An enterprise's decision to move to IP delivers the most value when a substantial ratio of its applications and facilities has been migrated to the converged network. Encouragingly, a global survey of 395 senior executives conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit for AT&T shows that the pace of migration has become inexorable: by mid-2007 about 50% of firms globally—and two-thirds of US firms—will have shifted their voice and data applications over to IP. By mid-2008 this figure will have risen to an average of 72% of firms, based on the survey results.

Among the various approaches to IP migration, the "big bang" or enterprise-wide implementation is most popular among firms worldwide, although in the US a phased, department-by-department strategy is much more likely. Less than one in five firms uses small-scale trials, though this can be a highly effective way to iron out difficulties in advance and avoid disrupting business. Surveyed executives view disruption to day-to-day business as the principal risk involved with migration of applications to IP.

Migration prepares the way for the integration of applications. Research for this paper shows that most companies today have a strategy in place to integrate applications on IP, and that the market for integration software is burgeoning. Companies are generally adopting "Web services" to provide a standardized way to carry out the difficult task of integration. Of these standards, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) promises to provide particularly useful support in integrating everything from voice to videoconferencing and advanced collaborative applications.

The survey also shows, however, there is a long way to go with applications integration. While many companies are drawing financial benefits from moving to Voice over IP, some have not yet integrated it with other communications services, limiting its usage and potential gains.

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