US telecommunications industry giant Verizon is planning to launch IP trunking services in Ireland in the second half of 2006 as part of a European rollout.
The company is developing a product portfolio designed for organisations that have already deployed an IP-based PBX voice over IP (VoIP) solution.
IP Trunking connects an IP PBX platform to the enterprise data network and to the public voice network using a single IP connection. Delivered from the same VoIP architecture as Verizon IP Integrated Access and Verizon Hosted IP Centrex, it enables Verizon to offer customers working across multiple locations a mix of several services, all managed from the same interface and using the same dialing plan.
Verizon IP Trunking is currently available for customer trials in the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and the US and will be further expanded in the second half of 2006 throughout Europe, including Ireland.
It will initially be available with Cisco Call Manager 4.1.3, to be followed by additional platforms including Call Manager Express and Avaya Communication Manager 3 in the third quarter of 2006.
“With Verizon IP Trunking, businesses with IP PBXs can finally connect on a single, carrier-class converged IP access line for both internal voice traffic and traffic to external destinations,” said Roberta Mackintosh, director of international products for Verizon Business.
“In effect, Verizon breaks out to external destinations from the network so a business does not need to invest, configure and manage voice gateways. An additional benefit is that any headaches related to emergency calling and proper telephone number presentation are handled by a carrier with an extensive voice heritage.”
By John Kennedy
