The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) has served voice traffic well over the last 100 years, but its success has been eclipsed by the rise of competing networks to support data traffic. The use of distinct networks for voice and data represents an additional burden to service providers and an additional cost to businesses.

As more PSTN traffic becomes data-oriented, the trend toward voice and data network convergence becomes more evident. Service providers, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and manufacturers of switching, transmission, and client equipment all are participating in a significant shift of the communications industry toward combined voice and data networking using Internet Protocol, or IP.

The Internet is the best example of such a network. IP-based network traffic now exceeds circuit-switched PSTN traffic, and McKinsey & Co. estimates that it is expected to represent almost 80% of traffic volume by 2004.

IP is valuable to businesses because it provides cost, redundancy and reliability attributes within a standard that can jointly support voice, data and video services. Companies can leverage the benefit of the Internet by managing remote office networks nationally, and can offer greater client interaction through web-based strategies. IPtimize helps small-to-medium businesses leverage IP-based networks and new applications.