The IP Scene is Green

When I first began to study whether SIP Trunking was part of improving the ecosystem, I encountered a rather well written article stating that VoIP was not a green technology. I accepted this position until recently when I realized the logic was flawed. The initial point revolved around the components of the technology. It is true that VoIP/SIP Trunking requires an array of servers and sophisticated electronics. Data centers are rooms built with raised floors, dual AC feeds, battery plants and diesel powered generators. None of these things evokes green technologies. Moreover, the disposal of computers and electronic components can be difficult and often ignored. Improper disposal can contaminate our environment with mercury, cadmium, flame-retardants and lead from CRTs and TVs. All of this reflects badly on VoIP/SIP Trunking...right?

That was where I was wrong. Consider this. We believe that a hybrid automobile is green or greener than a non-hybrid. We accept this belief because we compare the hybrid that may still use gasoline, processed plastics, rubber wheels, potentially environment contaminating electronics with the automobile that has no elements of green technology. The electric motors or solar charged batteries of the hybrid make it greener than the non-hybrid.

Using the same reasoning, SIP Trunking is greener than the existing TDM technologies. The servers used to operate an IP network use less energy, require less cooling and are less massive than the central offices and tandem routers they are replacing. The carbon footprint of a traditional central office complex is much greater than that of a similarly sized (traffic capacity) Broadvox data center. A comparison of the equipment and technologies is quite surprising. The cost and materials to build a TDM switching center exceed those of a data center by more than 2:1. The reduction in energy use for power and cooling can be up to 40%. The improvement is so significant that IP communications should immediately claim the position of green communications services.

Therefore, in addition to potential savings of up to 70% on telecom cost, a business concerned about its impact on the environment should consider transitioning to SIP Trunking to demonstrate their good earth citizenship status. Companies with green initiatives should be a target of our VARs and agents. This is clearly a market IP communications can service proudly.

Additional reasons as to why the IP ecosystem is green on Friday. See you then.