JM SULFUR

It is often quoted that the Quality of Services (QoS) is only as great as the weakest link, and this is a constant challenge for network administrators who are tasked with improving QoS across the network, particularly as mission critical and bandwidth intensive applications are added to the network such as Voice and Video.

 

Peripherals can now also be the weakest link and QoS now extends to the last metre. There are many rollouts of IP Telephony or desktop video solutions that have delivered poor user experiences simply because the “Last Metre” was not really evaluated on anything but cost or at worst no consultation or research was done to ensure that the right devices were allocated to the users based on workforce profile.

 

Some of the reasons for poor user experiences in UC deployments as a result of the wrong peripheral device are:

·         The device isn’t fully endorsed by the manufacturer of the IP Telephony or Video infrastructure implemented.

·         A consumer grade product, aimed at the mobile phone market or consumer video market where expectations and quality are not as high.

·         Bought at the local office products supplier without any technical advice or testing.

·         No workforce profiling and therefore no understanding of how each employee will be using UC (telephony and/or video) in their environment.

 

Therefore with all these factors, it is no surprise that the users are complaining about poor experiences! 

Understanding the users’ environment and usage scenarios is particularly important because the end user experience is so variable. An example of this would be a low-resolution video camera being used by a desktop/laptop user who is conferencing with someone using a large, high quality group-based system in a boardroom. 

 

The end user with the laptop/desktop has a screen real-estate which is small and directly linked to the local camera. At the boardroom end however, the screen will be large and the low quality image coming from the desktop/laptop/camera will be scaled up. 

 

The result, the boardroom will receive a very low quality image and the laptop/desktop user will have a good or acceptable experience. Even though the above example may seem very specific, it is very common. For all the hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in the platform and the network, the experience was diminished by a sub $100 item, the lowest common denominator and the “Last Metre” of the solution.

 

  

·         The upgrade path of your platform. Will the devices meet any new requirements?

·         What is the call control functionality of the headsets and their interaction with the voice and video platforms?

·         Device manageability and remote troubleshooting capabilities

·         Does the device support “Call Parking”?

·         What wireless device should I choose – DECT or Bluetooth?

·         What is my workspace density and number of concurrent users?

·         What is the expected video quality by the end user?

·         Will the platform manufacturer support the use of non certified devices?

·         What are the workforce profiles and usage scenarios of UC within my organisation?

 

Profiling the workforce is an exercise in determining worker roles, usage by workforce profile and how UC communication tools will impact each worker and their job. An important element in this exercise includes determining the devices a workforce profile needs in order to perform their roles. Customisation is critical because some devices are not applicable to every workforce profile.

 

Some considerations for determining the right device by workforce profile:

·         Tele-workers and their at-home and at-work requirements?

·         Mobile workers, will their at-office devices be suitable for the road?

·         Call centre users, what is suitable and provides a good user experience for the operator but also the customer at the end of the call?

 

One of the most important decisions in determining the right peripheral is the device’s wireless capabilities – either Bluetooth or DECT.  

Bluetooth devices have a lower range than DECT devices but are compatible with most mobile phones and laptop devices. Therefore for your mobile workforce, a Bluetooth device would be the most appropriate wireless option.

When choosing a Bluetooth device, determining the class is important. Bluetooth devices come in three classes, each class supporting a certain distance or range.

 

To ensure a certain range of your peripheral device, the class of your Bluetooth headset should match the class of your user’s mobile phone and/or laptop – although matching class is not a requirement for connectivity. A Class 2 device will connect and work with a Class 1 device but the distance supported will only be 22 metres.

So which class should you choose for your new Bluetooth product? The two most important questions that should be asked here are: "over what distance do I need my Bluetooth devices to operate?" and "what is the class of the laptop, phone and/or PC, my peripheral is communicating with?”. 

Many people make the mistake of believing that they can extend the range of their Class 2 device to 100m by purchasing a Class 1 device for the other end.

 

One of the key advantages of DECT versus Bluetooth is DECT is a protected frequency-band. This means that it is NOT affected by inference from other radio signals, such as WiFi or Bluetooth. Therefore compared to Bluetooth, it is possible to deploy many more DECT wireless systems together in one location such as a call centre environment.

 

When deploying a wireless peripheral solution in a single location for multiple users, workplace density is another important factor. Workplace density can have a big impact on the quality and performance of the call. To ensure high quality and performance, these factors need to be considered in a wireless environment:

 

1. The number of concurrent headset users because there is a limited number of guaranteed channels available over the wireless frequency.

2. The building layout and design.

3. Required range. DECT has a much longer range than Bluetooth.

 

In summary the choice of devices provided to your users needs greater consideration than just cost and all devices do not provide the same audio/video experience. Administrators need to research the various options, the users and their workforce profile and the environment in which these workers will be using the devices.

Today most peripherals are sold through local office supply stores and although these suppliers may have the best-priced devices, they have little to no UC experience, minimal knowledge of the platforms deployed and understanding ofdevice interoperability with those platforms. 

 

The last metre is important and don’t let cost be your number one criteria when determining your peripheral solution. Saving $20 per headset or camera is not worth a poor user experience and ultimately an unsuccessful deployment of UC. 

After seeking the correct advice and ensuring that the devices match the needs of the user profiles. Then seek a volume-based agreement for current and future deployments, most resellers will provide deeper discounts when larger volumes are on offer..

 

With the fast paced development of devices and the changing workforce and workplace environments, it pays to monitor each case and keep abreast of the devices that are available.

Most reputable sites will offer product reviews, customer reviews and the ability to compare products.

Some reference sites worth considering are www.ocsgear.com.au where users have rated devices and administrators can find various materials and articles.

 

Further resources can be found at: