CallManager 3.0 can handle up to 2,500 IP telephones. The IG employees themselves install the voice system and move phones within an office by plugging the desksets into wall jacks. The chosen deskset is the 7960 IP Phone for managers and executives, which has a large LCD screen for future-proofing purposes, Yefko said. But the large screen can serve as a browser, and display call and directory information. Bandwidth is not an immediate concern.
Reliability is another big concern with voice and data in one basket.
Yefko discounted the issue for a properly designed architecture, however. That means less than five minutes of unscheduled downtime a year. Voice over IP might be hard to justify to replace a private branch exchange, but the technology is mature enough for agencies with tight budgets, Duffy said.