Introduction
- Voice over Internet Protocol -
Save Money With Every Phone Call
by Ron King
You've probably heard about Voice over Internet
Protoco (abbreviated VoIP or VOIP). It is one of the hottest computer
technologies today.
VoIP was developed to provide voice communication
between computer users at different locations. Although still used in
this manner, it's been developed much further -- into a full-fledged
telephone network that allows us to place telephone calls through the
Internet.
People who use VoIP can place calls to any
telephone anywhere in the world. The calls are received on telephone
sets connected to the Internet or Local Area Network (LAN). VoIP is
already replacing some telephone networks with people and businesses
canceling their traditional phone lines in favor of the cost savings of
VoIP.
Background
Israeli computer enthusiasts were the first to
make computer-to-computer voice connections back in 1995. That same
year, the technology was further developed into a software package
called Internet Phone Software. All you needed to speak with another
computer user then was a modem, sound card, speakers, and microphone.
The software digitized and compressed audio
signals before sending them over the Internet. These voice connections
only occurred between computers equipped with the software. The
original sound quality was very poor.
Technology progressed. By 1998 gateways had been
established allowing PC-to-phone connections. Later that year
phone-to-phone connections using the Internet for voice transmission
were in place. Phone-to-phone connections still required a computer to
initiate the call, but once the connection was established, callers
could use a standard phone set.
That Was Then -- This Is Now
There are now a variety of VoIP services
available, for both residential and commercial use. Some continue to
rely on PC-to-PC connections, but may also offer PC-to-phone and
phone-to-phone services.
There are phones that plug into a sound card or
USB port of a computer. These phones may have number pads and ringers
that allow you to use them just like conventional telephones. The
computer can even be bypassed completely by connecting a phone directly
to a broadband modem (either DSL or cable).
How Does VoIP Work?
The first step in using VoIP is converting your
voice into digital data. This is done by 'sampling' your voice. The
analog sound signal is divided into distinct steps that can be assigned
number values. After your voice is digitized, the data can be
compressed.
The compressed digital data is then split into
'packets' of about 1500 bytes that can be transferred via the Internet.
In addition to voice data, the packets contain information about their
origin, destination, and a time-stamp that permits a reconstruction in
the exact order. When the packets arrive at their destination, the data
are reassembled and converted back to analog. The receiving party then
-- voila -- hears your voice.
A broadband Internet connection, however, is
needed to speed up voice data transmission. Many households and
businesses are already using broadband, either DSL or cable, which
makes adding VoIP fairly simple.
So, if saving money is on your To Do list for this
year, check out VoIP.
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and
web developer. Visit voip-solutions-now to learn more about this
subject.
Ron King may be contacted at http://ronxking.com
VoIP Overview
by Meryl Evans
Since we’re using computers all the time to do our
work, let’s make it easy and add the phone to the pile. VoIP also known
as (voice over Internet protocol), Internet telephony, IP telephony,
and Internet voice is catching on and is expected to grow in the next
few years. The technology has been around for about a decade, but it
isn’t till now that we have the supporting technology to handle it and
an market reaching critical mass (hate using jargon, but there isn’t a
better way to say it).
VoIP requires users to have broadband connections.
With 22 percent of Americans connected to the Internet by broadband,
the numbers are large enough for making money with Internet voice and
big telecoms are already in the game.
How VoIP works
VoIP works like email. TCP/IP networks consist of
IP packets with a header for controlling communication and information
for transportating data. VoIP uses the IP packets to send the human
voice across the Internet using IP packets to its destination.
It digitizes a voice into data packets, sends them
through the network and converts them back to voice when arriving at
the destination. Digital format can be compressed, routed, and
converted to other and better formats.
When calling someone using VoIP, you use a phone
with an adapter. Just like we use a telephone to make phone calls on
POTS (plain old telephone service), the adapter is a device to connect
the phone to the network. The VoIP phone has its own phone number for
callers to dial.
The good and bad things
An advantage of VoIP is it can avoid charges
typically found on PSTNs (public switched telephone network). For
customers, there is less worry about how long or how often they make
phone calls. Calling another state costs the same as calling another
country even on the other side of the world. IP-based boxes are cheaper
than analog PBXes.
However, service reliability is an issue. How many
times has a download or connecting to a Web site faltered? That may not
be such a big deal, but it is more disruptive to phone calls. Network
issues are complicated by customers getting broadband from one company
and VoIP from another. When a call gets switched from network to
network, it impacts quality.
