VOIP Solution and Service

Those of us, who have used MSN or Yahoo Messengers to talk with headsets, must be having at least some idea of what is VoIP. Basically, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Telephony is the process of routing voice conversations over an Internet Protocol network, rather than through traditional circuit-switched telephone lines. The voice information is converted into digital data packets and then transmitted over an IP network, such as the internet, or a local area network. Hence, in other words, VoIP Internet Telephony is a method by which the internet can be used to carry voice information, and replace the need for a traditional telephone line.

The hardware needed to make VoIP calls depends on the type of VoIP service being used. VoIP service is available in three different modes. These are ATA, IP phone and PC-to-PC. ATA or Analog Telephone Adaptor lets the user to connect the regular telephone to the computer and use it for VoIP service by converting analog sound bits into digital data. Internet Protocol phones are those phones which are specially designed to be used with VoIP service. They look very similar to the standard phone models but their components are different from them. Moreover, a cordless IP phone will enable the user to use the VoIP services on the move. The PC-to-PC VoIP can be set up by installing the software provided by the VoIP service providers. Yahoo and MSN messengers are the examples of such software. In the PC-to-PC VoIP, users can make long distance calls through their computers and can communicate through the headphones with attached microphones.

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While making a transition from traditional phones to VoIP is a smart move, it can turn out to be a wise one only if you consider some important things before going for it.

First of all, you should shop around for a VoIP service provider who is offering the cheapest calling package. This is very significant as these packages may vary from $19.95/ month to as high as $54.95/ month. Moreover, while shopping for a VoIP provider, you should also compare the value added features offered by them free of cost with their calling packages. For instance, most of them offer voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting ID, 3 way calling, speed dialing, etc. free of cost with their packages. Number portability is another thing to be considered while going for a new VoIP connection. While some providers allow you to port your current phone number to the VoIP service, some don’t. It is recommended that you should try and save your old phone number so that your near and dear ones might be able to contact you without any problems. The emergency 911 service is also a major factor that should be kept in mind while choosing a VoIP service provider. Most of the VoIP carriers offer E911 service, but not all. Hence, it is recommended to check this before hand to save you from any unwanted situation and if it is not there on the list of offerings then keep a cell-phone handy.

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Businesses of all sizes are rapidly embracing IP Telephony or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This next-generation technology joins disparate networks carrying voice, data and video traffic into a single unified network – enabling businesses to deploy new applications, increase productivity and lower operational costs.

Although VoIP promises to reduce complexity and cost by converging data and voice onto a single network, making the transition from a legacy proprietary-based system to IP is neither easy nor simple. Although there is much talk about voice as “just another application that rides over an IP environment,” voice is the most critical service that all businesses simply cannot do without. To enable the level of reliability and quality that voice requires, takes both experience and technical understanding of voice in a converged environment. Service providers such as Bellsouth bring experience in handling both voice and data. In addition, Bellsouth can help customers make the transition from TDM to IP, providing them with a bridge between VoIP and legacy systems. BellSouth VoIP provides a unique opportunity for businesses to converge voice traffic over a data infrastructure. By joining disparate networks carrying voice, data and video traffic into a single unified network, businesses can enable new applications, increase productivity and lower operational costs. BellSouth, teamed with Cisco and Nortel Networks, offers a choice of equipment-based IP solutions. It provides a customizable tool that allows businesses in all industries to gauge the financial and technical implications of convergence.

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Broadband phone service as it is broadly referred to, is a technology which allows a user to use a regular phone handset to communicate while the voice signal travels over the internet via the user’s broadband connection. This technology is commonly referred to as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or IP Telephony. Broadband phone service converts voice signals to digital packets which are routed to their destination and reconverted at the receiving end.

In order to make use of this technology the user must first have a high speed broadband connection to the internet. Either DSL or high speed cable internet is recommended. A satellite connection is not recommended because of the issues with latency occurring as a result of the slower uplink to the satellite. Some folks have tried using a satellite internet connection successfully however.

The following are very important factors to consider when you are selecting a broadband phone service provider. Educate yourself and be informed before you choose. You should shop for a provider who is offering unlimited calling package with the lowest monthly rental. Be sure to compare the features offered by them. All VoIP providers don’t provide the same value added features. Hence, look out for the one offering the maximum features. Choose the service that allows you to transfer your current phone number to the VoIP service. Most of the broadband service providers offer E911 service, but not all. Be sure to check if the VoIP provider offers E911 because it is not a given.

