Voice Over Wireless LAN: 

Popularity Grows As It Drives Profitability And Productivity

Alexandria, VA — July 2, 2009 — The Washington Network, Inc., a leader in unified communications in the Metro-DC area, announced today an effort to educate small to mid sized businesses on the valuable benefits of Voice over Wireless LAN technology (VoWLAN).  Rick Endres, president of The Washington Network, expects the demand for VoWLAN to increase by year’s end due to of its ability to support various advanced business applications that drive profitability and employee productivity.

A wireless local area network is a local area network (LAN) can be either an extension of a current wired network or an alternative to it. Use of a WLAN adds flexibility and functionality to networking and enables users to move around while staying connected. 

Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, which converges voice and data networks, has become the communications technology of choice for the majority of businesses. WLAN now successfully supports VoIP. Voice over Wireless LAN (VoWLAN) systems send voice information in digital form over a wireless broadband network. Simply put, VoWLAN is VoIP delivered through wireless technology. 

The technology is often referred to "VoWi-Fi" or "Wi-Fi VoIP" because it uses IEEE 802.11 specifications for transporting data over wireless local area networks and the Internet.  VoWLAN includes all of the regular functions and messaging applications available on wired phones on the VoWLAN devices.  Like VoIP, VoWLAN contributes to cost efficiency because calls are routed over the data network internally or over the Internet.  As a result, mobile telephony costs can be eliminated or decreased significantly.

Employees can use VoWLAN phones to communicate wirelessly with others inside and outside a facility. The experience is very similar to using a traditional wired telephone, except the user is free to move about the building. Additionally, a VoWLAN phone can operate from the rapidly growing Wi-Fi hotspots, enabling a person to use the same phone while within or away from the office. 

Some mobile phones incorporate VoWLAN capability, which enables users to make calls over traditional cellular networks when no wireless local-area network is available.  This gives employees tremendous freedom to conduct business from any location thereby increasing their own productivity while driving costs down.

The VoWLAN market is currently driven by applications such as retail/warehouse sales tracking and inventory control, mobile telephony in medical facilities or campuses, and mobile security.  For example, nurses and doctors within a facility can maintain voice communications at any time for far less cost than cellular service.  

“It is our mission to continually inform our customers of new technologies that may have a significant impact on their business,” said Rick Endres, President of The Washington Network.  “VoWLAN is a great example. It’s still in its infancy, but we want our clients to be made aware of its benefits, and how to properly deploy it.  That’s our role as their trusted communications advisor.”

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON NETWORK, INC.

Founded in 1987, The Washington Network, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia, provides VoIP phone systems, managed services for computer networks, and other IT solutions for associations and businesses in the Washington, DC Metro area.

Primarily serving clients without a large in-house IT staff, The Washington Network helps clients lower operating costs while increasing worker productivity. The company’s flat-rate managed services include remote network monitoring, preventive maintenance, help desk, redundant back-ups and on-site support.

A member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, The Washington Network has been honored as the Chamber’s Professional Service Business of the Year.

Through its strategic membership in the Technology Assurance Group, The Washington Network serves and supports clients with multiple locations across the U.S. and Canada.

The Washington Network is located at 30 South Quaker Lane, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. For more information on The Washington Network, call 703.212.7100 or visit www.WashingtonNetwork.com.

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