SD-WAN for VoIP and business communications

Traditional face-to-face meetings have been replaced by video conferencing and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) communications for businesses all over the world. In-person meetings have become far less important, especially as Covid-related restrictions have made remote working more common.

Effective business communications are critical, not only for internal decision-making and strategic planning but also for sustaining and strengthening customer relationships. It is important for large organisations to have the best possible internet connection that can support online collaboration, cloud computing and VoIP - with so much emphasis on having high-quality video-conferencing capabilities.

SEACOM is a leading supplier of fibre services and ICT solutions. A software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) is one of the most effective solutions for VoIP and digital communication for businesses. SD-WAN is a virtually managed network that prioritises online communication in the most dynamic and effective way possible.

Understanding SD-WAN

A traditional business network is notoriously complicated. In companies with multiple offices, employees are frequently connected to company servers via multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), virtual private networks (VPNs), or a private intranet.

SD-WAN simplifies the entire process and enhances overall performance, as it intelligently routes traffic across the wide-area network. It can also connect to cloud-based servers and programmes using any connection, including MPLS, fibre, 4G and LTE.This enables employees to work together on projects and access critical files in a secure and timely manner.

Employees have more time to focus on their work since the centralised software tracks and manages network traffic autonomously. This results in a better overall user experience. SEACOM Business offers SD-WAN to enterprises in Kenya as a future-proof solution to improve business networking.

What are the benefits of SD-WAN for VoIP?

VoIP is significantly less expensive than traditional phone systems, yet it has a reputation for being unstable. Voice is extremely sensitive to poor internet connections and sound quality can be significantly impacted by an unstable connection. Because of these issues, businesses that rely on phone calls for day-to-day operations and customer support have been wary about VoIP.

However, SD-WAN provides a cost-effective and high-quality solution to these problems. Certain types of data can be prioritised using SD-WAN and, since bandwidth allocation can be predetermined, VoIP call quality can be given the highest priority. This results in consistently high call quality. VoIP is far superior to traditional cable telecommunications when combined with a solid fibre optic internet connection.

The benefits of SD-WAN for your business

SD-WAN ensures that high-priority data transfers can occur without interruption, by dynamically routing traffic over the best available connection. If there is an issue with one of the links, the software redirects traffic to another route. SD-WAN provides this type of networking agility by allowing traffic to be immediately rerouted if a link fails or becomes congested.

Network engineers can respond swiftly to changing needs, shifting data priorities, the need to scale up bandwidth and detecting potential issues. The IT team has complete visibility into what is happening on the network and they can ensure optimal performance at all times by utilising a software as a service (SaaS) application. Since the network is managed remotely, it eliminates the need for on-site IT technicians which also reduces costs for your business.

SD-WAN enables IT personnel to create private networks with firewalls and encryptions. End-to-end encryption enables enterprises to defend themselves against cyberattacks and data breaches by ensuring that data is safely transferred from one point to another. This means that sensitive data, such as personal information, financial records and private communications, can be kept completely secure.

SD-WAN unlocks new possibilities for VoIP

The cloud-based software of SD-WAN makes it easier to set up, operate and maintain large-scale corporate networks. There is no need for specialised equipment, resulting in fewer vendor lock-ins and lower costs. IT teams can prioritise modern applications like VoIP calling, video conferencing and cloud computing with better network visibility and elastic traffic management.

The software is used to automate the flow of voice traffic, ensuring that certain applications are always delivered at optimal speeds. For business communications to work smoothly, better performance, flexibility and reduced latency are absolutely essential.

SEACOM Business provides both break-fix and managed services, allowing companies to maintain complete control of their networks or outsource network design, management and maintenance. For large companies that demand a flexible, scalable and secure VoIP network, we recommend SD-WAN. For more information or to get a quote for our SD-WAN solutions, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.

SEACOM owns Africa’s largest network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including fibre optic networks and subsea cables. We offer a wide range of industry-leading scalable ICT solutions for large companies that operate throughout the region.

SEACOM is privately owned - making it adaptable to the needs of the client. We are the preferred ICT and internet connectivity supplier for African enterprises. We can guarantee fast, reliable and secure internet and networking services at affordable prices.

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