Once you’ve tried using a broadband phone service and realized its versatility and cost savings, you’ll wonder how you managed without it.

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As the popularity of the ever evolving VoIP technology is growing day by day, the question “whether VoIP has truly arrived at a stage to completely replace its long time competitor PSTN?” has occupied the minds of more and more consumers. Thus, to be able to find a answer to this question we have to understand the technological aspects of both these technologies deeply.

Each technology has its advantages as well as disadvantages. For instance, PSTN or Public Switched Telephone Network is a well established and trusted technology that is easy to maintain and has a hassle free set-up process with a simple usage procedure. However, this old and trusted technology is not free of drawbacks. Some of its major drawbacks are, it needs a dedicated line to make a call; it has limited scalability; it makes optimum usage of bandwidth impossible; the consumers have to pay monthly rent above their call charges which themselves are very high.

VoIP which has taken the telecommunications industry by storm employs packet switching method of data transmission which gives a boost to the effective transmission rate. VoIP makes concurrent transmission of data, voice and video possible. It has got high scalability. As the data is sent over the network in compressed format, proper utilization of bandwidth is rendered possible. The World Wide Web, which is in the public domain, is used as the backbone of the network, that’s why hardware requirements are a bare minimum. The enhanced efficiency which becomes evident due to the proper utilization of bandwidth leads to massive reduction in the costs incurred per call. Value added services which are charged heavily under PSTN are offered free of cost with VoIP. However, in VoIP sometimes the voice quality is not good and the sound echoes.

Thus, although VoIP scores heavily over PSTN it is still to overtake it completely. Thus, it is advisable to use a hybrid system with VoIP being in the core of the system & PSTN in the periphery. This arrangement would ensure that you get most of both the technologies and would not be dependent on one.

Motorola is preparing what it says is its first Voice over IP (VoIP) Open Application-Enabling Platform and outlined plans to extend the product range in the future.

The FACT-SIP software package permits Motorola’s ComStruct packet voice resource hardware to be controlled by sending Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) commands across an IP socket from an application. Motorola says this makes it unproblematic to interface existing SIP-based applications and devices directly to ComStruct hardware to create VoIP enabled applications, such as IP-PBX and VoIP access gateways. Motorola says they also aim to create new VoIP Open Application-Enabling Platform families that integrate FACT-SIP software with MicroTCA and AdvancedTCA hardware. “SIP is at the core of our VoIP Application-Enabling Platform strategy. This open industry standard is becoming the de-facto call control protocol for setting up and controlling voice and multimedia services across IP links,” said Motorola’s Nigel Forrester. “Our strategy is to integrate packet voice resource boards with SIP software, creating tested VoIP Platforms that make it easy to voice-enable SIP applications, without the need to generate low-level code or directly control hardware. Motorola’s Open Application-Enabling Platform approach can help telecom equipment manufacturers to speed up VoIP product development while helping to reduce risk in the development process.”
FACT-SIP integrates SIP protocol software with voice processing resources including codecs, tones and carrier-class echo cancellation. FACT-SIP also includes a management interface that enables a packet voice resource board to be reconfigured using a web browser. Motorola says FACT-SIP should be available in the first quarter of 2006.

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One of the foremost VoIP service providers in United States and Canada is Packet8 which is owned by 8X8, Inc., which is a U.S. company located in Santa Clara, CA. and has made a significant contribution to the development and advancement of broadband phone technology since 1987.

Packet8 broadband phone service was introduced for residential use in 2002 and for small and medium businesses in 2004. It was the first VoIP provider to deliver video phone service. Using technologies that they have developed and patented themselves, Packet8 has become one of today’s best VoIP providers in terms of service, reliability, and market share. Offering unlimited local and long distance service within US and Canada for $19.95 per month, Packet8 is one of the lowest cost internet phone service providers in the USA. Great features like voicemail, voicemail to email, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, call return, and call blocking are available for free. Moreover, they are continually adding service enhancements and new features, all designed to work seamlessly with the Uniden 1868P whole house phone system as well as their videophone. Enhancements planned for summer 2006 are caller ID with name and a new soft phone service called Packet8 Softalk. A soft phone is a PC-based telephone; most of the larger VoIP carriers are now offering softphone service due to the huge popularity of the service that Skype is now famous for. Thus, depending on your needs, Packet8 VoIP service may or may not be the perfect fit for you, but it is definitely worth considering.

