Optus VoIP vs TPG VoIP

Are you in the middle of evaluating whether you should take the Optus Business Evolve path to Voice over IP (VoIP) or the SOUL Communications eCall path to Voice over IP (VoIP)?

If you are then I can provide you some valuable incite into both products so that you can make an informed decision as to which path to take. The reason I can speak with authority on both is because I've worked extensively with both products in Optus and SOUL. This Blog won't be about a technical in depth explanation of VoIP but more a presentation on the Value that both Optus and SOUL offer customer's with their respective product.

The Approach Carriers Take With VoIP

Carriers will talk to you about replacing your existing legacy PSTN and ISDN lines with "SIP Trunks". SIP Trunks are simply VoIP channels on a data line. Sometimes these channels are mixed in with data traffic and other times they are on their own. Carriers take a very commoditised approach to selling these services rather than taking a holistic Unified Communications Approach. The reason they do that is because VoIP has become in many instances a like for like replacement of legacy Voice technologies.

Going with the right provider allows companies to take a phased approach to VoIP rather than having to make a major investment in connecting up all their sites. So if for example you are relocating an office or if you are connecting up a couple of sites with a data network you should be considering VoIP.

Optus' VoIP Solutions for Business

Optus's VoIP product is Evolve Voice. Features and Benefits that this product offers customers include:

Features

• Must connect to an IP PABX (not all systems are supported so please check with your Account Manager for you system)
• Supports both G.729 and G.711
• Quality of Service (QoS) used on the data line to prioritise the voice traffic
• Cisco Managed Routers supplied
• No restrictions are communicated to customers on the bandwidth and how many Voice Channels can be supplied
• Local Number Portability is supported
• Calling Line ID (CLI) is supported so your extensions can be sent through the network to the other party
• Calling Number Display (CND) is supported so you can see the other party's incoming number
• Dual Exchange Homing (DEH) can be set up for a customer site so that the VoIP Channels can be sent to multiple VoIP Switches.
  

Benefits of Optus VoIP for Business

• It is a managed service end-to-end
• VoIP Traffic is prioritised over Data
• Existing numbers on the ISDN/PSTN technology can be kept
• A lot of the existing features can be brought across from legacy technology to VoIP
• The Evolve Network has 6 levels of Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritising different types of traffic from Real-Time VoIP all the way down to non Real-Time Email
• Dual Exchange Homing (DEH) if purchased by the customer can provide a site with redundancy.

Disadvantages of Optus VoIP for Business

• Evolve does not allow multicasting, which means that things like centralised Servers (e.g. Music on Hold) cannot efficiently broadcast traffic and instead has to send it to one site at a time.
• The list of supported IP PABXs is limited
• The process to test new IP PABXs is cumbersome
• Older PABXs are not supported
• Cisco has a limitation of 30% VoIP in a line that has a mix of VoIP and Data. Optus does not communicate this limitation to it's customers
• The Optus Evolve Network has too many Single Points of Failure (SPOCs) to justify running VoIP over it
• If a customer wants to set up a fully mirrored DEH diverse environment then they have to purchase twice the number of lines. For example if a customer has 20 lines and wants diversity then they have to purchase 40 lines.
  

TPG's VoIP Solutions for Business
TPG's VoIP product is eCall. Features and Benefits that this product offers customers include:

Features

• Can connect to an IP PABX or an older legacy PABX or Key System using a Media Converter
  
• If an IP PABX is not supported then there is a simple process to test the new system
  
• Supports both G.729 and G.711
• Quality of Service (QoS) used on the data line to prioritise the voice traffic
• Cisco Managed Routers supplied
• SOUL communicates the Voice Channel restriction on a data line that is mixed with VoIP and Data
  
• Local Number Portability is supported
• Calling Line ID (CLI) is supported so your extensions can be sent through the network to the other party
• Calling Number Display (CND) is supported so you can see the other party's incoming number
• The VoIP Switches/Servers in the SOUL data center are set up in a cluster fashion to give customers diversity

Benefits of TPG's VoIP for Business

• It is a managed service end-to-end
• Legacy PABXs can be supported so customer don't have to overhaul their Phone System infrastructure
• The process to test new IP PABXs that aren't on "The List" is very simple and can be arranged by the SOUL Account Manager.
  
• VoIP Traffic is prioritised over Data
• Existing numbers on the ISDN/PSTN technology can be kept
• A lot of the existing features can be brought across from legacy technology to VoIP
• The TPG Private Network has 4 levels of Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritising different types of traffic from Real-Time VoIP all the way down to non Real-Time Email
• The customer does not have to purchase diversity in the VoIP Network, it is already built into the network. For example if a customer wants diverse 20 VoIP Channels into their office then they only purchase 20 channels.
• The TPG Private Data Network was custom built for the State and Federal Australian Goverment Agencies and does not have any Single Points of Failure in the NSW/VIC/ACT/Brisbane Metro Areas
• Multicasting is supported in the TPG Private Data Network, which means a customer's centralised Music on Hold Server can run effectively
• TPG's Ethernet First Mile product bonds multiple pairs of copper wires to deliver a resilient data service up to 10M/10M. For example if one of the pairs fails then there is still an operational service. This is perfect for running VoIP over it.
• TPG uses 65 out of the Telstra 66 Call Collection Points around Australia which means that SIP Trunks don't have to be longhauled to other states to go out to the PSTN.

Disadvantages of TPG VoIP for Business

• Cisco has a limitation of 30% VoIP in a line that has a mix of VoIP and Data. TPG does communicate this limitation to it's customers and using the Ethernet Access Products has solutions for seggregating the VoIP and Data services on separate VLANS. Creating this seggregation removes the 30% rule.
  

Having worked with both products intimately it is my opinion that SOUL's VoIP product , eCall is superior to the Optus VoIP Product, Evolve Voice. The above features and advantages/disadvantages of both products should backup this statement.

If you want more information on the SOUL VoIP product as well as information on the Commercial Bundles offered for Small to Large Business please refer to:

Business VoIP Solutions






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