 New Systems When organizations purchase new phone systems, they buy IP-based systems for a number of reasons. Voice services are not as critical for communications because many users rely mostly on electronic messaging. Today, most employees conduct their day- to-day communications by using e-mail and instant messaging. Thus, there is not the level of concern regarding the use of one network (the Local Area Network [LAN]) for both voice and data in the event of a crash. For the most part, voice is used for discussions about complex topics and audio and video conferences. It is also used for time-sensitive purposes such as reporting fires and other emergencies. These outgoing calls can be made on mobile phones. Whereas some customers still maintain older, traditional-style phone systems, new systems are IP-based. These systems are easier to maintain and can be more easily integrated with all types of conferencing, contact centers, and Unified Communica- tions (UC) systems. Moreover, IP technology has improved and the quality of voice carried on LANs is generally quite good. This is also due to improvements in LAN speeds. In addition, LAN reliability is such that downtime is no longer a concern of any substance. While the initial cost of many IP telephone systems is no less expensive than older-style phone systems, ongoing support costs are lower. In addition, sharing cen- tralized applications such as voice messaging and contact center services with remote offices is less complex than it was in older systems. Makers of voice telephone systems such as Avaya, Inc. and Mitel Networks Cor- poration once dominated the market for telephone systems. However, the advent of IP telephony, wherein voice and data are carried on the same network, presented an opportunity to companies such as Cisco Systems and Microsoft that previously sold only data equipment and software. Cisco Systems, which had relationships with IT directors and known expertise in data switching, used these assets as leverage to position its IP telephony 