IBM is collaborating with 3Com to put IP telephony in an IBM server so small and midsize businesses can make phone calls more cheaply without adding extra servers to their networks.The IP telephony capability will be available on IBM’s System i line of servers, IBM and 3Com announced Monday.Companies can save money on phone calls if they carry them over an IP data network instead of on a separate voice network.But converting voice to IP typically requires a separate server for each component of the telephony service—call routing, messaging and conferencing—and other infrastructure that can be expensive and difficult for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) to deploy and maintain, said Michael Rousseaux, IBM’s worldwide System i collaboration offerings manager. “In a traditional deployment, IP vendors will install a number of different servers that will have to be maintained,” Rousseaux said. The IP servers may run on different operating systems from the rest of the server network, he added, but SMBs don’t usually have the staff to maintain that much additional technology. The IBM-3Com product, to be called IBM System i IP Telephony, will manage call routing, messaging and conference calling. Companies can set up their own conference call bridges without having to pay third-party vendors. Running the IP telephony feature on an IBM server, one of which may already be deployed on a customer’s network, may overcome the resistance of some smaller businesses to the technology, said Allan Scott, senior director of global alliances at 3Com. Larger enterprises probably have the in-house capability to manage a disparate IP telephony system, but a smaller business could benefit from the simplicity of the IBM-3Com approach, said Charles King, principal analyst with Pund-IT Research.“Managing IP telephony is probably just one more headache for an IT person who’s already overworked,” King said. Smaller companies also could benefit from the conference bridge features, especially if they have a widely distributed group of employees who work from home.Pricing for System i IP Telephony starts at US$37,900 for a 100-phone setup that includes the servers with the IP features installed and handsets that use Session Initiation Protocol. A version that also includes a complete backup system starts at $51,900 for a 100-phone setup.-Robert Mullins, IDG News Service (San Francisco Bureau)Related Links: 3Com Releases Enterprise VoIP Phone IBM Pitches System i for Small Business SAP IBM Kicks Off Major Revamp of Its Services BizCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost From edge to cloud: The critical role of hardware in AI applications The rise of generative artificial intelligence By Broadcom Jun 06, 2023 5 mins Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence brandpost The new value calculator: Levers for business optimization Squeezing maximum value out of your data is not only about cost-savings—it’s time to create significant potential by transforming your competitive position. By Sandrine Ghosh Jun 06, 2023 5 mins Data Management brandpost The new wave of data observability Innovative ‘applied observability’ can detect issues and diagnose their root causes swiftly and effectively. By Sandrine Ghosh Jun 06, 2023 4 mins Data Management brandpost Let Business Needs Guide Your Winning Data Team With skill shortages continuing, IT leaders must optimize their data science team investment. Start with your organization’s key objectives. By Paul Gillin Jun 06, 2023 3 mins Business Intelligence Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe