[c-nsp] voip - build or buy?

[Adam Greene]

Hi,

We're starting to consider offering VoIP service to our customers. We're a relatively small ISP (~1000 Internet, datacenter, and networking customers), with no CLEC status. We're looking at it from a very high level right now, trying to evaluate whether we should try to build out a VoIP infrastructure or simply resell someone else's VoIP service. I suppose we could also make some decision that falls somewhere in between those two extremes (i.e. build out some of the infrastructure and interface with some other company for, say, the telco interconnect).

I'd be interested if anyone on this list happens to have a bird's eye assessment of the advisability of building out vs simply reselling. Is VoIP extraordinarily complex to deploy from an operational standpoint? Is there anything that one stands to gain by "doing it oneself" that one couldn't gain by hooking up with someone who's already doing it? 

Thanks for any insights you might be willing to share.

Adam