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Today the telecommunications market is flooded by a host of VoIP phones. However, to know which one is the best and satisfies all the demands of a consumer, one has to look into the Reviews of VoIP Phones.

Some of the major VoIP phone models available in the market today are Action Tec Skype Adaptor, Cisco 7960G, D-Link VoIP router 1402s, Fritz Box for WLAN 7050, ip Dialog Sip Tone II, K-Phone 4.2, RapidBox Skype Adaptor, Siemens USB Gigaset S645, Speed Touch 716v5 ADSL IAD (combined), etc. Some of these have been reviewed below.

There’s not much more to know about the Action Tec. It works as if it contains the same technology as the highly rated RapidBox device. It’s a versatile little box that won’t look out of place on your desk, and it does exactly what it says it does. Like any hardphone Cisco 7960G’s key advantages over a softphone, is that your not dependant on a PC for telephony, so no issues with applications and handsets/headsets/mikes & earpieces, or leaving the PC switched on, with the application running to receive calls. Though being on the expensive side its worth every penny spent on it, as its audio quality is exceptional. RapidBox is not an ATA device or an IP phone. It is a USB VoIP adapter with size smaller than your palm. Speed Touch 716v5 ADSL IAD (combined) is a brand new ADSL router from Thomson which allows sharing of high speed internet access combined with high quality VoIP access with IP QOS for the voice traffic. Hence, it is an excellent box that is also well priced.

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The apprehensions attached with VoIP security are the major deterrents in the popularity and acceptance of IP telephony. Issues like invasion of privacy, eves-dropping are a serious matter and one would not want to fall victims to them. And it is this feeling of venerability that discourages people to adopt VoIP technology.
However, a relatively new technology named VPN has proved to be a wonderful way to connect to VoIP by fully guarding your concerns on breach of security.

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which forms a private gateway between two users to share data and firewalls any intrusion attempt. VPN functions on strong encryption thereby ensuring means of safe communication curbing incidents of eavesdropping and hacking. VPN is primarily used by the corporate sector and IT companies. Having confidential information posted on Internet could be inviting trouble; hence companies have adopted VPN technology to keep the flow of communication covert. The method in which VPN technology functions is, that using routers, connection between two users in established. The router acts like a private gateway to facilitate the purpose. The flow of communication through the router is protected since this gateway is not accessible by any other person because the routs are encrypted and protected by firewall. Although placing routers is an expensive affair altogether but many broadband service providers have begun offering a separate VPN servers to their routers. Hence to ensure a secured calling experience with VoIP, choose a broadband service provider supporting VPN routers. And you could get the best of VoIP telephony.

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With the growth of VoIP as a means of communication, a wide variety of applications have been enabled by the VoIP networks. Among these VoIP applications the three main categories are, Branch Office Application, Interoffice Trunking Application and Interworking Cellular Application.

A Branch Office Application is a network configuration of an organization with many branch offices (e.g., a bank) that wants to reduce costs and combine traffic to provide voice and data access to the main office. This is accomplished by using a packet network to provide standard data transmission while at the same time enhancing it to carry voice traffic along with the data.

An Interoffice Trunking Application is basically a trunking application. In this scenario, an organization wishes to send voice traffic between two locations over the packet network and replace the tie trunks used to connect the PBXs at the locations. This application usually requires the IWF to support a higher-capacity digital channel than the branch application, such as a T1/E1 interface of 1.544 or 2.048 Mbps. The IWF emulates the signaling functions of a PBX, resulting in significant savings to companies’ communications costs.

The Interworking Cellular Application enables the users to get the benefits VoIP with cellular phones. The voice data in a digital cellular network is already compressed and packetized for transmission over the air by the cellular phone. Packet networks can then transmit the compressed cellular voice packet, saving a tremendous amount of bandwidth. The IWF provides the transcoding function required to convert the cellular voice data to the format required by the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

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