Cisco Systems Inc has set out its plans for integrating data/voice/video across its enterprise and service provider infrastructures. Starting at the low-end, Cisco released its first products adding voice-over-IP and fax-over-IP capabilities to its 3600 series remote access routers. The new module enables voice-over-IP to be used to off-load branch-office voice traffic from the Public Switched Telephone Network and route it across the company’s existing data intranet. In addition, interoffice fax traffic can be routed across the company’s data network or through an extranet, using existing fax machines. Each voice module supports two or four voice channels through a number of voice interface cards. The Cisco 3600 family of routers has WAN modules that support ISDN Basic Rate Interface and Primary Rate Interface, high-speed serial, channelized T1, E1, integrated digital modems and others. LAN modules are available that support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Token Ring. Meanwhile, Cisco says the module is the first in its plans to offer high-end, higher- density digital voice packet gateways for its carrier-class platform. Ready for announcement at least by early 1998, the modules will allow for larger-scale corporate aggregation for voice-over-IP traffic that will enable internet telephony service providers to offer residential and business-class services for internet telephony. The voice modules for the Cisco 3600 series will be available before the end of the year. Pricing starts at $625 per port.
