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Five Reasons Not To Implement VoIP: Page 2 of 5

Indeed, with that question in mind, Levy says that, for all the excitement and hype around VoIP, there are still some very good reasons not to implement the technology...for now, at least.

Internet Insecurity: As the onslaughts of worms, viruses, spyware and spam have shown only too well, the Internet can be a nasty place. Unlike the proprietary, controlled, and safe environs of traditional telephony and the public switched telephone network (PSTN), virtually any traffic on an IP network is vulnerable to attack. And considering the mission-critical nature of voice communications, a worm that is only a nuisance when it takes down a Web server could cause catastrophic damage to a phone system.

"We know how insecure the Internet is for e-mail and Web servers," Levy says. "And you're going to put your phone system on that?"

While most companies almost expect mail servers and Web servers to go down from time to time, Levy points out that few companies can take a shut down of their voice communications as casually. "Companies are much more sensitive to voice connectivity," he says. "No phones usually mean no business."

The bottom line is that VoIP security is still in its infancy, and if you can't guarantee the availability of your phones, you might not be ready for VoIP.

Shifting Regulatory Sands: The Federal Communications Commission's recent Emergency-911 decision made it clear that regulatory bodies still haven't made up their minds about VoIP. In a way, it's neither fish nor fowl -- not quite telephony, but not just data -- and that could mean that regulators still have a fair bit of rehulating left to do, Levy says.