The largest challenge comes with the realization that in delivering a VoIP phone service, there is a requirement for organisations to understand and manage the interaction between many different devices that can sit on a customer’s Local Area Network (LAN), because any one of these can give rise to poor quality phone service.

Such devices include PCs, Laptops, Servers, Routers, Printers, as well as VoIP phones. What is required is a framework of appropriate monitoring tools that collectively give Vodafone the information that it needs to understand and deal with VoIP Voice Service quality issues.

The scope of what needs to be addressed covers all forms of data on a customer’s IP network. This means that Voice Devices (e.g. fixed VoIP phones, LAN based Softphones, Mobiles, Softphones connected through a 3G card, Softphones connected through a Wi-Fi link, audio conferencing equipment), as well as non-Voice Devices (e.g. PCs, Laptops, Servers, etc) will need to be addressed. Their impact on the quality of a VoIP based phone call needs to be understood from the customer right through the Core network to the other party in a phone conversation.

The framework of monitoring tools should be integrated into one service portal providing a single dashboard view of what is happening in any client site. This must be readily available to the company's customer service desk as well as to selected service partners.

Physical integration of the monitoring dashboard with the company's Provisioning Processes, Inventory Management and Configuration Management is also necessary.