Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Voice over Internet Protocol or Voice over IP or VoIP is a general term for a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over internet protocol networks such as the internet or other packet-switched networks. Other terms frequently encountered and synonymous with voice over internet protocol are internet protocol telephony, internet telephony, voice over broadband, broadband telephony, and broadband phone. Internet telephony refers to communications services – voice, facsimile, and/or voice-messaging applications – that are transported via the internet, rather than the public switched telephone network.

Definition of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Voice over internet protocol can be defined as the ability to make telephone calls and to send facsimiles over internet protocol- based data networks with a suitable quality of service and a much superior cost/benefit. Equipment producers see Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) as a new opportunity to innovate and compete. The challenge for then is turning this vision into reality by quickly developing new voice over internet protocol-enabled equipment. For Internet service providers, the possibility of introducing usage-based pricing and increasing their traffic volumes is very attractive. Users are seeking new types of integrated voice/data applications as well as cost benefits. Successfully delivering voice over packet networks presents a tremendous opportunity; however, implementing the products is not as straightforward a task as it may first appear. This document examines the technologies, infrastructures, software, and systems that will be necessary to realize voice over internet protocol on a large scale. The types of applications that will both drive the market and benefit the most from the convergence of voice and data networks will be identified.

PC   to PC

The basic steps involved in originating an Internet telephone call are conversion of the analog voice signal to digital format and compression/translation of the signal into internet protocol packets for transmission over the internet; the process is reversed at the receiving end. Voice over internet protocol systems employ session control protocols to control the set-up and tear-down of calls as well as audio codecs which encode speech allowing transmission over an internet protocol network as digital audio via an audio stream. Codec use is varied between different implementations of voice over internet protocol (and often a range of codecs are used); some implementations rely on narrow band and compressed speech, while others support high fidelity stereo codecs. Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology for communicating using “Internet protocol” instead of traditional analog systems. Some voice over internet protocol services need only a regular phone connection, while others allow you to make telephone calls using an Internet connection instead. Some voice over internet protocol services may allow you only to call other people using the same service, but others may allow you to call any telephone number – including local, long distance, wireless, and international numbers. Voice over internet protocol is mainly concerned with the realization of telephone service over internet protocol-based networks such as the internet and intranet. Internet protocol telephony is currently breaking through to become one of the most important service on the net. The actual breakthrough was made possible by the high bandwidth available in an intranet and, increasingly, on the internet. Another fundamental reason is the cost associated with the various implementations.

Phone to Phone via the Internet

The public telephone network and the equipment makes it possible are taken for granted in most parts of the world. Availability of a telephone and access to low-cost, high quality worldwide network is considered to be essential in modern society (telephone are even expected to work when the power off).There is, however, a paradigm shift beginning to occur since more and more communication is in digital form and transported via packet networks such as internet protocol and Frame Relay frames. Since data traffic, there has been considerable interest in transporting voice over data networks. Support for voice communications using the internet protocol, which is usually just called “Voice over internet protocol” or voice over internet protocol, has become especially attractive given the low-cost, flat-rate pricing of the public Internet. In fact, toll quality telephony over internet protocol has now become one of the key steps leading to the convergence of the voice, video, and data communications industries. The feasibility of carrying voice and signaling message over the internet has already been demonstrated but delivering high-quality commercial products, establishing public services, and convincing users to buy into the vision are just beginning.

Advantages and Disadvantages of VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has loads of advantages over a consistent phone service. However, like any evolving technology, there are still a few twists in the system. But, as standards are developed it becomes more dependable and achieves greater acceptance. It is predictable that VoIP will sooner or later replace out-dated phone service – in fact, telephone companies are by now taking advantage of the knowledge to offer cheaper elongated distance rates.

Advantages

  • Low cost – The top most advantage of VoIP is price. All of the other VoIP benefits collectively may not add up to the reserves. Most consumers and companies like experience when swapping to VoIP. Those who shift to VoIP may expect savings amongst 30 and 50-percent off of their old phone bills and occasionally more. This makes a big modification to those who have been dissatisfied with the big phone companies and when it comes to big organizations, the savings can be in the millions.
  • Clarity– Subsequent VoIP advantage is clarity. A few years ago, conversation through VoIP was like chatting through a tin can with a string attached to another tin can. Calls were misleading, lagging and many a times dropped. Well, times have reformed and with new VoIP tools the call clarity is better than ever. Some VoIP service providers, consumers and businesspeople alike are broadcasting voice clarity is better than that experienced on old landlines. While some of the VoIP suppliers deliver call clarity that is everywhere between that of a cell phone and a landline, it is evident that the days of the tin can calls is over.
  • Portability – Added advantage of VoIP is compactness. You can make and receive telephone calls everywhere there is a broadband connection merely by signing in to your VoIP account. This sorts VoIP as convenient as e-mail – if you are wandering, simply pack a headset or Internet telephone and you can chat to your family or business contacts for almost nothing. Mobile-to-telephone VoIP is also portable. When you sign up with a VoIP service provider the Internet phone or connecter that is used with that service is allotted a unique number. This ‘phone number’ rests valid even if your VoIP service is in Cleveland and you are linked to the Internet in Bangkok. An Internet phone is small and light abundant to take with you everywhere. Simply plug it into a broadband link anywhere in the world and you can make and get calls just as though you remained in your own home or office.
  • VoIP is not being tied to a geographical location– If you live in California and most of your folks are in Michigan, you can sign up for a VoIP number in Michigan therefore when your folks call you it’s a local call instead of long distance call and far cheaper for them. Most VoIP service providers, with their regular service plans, also offer unrestricted calling within the U. S. and some parts of Canada as well. So cost savings are experienced by both you and your folks.
  • Features – Here are many other features that make VoIP attractive. Call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, caller ID and three-way calling approach are some of the services included with Internet telephone at certainly not extra charge. You can also send data such as images and documents at the same time you are chatting on the phone.

Disadvantages

There are limited disadvantages to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Constant service during a power outage and urgent calls are two of the biggest problems.

  • Needs Electric Power – For the period of a blackout a consistent phone is kept in examination by the current supplied through the phone line. This is not conceivable with Internet phones, so after the power goes out, there is no VoIP phone service. Individual solution to this problem is to habit battery backups or power producers to provide electricity.
  • Limited Emergency Calls – Additional major concern involves urgent 911 calls. Out-dated phone equipment can hint your location. Urgent calls are abstracted to the nearest call interior where the operator can see your position in case you can’t talk. With VoIP, nevertheless, there is currently no way to regulate where your Internet phone call is patenting from. So most VoIP services cannot be used for urgent calls. There is an evolving standard called e911, though, which attempts to address this dispute.
  • Sound Quality and Reliability – Some VoIP providers have complications with sound quality and reliability. Data directed across the Internet generally arrives at its destination in a jumbled order. This is not tricky for e-mail or documents since the data can be congregated in the correct order after it has all arrived.  Voice data can also hash out in a scrambled order but this is further a problem because of the actual-time nature of VoIP.  In order to make voice links with the minimum amount of delay, some packs may have to be released if they don’t reach in time. This can source short periods of calm in the audio stream.  The amount of data that is misplaced depends on the remoteness and speed of the link. Some networks collect a lot of traffic and are more prospective to cause dropouts in the audio stream. Forming dedicated data paths is one mode to provide high quality audio connections.

Most of these drawbacks are being overcome as knowledge changes and innovations continue at their existing pace. There is an incredible volume of work being done to raise the reliability and usefulness of VoIP. VoIP was on the go to receive widespread consumer approval.

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