However, while not every piece of technology is well suited to operate from within the network of a service provider, a perfect candidate is the PABX or switchboard. The term Centrex (Centralised Exchange) was coined decades ago when traditional or non-Internet Protocol (IP) carriers attempted an ‘in-the-cloud’ PABX service. However, without the ubiquitous connectivity and ease of operation that IP networking provides, and in a market that had no appetite for technology outsourcing at the time, it was a flop.  Times have changed though and IP-based Centrex solutions (IP-Centrex) have much better prospects. The economic pressures that precipitated a decline in the fortunes of high-end software based IP-telephony systems, which were in most part rendered over-engineered, are the same pressures that accelerated the demand for an outsourced equivalent.

‘Why buy if you can rent’ is the popular maxim at the moment, especially in the current economic climate.

 

So, while calling the typical IP-Centrex offering ‘equivalent’ to a high-end IP telephony system is iniquitous, it certainly is well placed to meet the current needs of the vast majority of businesses. As the ability to make a phone call is no longer a differentiator or even an enabler in the sense of technology value-add these needs now also include voicemail services and the ability to host and conduct three way conference calls when required.  As such the majority of businesses should and eventually will outsource, as the benefits of offering this through an IP based service are numerous. Most importantly it can be done with no capital expenditure, no need for technical skills onsite and offers the flexibility to add or remove extensions at will, or even to close branches without being stuck with the proverbial ‘warehouse’ full of unused PABXs.

 

But as with most things worthwhile, it’s not all milk and honey! The challenge in offering IP Centrex is that the provider needs to perform all the functions that have historically been performed by a number of independent companies. These include nationwide end user training and support, handset hardware management, cabling and configuration on the Local Area Network (LAN), PABX management and administration, configuration and management of the Wide Area Network (WAN) and “break-out” of calls to the incumbent carriers for cost effective local, national and cellular calls.

 

The trick to an effective implementation of an IP Centrex solution therefore hinges on finding a provider that can meet all of these requirements under one roof, as a piecemeal approach erodes a lot of the value on offer. As such there is currently no other South African company that can provide all of these elements without involving third parties than Dimension Data in conjunction with their subsidiary Internet Solutions (IS). IS has taken the lead in offering an IP Centrex solution to their corporate client base while partnering with parent Dimension Data for services, offering the client a single point of contact.

 

IS successfully demonstrated an IP Centrex implementation at their Internetix conference in July this year, with a live demo on a multitude of platforms. It went off without a hitch, with the key benefits of an IP Centrex solution driven home when an empty cabinet was unveiled to illustrate the virtualisation element that negates the need for capital intensive onsite equipment. With all of these building blocks in place the shift to the virtualised environment is inevitable, making owning a PABX at your office a little like putting type-writers on every desk.

TAMMY DU PREEZ Communications Manager   Tel: 087 365 7768   Tel: +27 (11) 575 7768   Fax: +27 (11) 576 7768​​