10 Questions To Ask When Buying A VoIP Gateway

Gateways are a crucial part of a successful VoIP system. Here are the questions to ask before you buy. There's no question that a gateway is a crucial component in any business VoIP system. That's because the gateway handles the fundamental task of transferring voice or fax traffic from a PBX to the IP network while supporting service levels equal to or exceeding the performance of traditional telephone technology. Yet, with vendors offering dozens of VoIP different gateway models--each with a different feature set--finding the appropriate device for your enterprise's VoIP network can be hard work. Selecting a gateway that doesn't meet your VoIP network's needs can lead to all sorts of problems, including poor voice quality, inadequate management tools, difficult or impossible interoperability with other system devices and so on. You can sidestep many of these issues at the outset by closely questioning each vendor about its products and policies. Here's a quick list of the key questions you should ask: 1. How Much Does the Gateway Cost? This should be your first question. You'll need to know the gateway's cost in order to match it against products with similar feature sets. Be sure to factor in any additional support costs. 2. Is the Gateway Hardware- or Software-based? Most businesses buy hardware-based gateways because they're perceived to offer stronger security protection, are more reliable, don't rob computing power and provide better connectivity. The software type, on the other hand, tend to cost less and can be easier to update and modify. The choice is up to you. 3. What is the Chassis Size? If you're considering the purchase of a hardware gateway, the unit's chassis size is crucial since it typically dictates the product's packet processing capacity. Sluggish processing leads to poor VoIP call quality, user complaints and, potentially, lost business. So be sure to purchase a gateway that can accommodate your VoIP's system's current call load as well as planned future growth. Which leads us to the next question... 4. How Many Simultaneous VoIP Calls Can the Gateway Handle? It's important to select a product that can keep pace with the network's call load. A good rule of thumb is to purchase a gateway that can handle a call load that's at least 20 percent greater than existing traffic levels. 5. How Many Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) Ports Are Provided? VoIP gateways convert the PSTN signal to a VoIP signal. For analog lines, an FXO port is needed. Until recently, most reasonably priced ($300 to $500) VoIP gateways had only one or two FXO ports--sufficient for home use, but too few for most small businesses and remote offices. Make sure that any gateway you're planning to buy at has at least four FXO ports. 6. What Type of IP Connectivity is Included? Today, there are two major standards-based protocols available to establish and maintain VoIP connections: the ITU-T H.323 specification and the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). These protocols provide the functions that allow end users to place and receive VoIP calls. Your new gateway, obviously, needs to handle whatever standards are used on your VoIP network. 7. How Are Voice Digitization and Compression Accomplished? The key task required of any gateway is to convert the analog voice signal into the digital format that allows it to be transferred through a digital network. Usually, digitization results in a 64 kbps data rate. VoIP gateways can further compress voice call data rates to 24 kbps to 5.3 kbps per call. For maximum control over bandwidth usage and quality of service (QoS), you want as must flexibility as possible in compression rates. 8. What Are the Upgrade Options? As your VoIP system grows, you'll probably need additional ports and other features. There's also always the possibility of new VoIP standards appearing over time, meaning your gateway will have to keep pace with the new technology. Some gateways are more or less set in stone, and are virtually impossible to upgrade. Others products offer various levels of upgradeability. It's important to know which type of gateway you're looking at, since an upgradeable system may save you a significant amount of money in the years ahead. 9. Is the Gateway Compatible With My VoIP System Hardware? The VoIP gateway needs to interoperate with a number of existing and future technologies, such as private branch exchange (PBX), automatic call director (ACD) and interactive voice response (IVR) systems. It's most important to find out if the trunk circuit port types on your PBX match those that are available on the gateway. 10 What Type of Support Do You Offer? Beyond the gateway itself, you need to discover the level of support the vendor offers. How long is the basic warranty? Does the vendor provide phone- or e-mail-based troubleshooting? Is on-site support available? What is the cost of such services? These are all key things to know before you make your final purchase decision. Selecting the right gateway for your VoIP system can be a confusing and time consuming process. But asking the right questions will ensure that you get the product and support you need at a price you can afford.