VoIP to crank up in NZ

Four companies in the VoIP game have joined forces make the technology more accessible to New Zealand businesses.

Telecom New Zealand, in conjunction with Nortel, Cisco and Zeacom, launched a suite of products to make the transition to VoiP simple for medium and large businesses.

The service for larger businesses - IP Voice Evolve - packages together IP network access from Telecom and IP Communications and voice applications solutions from Cisco and Zeacom.

A package for medium-sized businesses - IP Voice Emerge - combines Telecom access with applications and equipment from Nortel.

Telecom NZ GM Wired Matt Crockett said the new packaged services respond to the growing recognition among businesses of the advantages in IP telephony.

“Businesses are looking for simplicity. This initiative gives many more businesses an opportunity to reap the benefits with affordable, complete voice services that don’t require them to develop customised systems.”

IP Voice combines computer hardware and software to send voice and video as data over a single company network.

Rob Spray, general manager, New Zealand, Nortel, believes the IP Voice Emerge package was an important step towards making convergence affordable and available to smaller businesses.

“Smaller businesses will now have the opportunity to use the powerful networking and communications tools being implemented by larger enterprises but at small business prices.”