In one of the largest VoIP implementations of its kind, Bank of America has begun deployment of Cisco Internet Protocol (IP) telephones across 180,000 desktops at its 5800 branches and office locations in the US.
The bank will replace its existing disparate collection of 362 private branch exchanges (PBXs) with a single IP-based voice, video and data system supplied by the vendor.
More than 100,000 employee voice-mail boxes installed on a variety of voice messaging platforms will be replaced with a single Cisco Unity voice messaging system.
The bank is also implementing IP-based trading turrets from IPC on its trading floor.
Cisco says the IP communications system will reduce operating costs and increase productivity at the bank.
Commenting on the technology, Steve Venezia, MD of the network computing group and network services for Bank of America, adds: "This will help us realise operational and telecom cost savings as well as improved system management and employee productivity."
Systems integrator EDS will help Bank of America manage the migration to the new voice and data network infrastructure, which is expected to take three years.
According to recent resesearch from Avaya and the Economist Intelligence Unit, 43% of companies are either using, testing, or planning to implement VoIP within the next two years.