* WAN net segment seems least set for VoIP
Last week Steve released the Webtorials “2003 VoIP State of the Market Report.” The report, based on survey results from a worldwide sample of end-users, is being covered primarily in the Network World Convergence newsletter. However, some aspects of it are appropriate for an expanded discussion here.
Most notably, the WAN network segment appears to be least ready to handle voice-over-IP traffic, based on answers to the question: “Do you think that your network infrastructure is ready for VoIP?”
Respondents were asked to answer with respect to their WAN infrastructures, their LAN infrastructures, and their cable plants. The possible choices for responses were “Ready today,” “Ready with planned upgrades,” “Minor upgrade needed,” “Major upgrade needed” and “Don’t know.”
Generally, the cable plant has the highest degree of readiness, the LAN is next highest, and the WAN is the least ready. In fact, about a fourth of the respondents overall (27%) indicated that their WANs needed major upgrades, although the same percentage indicated that their WANs were ready today. We’re ignoring the 5% to 7% who indicated that they didn’t know.
Geographically, the Webtorials study broke results down by the U.S. and Canada, Europe and the rest of the world. Respondents in the U.S. and Canada represented about 60% of the overall respondents. About a quarter of them (26%) indicated a need for a major WAN upgrade, and 23% indicated that their WANs were VoIP-ready today.
The European respondents indicated the highest level of WAN readiness for VoIP, with 40% indicating that they were ready today and only 20% indicating a need for a major upgrade.
The respondents in the rest of the world had more of an all-or-nothing attitude, with 32% indicating that a major upgrade is needed but an essentially equal 31% saying they were ready now.
Depending on your half-full or half-empty attitude, your interpretation of these stats can vary. On the one hand, you could argue that three quarters of WANs are not ready for VoIP. Conversely, it’s also true that three quarters of the networks are ready or will be ready with planned and/or minor upgrades.
