VoIP telephone systems are appealing to CIOs at companies that need cost-effective and flexible ways to connect workers wherever they are. Who is doing it: Voice over IP has been around for years, but many businesses, especially those with aging telephone systems, are giving the technology a first look. Gary Kuyper, CIO with Bethany Christian Services, likes how easy VoIP is to configure as well as its plug-and-play capabilities. Kuyper is piloting Switchvox, a VoIP system based on Asterisk open-source tools. An adoption and foster-care organization, Bethany has 80 offices and another 20 to 30 telework locations. VoIP would allow Bethany to more easily employ untethered workers, Kuyper says, and to serve new locations cost-effectively. How it works: Because VoIP runs over data lines, IT staff doesn’t have to run separate phone wires to employees’ desks, observes Paul Liu, CIO of Freeborders, an outsourcing vendor considering VoIP. “That goes directly to the bottom line.” Meanwhile, employees can plug in their phones anywhere they have a broadband connection and their numbers will follow them. Growth potential: Residential and business customers spent $41.6 billion on VoIP in 2009, according to In-Stat, which predicts that 79 percent of companies will use the technology by 2013. Erik Bratt, vice president for marketing at TelCentris, a VoIP provider, expects sales to double in 2010. Related content brandpost Sponsored by SAP When natural disasters strike Japan, Ōita University’s EDiSON is ready to act With the technology and assistance of SAP and Zynas Corporation, Ōita University built an emergency-response collaboration tool named EDiSON that helps the Japanese island of Kyushu detect and mitigate natural disasters. By Michael Kure, SAP Contributor Dec 07, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by BMC BMC on BMC: How the company enables IT observability with BMC Helix and AIOps The goals: transform an ocean of data and ultimately provide a stellar user experience and maximum value. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership brandpost Sponsored by BMC The data deluge: The need for IT Operations observability and strategies for achieving it BMC Helix brings thousands of data points together to create a holistic view of the health of a service. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 4 mins IT Leadership how-to How to create an effective business continuity plan A business continuity plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood, or cyberattack. Here’s how to create a plan that gives your business the best chance of surviving such an By Mary K. Pratt, Ed Tittel, Kim Lindros Dec 07, 2023 11 mins Small and Medium Business IT Skills Backup and Recovery 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