TDM and VOIP

March 13, 2006

By David Greenfield Networking Pipeline

Skype updated its business offering this week, making the service more suitable than ever for small businesses. Why pay $50 or $60 dollars per line for Centrex or buy a small PBX when Skype for Business seems to offer almost the same capabilities anywhere in the world nearly for free?
Well, not exactly. Skype for Business allows businesses to centralize the purchase of credits needed for purchasing SkypeIn, SkypeOut, voicemail, personalization, and third-party conference calling. Administrators can then distribute Skype credits, topping off all customer accounts. Skype also says its added account codes for knowing who spent those credits. The acquisition and distribution of credits and other functions are managed in a Web console called the Skype for Business Control Panel.

But Skype for Business still comes up short in six areas:

1. Skype for Business still doesn't provide centralized reporting, so business won't be able to monitor how users spend Skype credits. There's no way to monitor or prevent, for example, users from calling 900 numbers and the like.

2. Skype for Business doesn't provide hunt groups where multiple extensions ring when a phone is dialed. Skype was expected to deliver that function in this release.

3. Call transfers still aren't provided.

4. There's no attendant or IVR function, which would redirect calls to other Skype numbers based on user selection. Many IVR functions can be provided through a Web page, but that won't help users who might be calling in from the PSTN.

5. Calls are still encrypted, preventing businesses from ensuring that employees aren't passing information that might violate regulatory restrictions.

6. Forget about E-911 compliance. There is none.

Without those capabilities, don't expect Skype for Business to replace your telephony system any time soon.