When the Internet is down, so is VoIP. Traditional
phones aren’t affected by power like VoIP since they have its own power
and work during blackouts.
Money and regs
Companies make their money by selling features and
services. Connect anytime and anywhere there is an Internet connection
or while in Wi-Fi-enabled hot spots. It’s also exempt from traditional
regulations and taxes, but that could change tomorrow though telecoms
are working to keep it unregulated. This exemption is keeping prices
down, and current prices are anywhere from $20 to $65 a month.
Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl's notes, eNewsletter
Journal, and The
Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at
InformIT. Meryl has written for The Dallas Morning News,
AbsoluteWrite, O'Reilly, New Riders, and others. She is geared to
tackle your editing, writing, content,
and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a
heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn't wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy
boots.
Meryl Evans may be contacted at http://www.meryl.net/
Understanding VoIP
by Ron King
What is VoIP? It stands for Voice over Internet
Protocol. It is a technology that lets you make telephone calls over
the Internet, rather than a regular phone line. Which is almost always
cheaper.
In order to use VoIP, both sender and receiver
need to have a "broadband" connection. This is a high-speed Internet
connection usually provided by cable or a DSL modem. Broadband modems
are usually used to connect computers to the Internet, but in the case
of VoIP, computers are not necessary, because now there are telephones
that connect directly.
High-Speed Connection
The simplest form of VoIP is a
computer-to-computer voice connection. The only requirements: a
computer with a broadband connection, a headset consisting of earphones
and microphone, and VoIP software.
Most VoIP software packages are free (you can
download one from the Internet at versiontracker.com), and they allow
you to connect to any computer that also has VoIP software. The only
time that both parties need the same VoIP software package is when they
are making computer-to-computer calls. There is no charge for this type
of connection, and calls can be made to anywhere in the world.
VoIP software can also be used to connect to
landline phones, that is, phones that are not connected directly to the
Internet. This type of call is usually not free, but still costs quite
a bit less than your telephone company charges. Some VoIP services also
allow you to make calls to cellular phones. Parties receiving landline
or cellular calls do not need any extra equipment or software.
Your Voice Becomes Data
VoIP is based on digital data transmission. So,
the first step in any VoIP call is to convert the analog human voice
into digital data and divide itl into groups of numbers. The next step
is to compress the data to reduces the data size as much as possible
without sacrificing audio quality.
The compressed digital data is then divided into
packets which adds information about their destination and their place
in the data stream.
Multi-Layer Transmission
Now you probably don't need to know about this
section of techno-speak, so feel free to skip to the final section. I
won't be offended.
All data sent over the Internet has discrete
layers to aid in its accurate delivery. For example, a network layer
specifies destination and origin addresses, a transport layer creates a
connection between 2 computers, and an application layer might allow a
page to be displayed correctly at the receiving end.
The transport layer used by most VoIP
transmissions is called User Datagram Protocol, which is a very
high-speed protocol. A commonly used application layer is Real-time
Transmission Protocol, which provides information about the sequence of
the data packets, so they can be reconstructed in the correct order at
their destination.
Data Becomes Voice
If packets do not arrive within a certain time
limit, they are dropped. This is necessary to avoid unacceptable delays
in the audio stream. Even though some packets are sometimes dropped,
there is usually enough information left to make the conversation
understandable. The number of packets that are dropped depends on the
speed of your Internet connection and the distance between the
2parties.
Once the voice data has arrived at its
destination, it is reassembled in the correct order and converted from
digital back to analog -- the sound of your voice.
Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and
web developer. Visit http://www.voip-solutions-now.com to learn more
about this subject.
Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be
reprinted if the resource box is left intact.Ron King is a full-time
researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit
Voip-Solutions-Now.com to learn more about this subject.
Ron King may be contacted at http://ronxking.com
VoIP Telephony: Is It the Right Fit
for You?
by Shannon Southway
It’s everything you ever wanted to know about VoIP
but were afraid to ask. That may be dramatizing it a little, but as the
new technology buzz in business it may be a little intimidating for
some potential users. In fact there are many residences and small
businesses that are overlooking a potentially cost-effective service
because it is misunderstood as a technology reserved for high-tech
companies. While there are many advantages, there are also drawbacks
that you should be aware of. Here is some basic information to help you
get started:
What is VoIP? VoIP, or Voice over
Internet Protocol, technology allows you to make and receive calls the
same way as with traditional phone lines, but the connections are
routed through the Internet through a high-speed broadband connection.
