Converged voice and data makes for better outsourcing

IT outsourcing works best for organisations when voice and data networks are converged, according to a recent report from BT.

The BT Convergence Services Report found that over 40 per cent of UK organisations with a converged network are more satisfied with their managed services partners than they were prior to their investment in the technology.

Six per cent of organisations are less satisfied with their services partners since adopting convergence.

The report examined the IT outsourcing experiences of medium and large UK organisations in the finance, manufacturing and construction, government and retail sectors.

Cost effectiveness is the prime driver of the improved satisfaction levels, with 70 per cent of respondents highlighting this as the main reason for improvement, followed by superior network performance and reliability.

"As convergence is such a defined change, it allows [organisations] to draw a line under their old processes, configurations and work-styles and approach them in a more efficient and effective way," said Jim Norton, senior policy advisor at the Institute of Directors and a contributor to the report.

The report found that just over a quarter of all organisations that have invested in convergence now completely outsource the management of their network to a third-party supplier.

Some 36 per cent have become more inclined to use managed services since investing in convergence.

Nearly half believe that outsourcing services frees up internal resources, allowing them to concentrate on core business activities.

Expertise in voice technology was a prime consideration of the companies sur veyed in choosing services partners to support their networks.

Some 83 per cent of respondents continued with their previous voice networks services supplier, against 61 per cent which stayed with their former data network support supplier.