THUS IP Exchange Lines delivers IP connectivity from a company's internal VoIP system to the PSTN. The carrier adds that the service will provide new enhanced external communications capabilities to businesses, as well as greater network scalability and a reduction in expenditure on hardware and calls.
Connectivity to the PSTN from a company's voice network has traditionally been through analogue or ISDN channels. However, as more and more businesses move to converged IP networks, demand for connections through IP to the PSTN has increased. By integrating THUS's IP Exchange Lines with a VoIP solution, external voice calls can be delivered across IP to the PSTN, reducing the amount of hardware an organisation has to deploy. The service is available to businesses which already have, or are looking to deploy, a VoIP solution over THUS' next generation network MPLS IP VPN, National Ethernet or High Speed Internet over Ethernet service.
Companies deploying IP Exchange Lines as part of their IP telephony roll-out will receive significant benefits according to THUS Research by the company reveals that the service will decrease the number of lines required to connect to the PSTN by up to 30%, cutting line rental costs and expenditure on hardware such as IP-PSTN gateways.
THUS go on to say considerable savings can also be made on call rates and businesses will gain greater control and flexibility on where calls are routed, meaning they can send calls to employees DDI numbers, regardless of their location, without first routing them to the original site of the DDI.
Other standard features of THUS' IP Exchange Lines include DDI, existing number portability, call barring and call divert services.
Nigel Stevens, product director at THUS plc, said: "Launching IP Exchange Lines forms part of THUS' strategy to offer converged voice and data networks designed around the specific needs of our customers. Many companies have already invested heavily in existing networking equipment but with our IP Exchange Lines they can continue to make use of this equipment and still gain the convergence benefits of VoIP. The service also provides businesses with a greater degree of autonomy in network management, enabling them to cope with higher call volumes, simplify contact centre applications and plan for business continuity."
IP Exchange Lines are provided from THUS' softswitch architecture across its next generation network and can operate alongside existing traditional voice services. THUS customers already using Carrier Pre Select, Indirect Access and Direct Switched Voice services can employ IP Exchange Lines to run concurrently with their existing packages either for a limited period or indefinitely, allowing corporations to tailor their network to their business needs.