Why go through the Internet? Because bypassing the traditional phone
line may save you money. The technology has improved to the point that
there are no special instructions and no extra numbers to dial; just
pick up your phone and dial as usual. Yoom Nguyen of 24VoIP,
www.24voip.com explains, “More businesses, including small businesses,
would be implementing a VoIP solution if they understood the
cost-savings and efficiency it offered.”
Who can use VoIP telephony? Nearly
anyone. Though many large companies have already transitioned to VoIP
telephony solutions they are not the only potential beneficiaries of
its allowances. Small businesses, home-offices and even residences can
enjoy VoIP’s flat rates and abundant features. While there are minor
equipment requirements, including a high-speed connection, there are no
size or usage requirements that might limit a business from
subscribing.
What features does VoIP offer? VoIP
solutions offer services familiar to the traditional lan-line phone
including caller ID, call waiting, hold and transfer, and voicemail in
addition to many special features that are especially appealing to
small and home based businesses. For mobile users and frequent
travelers: Voicemail messages can be routed to your personal
email and listened to using the proper software. Simultaneuos ring is
available and allows incoming calls to ring your cell phone, office
phone and any other phone at the same time to ensure that you don’t
miss calls while out on the road. Most important to mobile users is the
flexibility in that VoIP does not tie you down to any one location.
Anywhere that you can find a reliable Internet connection, including
home and hotels, you can receive phone service. For mid-size to
large business and enterprise needs: VoIP allows your company to
support hundreds of employees in one building or hundreds of employees
and offices across the country. Auto-attendants can route to extensions
within the building, across town, or around the world. VoIP offers the
ability to centralize offices under one main PBX, reducing phone bills
for inter-office calls and allowing a single administrator to handle
changes across the company.
Who might not benefit from VoIP?
Residences and local small businesses that do not make many
long-distance calls may not see the full cost savings possible from
VoIP services. While they may still benefit from the features offered,
including simultaneous ring and email retrieval, the costs of
installing should be considered before making the purchase.
Residences and businesses that make a large number
of international calls should also consider if cost savings will be
fully realized. Many VoIP providers who advertise free long distance
are referring to domestic calls, sometimes including Canada, but
providers may charge an additional fee for international calls. Most
often the rates are still reasonable, but you should request a cost
chart for review before you sign up.
What do I need to know before signing up?
You may need to purchase some special equipment. In order to maintain a
quality connection you will need a DSL, cable modem or satellite
connection with a minimum connection speed of 64k. You may find
providers who will install VoIP on a lesser connection but expect your
calls to be frequently interrupted and suffer from distracting voice
distortions, especially if the connection is shared by a computer. In
addition to the Internet connection, you will need to either replace
your existing phone with an IP phone or purchase an adapter that will
allow you to hook up a traditional phone to the broadband connection.
Further, a router may be needed to allow you to simultaneously connect
to the Internet on your computer while talking on the phone. Your VoIP
provider should be able to provide these products for you, but will
most likely charge for them as part of the installation costs.
Also important to consider is the current
incompatibility of VoIP and 911 emergency services. Because of the
portability of these connections there is not currently a system of
determining the location of a specific VoIP phone and 911 operators
cannot always determine the correct physical location of an incoming
call. For example, your phone may be registered at your home address
but you might be working from a hotel in Cleveland when you need to
make an emergency call. For this reason, The FCC (Federal
Communications Commision) has recently mandated a solution to this
issue and providers plan to have their solutions available by the end
of the year. In the meantime, if you are a subscriber you should have a
clear understanding of the limitations and inform children and
babysitters of how to make an emergency call. For more, visit the FCC
website at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/voip911.html. How
to Get Started There is no contesting that VoIP solutions are a
reliable investment in todays market, but you’ll want to find out
exactly how it can meet your own business or residential needs by
evaluating the advantages and the disadvantages. If you’d like to learn
more about the service and how it can apply to your needs, consult with
your Information Technology provider to find out if they offer VoIP or
if they can refer you to a reliable VoIP provider. To learn more about
cost and functionality, visit www.24voip.com.
Shannon is the Director of Strategic Relations
and Quality Assurance at E-Integration, Inc (EI). E-Integraton owns and
operates 24VOIP.com and ArtistsHeaven.com, an art and fine craft
emarketplace. Email Shannon at shannon@e-integration.net or visit
www.e-integration.net for more information about the company.
Shannon Southway may be contacted at http://www.e-integration.net/
or shannon@e-integration.net
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