers are worse, increasing to 17 minutes a day or approximately 100 hours per year. Quite a cost when considering how finite time can be on a daily basis.

Recognition that on-hold time is valuable, not to mention a great opportunity to bond with the customer, is prompting some companies to develop interesting ways to utilize the time people spend waiting on hold. Several studies indicate that customers prefer listening to an on-hold message rather than mere silence. Effective on-hold solutions reduce hang ups by up to 80%. In addition, 20% of respondents in another survey say they’ve made a purchase or decision based on information they heard while on hold.

Based on this type of research and other evidence, businesses are exploring various ways to leverage on-hold time and content. Soon, more complex on-hold experiences will become the norm. Here are a few examples of what these experiences will present to customers:

• Listen to customized offers or product solutions based on their individual or company profile.

• Interactively move forward with a transaction before a representative takes the call.

• Play an interactive game (based on company product knowledge) against other customers on-hold to move up in the queue.

• If wait times are going to be too long, customer may leave the standard call-back number, but also indicate a specific time to be called.

Some of these solutions are already cropping up. As they become more readily available, call center productivity will increase along with improved customer satisfaction. I know I found myself quite engaged with the on-hold interactive game technology that allows callers to move up in the queue. This type of application creates numerous opportunities to build a special bond with your customer while making the time fly. A win-win on both ends.