Tunnel Talk
Tunnel Talk
This is considered to be the year when VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) really takes off. In some quarters, it has already done so. A number of projects which are currently in progress use IP telephony solutions to deliver a far more flexible network for workers to communicate with each other. Rodney Appleyard reports on how this service is currently making life easier for construction employees who are striving to ensure that Sydney's Lane Cove Tunnel is completed safely and on time.
The contract to design, build, operate and maintain the Lane Cove Tunnel project was awarded by the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority in October 2003. This project is expected to take about four years to complete at a cost of about $1.1 billion.The aim of the tunnel is to shorten the journey times between the city and Sydney's north-west; improve local pedestrian, cyclist, private and public transport access; reduce traffic congestion and noise and improve air quality.
But in order to do this successfully, the staff have needed to be in close communication with each other, which could be difficult when you consider that the work extends from North Ryde to North Sydney, includes twin 3.6 km multi-lane tunnels and a new 8km continuous shared cycleway and pedestrian path. In addition, about 150 staff direct and manage work from project headquarters-networked to at least nine project nodes.
This is where the VoIP technology has been introduced to simplify the logistics of the operation and to make communication between people much easier. John Fekete, the systems engineer for NEC Business Solutions, says there are extremely strong advantages in using this system in comparison to using a normal telephone line.
"It makes it easier to connect 600 project staff where they want and when they want and it makes it a lot more feasible to communicate from remote locations, whereas with the use of traditional lines, there are big problems involved with the number being tied to specific locations and each number has to match a local exchange.
"This means that traditional phones can't be extended across different sites, which limits the business operations. It would cost too much money to set up new phone lines anyway."
With VoIP, however, users can just find a new location, log on to their computer and plug in their VoIP port. This also allows workers to hotdesk.
With traditional phone lines, the telephone numbers would have to change every time somebody moved locations, which could make communicating very confusing, very quickly.
"The VoIP service is preferable to mobile phones because it is much cheaper to use. In addition, there are a number of other features that can be used which are not available on traditional lines or mobile phones. With VoIP, users can include multiple people in one call, email messages to certain groups of people on the site, and they can call other people on the internal network for free.
"There are also a number of other multimedia functions available on the service, including video conferencing. A number of additional services are expected to be included in the VoIP package eventually, which are currently already in use in Japan. These features are expected to hit our shores very soon," reveals Fekete.
The project's IT manager, Dirk Clapham says the system has already greatly benefited the project.
"Across quite a fragmented workforce, we've placed more than 300 computers-every one with Internet access supporting around 600 project staff. Our IT network can be in use around the clock. It underpins everything from design to digging-including engineering, audit, document and quality control, safety, HR-and communications."
NEC extended its underlying Internet Protocol network-Optus MPLS-to every project site. It has plenty of bandwidth-from 1 to 2Mbps-to carry voice as well as existing data traffic.
Clapham says that this saved the company plenty of money. "Using our existing network allowed us to save on wiring. Centralising the system has meant fewer receptionists and PABXs-something traditional systems couldn't do. Savings were about $5,000 per office.
"Internal calls run over our data links, and cost nothing. Call reliability and ease-of-use also cut out our reliance on mobile phones. This led to further savings. Building-in network redundancy has meant that in the twelve months since our first connection, we've had no major system outrage, and security has not been a problem."
NEC partners, Voicepoint Communications worked with the joint venture's IT consultants to install and test the initial NEAX 2000 IPS system at the construction headquarters.
Peter McDonald, the business development officer for Voicepoint Communications, says there were a few challenges that had to be faced during the setting up of the systems, because the sites were in awkward places, but overall, he feels that it has been worth it because VoIP contributed so much flexibility and convenience to the project.
"Tunnel project offices can have new phone numbers within consistent and desirable ranges, and move people without having to change their numbers. They have simpler message management-picking up mail from different sites is easy. As a result, the business is more efficient and customers receive better service."
Fekete is excited about the future possibilities of VoIP too. He says that by December, users will be able to take advantage of seamless roaming via WiFi functionality on their 3G phones that can connect to VoIP systems.
"This means that calls will be able to be picked up from anywhere. Other services, such as instant messaging, email and Internet access will also be transferable from the VoIP desktop to the 3G phones too. NEC is tightly involved with these developments."
Meanwhile, in Japan, Fekete says that at the moment, VoIP is being used by many industries to help boost customer service. For instance, if a customer requires a service from a company, the person nearest to the customer will be automatically located and sent to the scene to fulfil the customer's needs. The VoIP roaming service is sophisticated enough to locate people closest to a user who needs assistance.
It would seem that the traditional phone line could be in danger of losing out to the benefits of VoIP. Even more so in the future, as advanced functionality is added to provide even greater compatibility with mobile phone technology.
With so much to offer in terms of flexibility and features, more and more individuals and organisations will surely question the value in having a landline at all, as the business and functionality case for adopting VoIP grows ever stronger.
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