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Telecom Revolution Providing Branch Offices with Sophisticated Communication Tools

By Beecher Tuttle
TMCnet Contributor

For large enterprises, the manner in which they communicate internally and with their customer base has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. Companies that used to run all of their communications through TBM-based PBXs are now embracing IP- and cloud-based technologies, which lower their operating costs and provide them with more flexible and scalable solutions.

This transition away from legacy technologies took enterprises' branch offices on an interesting ride. A recent white paper authored by Siemens Enterprise Communications takes readers through the benefits that the telecom revolution offered to branch offices, and the drawbacks associated with each communication technology, including VoIP and those that run through the cloud.

In the mid to late 90s, the majority of branch offices around the world didn't have the ability to tap into the same communication technologies as their headquarters. They would be forced to either utilize local PSTN lines, or obtain small PBXs that didn't offer the same functionality as their HQs' more comprehensive PBXs.

When digital IP-PBXs were introduced a few years later, branch offices began having access to more sophisticated communication mediums.

"But even then VoIP was just used to reduce inter-site communications costs, and to provide common IT wiring to desk-tops to reduce wiring costs," noted the Siemens (News - Alert) researchers. "It did almost nothing to address distributed premise-based equipment or to provide integrated applications interworking, and still used proprietary hardware and software."

Now, in the era of highly-sophisticated data center- and cloud-based solutions, a branch office finally has the ability to access the same communication tools as its headquarters.

The white paper walks readers through the requirements that are involved in connecting remote locations around the world, and how intelligent branch solutions can help an enterprise improve its holistic communications. It also introduces Siemens' OpenScape Branch, which is a solution that offers enterprises, service providers and public and private cloud providers the ability to simply, efficiently and cost-effective connect their remote offices.

OpenScape Branch runs on commercially available servers and offers SIP proxy functionality, survivability features, an SBC, firewalls and a built-in media server.

To access the free white paper, click here.

Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Tammy Wolf