Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) solutions enable mobile phone users to access the same services and features as provided to users of a PBX on a fixed extension.
There are many different approaches to providing an FMC solution for the end user. However, they all have one thing clearly in common – they will all seek to integrate today’s existing fixed phone infrastructure with today’s existing mobile technologies and services and enable services to be accessed seamlessly, from both PBX and mobile extensions.
In practise, FMC is delivered through alternative or hybrid approaches – including
FMC enables integration between the mobile operators’ national networks
- Enabling integration between the mobile operators’ national networks and existing PBX infrastructures – but this provides a high level of mobile operator dependency and removes choice within the business infrastructure ongoing.
- Enabling the existing PBX infrastructure to attach mobile phones as landline extensions using mobile network coverage which uses a large number of PBX ports, increasing the demands on the PBX and, therefore, impacting on the cost and service offered by the PBX.
- Implementation of a Private Mobile Network which can be integrated with the existing PBX without any dependency on PBX ports. Uses standard GSM technology without any operator tie-in (which reduces future bargaining power) and with the flexibility to scale and change in line with evolving business requirements.
How the PMN small office solution works
Private Mobile Networks are overcoming many of the commercial and technical objections to FMC. Existing mobile GSM handsets can be used with a private network and specialist handsets are not required. Private Mobile Networks are built on proven GSM technology and can supplement or replace an organisation's existing communications infrastructure. Mobile and desk-based handsets can be used with all the unified communications applications associated with the more progressive IP PBX installations today.
A PMN avoids the cabling issues of a fixed telephone network while delivering the corporate applications such as conferencing and call recording as well as unified communications applications such as faxmail, fax-to-email, voicemail as email attachments and an integrated voice, video and data inbox.