Little Known Facts On Voice over IP

By: attspiritphone.com

The nature of IP makes it difficult to geographically locate network users. Emergency calls, therefore, can not easily be routed to a nearby call center, and are impossible on some VoIP systems. Moreover, in the event that the caller is unable to give an address, emergency services may be unable to locate them in any other way. Following the lead of mobile phone carriers, several VoIP carriers are already implementing a technical work-around. The United States government had set a deadline, requiring VoIP carriers to implement e911, however, the deadline is being appealed by several of leading VoIP companies.

This is a different situation with IPBX systems, where these corporate systems often have full e911 capabilities built into the system.

A simple solution to this problem is to store the local emergency numbers on speed dial which is usually even faster than having to be transfered by the 911 operator.

Integration into global telephone number system

Whilst the traditional Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) and mobile phone networks share a common global standard (E.164) which allocates and identifies any specific telephone line, there is no widely adopted similar standard for VoIP networks. Some allocate an E.164 number which can be used for VoIP as well as incoming/external calls. However, there are often different, incompatible schemes when calling between VoIP providers which use short codes that are provider specific.

Single point of calling

With commercial services such as Vonage, it is possible to connect the VoIP router into the existing central phone box in the house and have VoIP at every phone already connected. Other services, such as Skype & PeerMe require the use of a computer, so they are limited to single point of calling. Some services, such as BroadVoice provide the ability to connect WiFi SIP phones so that service can be extended throughout the premises, and off-site to any location with an open hotspot.

Mobile phones

Telcos and consumers have invested billions of dollars in mobile phone equipment. In developed countries, mobile phones have achieved nearly complete market penetration, and many people are giving up landlines and using mobiles exclusively. Given this situation, it is not entirely clear whether there would be a significant higher demand for VoIP among consumers until either a) public or community wireless networks have similar geographical coverage to cellular networks (thereby enabling mobile VoIP phones, so called WiFi phones) or b) VoIP is implemented over legacy 3G networks. However, "dual mode" handsets, which allow for the seamless handover between a cellular network and a WiFi network, are expected to help VoIP become more popular.

Mass-market telephony

A major development starting in 2004 has been the introduction of mass-market VoIP services over broadband Internet access services, in which subscribers make and receive calls as they would over the PSTN. This requires an analog telephone adapter (ATA) to connect a telephone to the broadband Internet connection. Companies in the U.S., such as Vonage, AT&T, Cablevision, Broadvoice, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Verizon, Packet8, Lingo, and SunRocket, use IP to offer unlimited calling to the U.S., and sometimes to Canada or to selected countries in Europe or Asia, for a flat monthly fee. One advantage of this is the ability to make and receive calls as one would at home, anywhere in the world, at no extra cost. As calls go via IP, this does not incur charges as call diversion does via the PSTN, and the called party does not have to pay for the call.

For example, somebody may call someone on a number with a U.S. area code, but one could be in London, and if someone were to call another number with that area code, it would be treated as a local call, regardless of where that person is in the world. However, the broadband phone is likely to complement, rather than replace a PSTN line, as it still needs a power supply, while calling the U.S. emergency services number 911, may not automatically be routed to the nearest local emergency dispatch center, or be of any use for subscribers outside the U.S.

Another challenge for these services is the proper handling of outgoing calls from fax machines, TiVo/ReplayTV boxes, satellite television receivers, alarm systems, conventional modems or FAXmodems, and other similar devices that depend on access to a voice-grade telephone line for some or all of their functionality. At present, these types of calls sometimes go through without any problems, but in other cases they will not go through at all. And in some cases, this equipment can be made to work over a VoIP connection if the sending speed can be changed to a lower bits per second rate. If VoIP and cellular substitution becomes very popular, some ancillary equipment makers may be forced to redesign equipment, because it would no longer be possible to assume a conventional voice-grade telephone line would be available in almost all homes in North America and Western-Europe. The TestYourVoIP website offers a free service to test the quality of or diagnose an Internet connection by placing simulated VoIP calls from any Java-enabled Web browser, or from any phone or VoIP device capable of calling the PSTN network.

VoIP is widely employed by carriers, especially for international telephone calls. It is commonly used to route traffic starting and ending at conventional PSTN telephones.

Many telecommunications companies are looking at the IP Multimedia Subsystem which will merge Internet technologies with the mobile world, using a pure VoIP infrastructure. It will enable them to upgrade their existing systems while embracing Internet technologies such as the Web, email, instant messaging, presence, and video conferencing. It will also allow existing VoIP systems to interface with the conventional PSTN and mobile phones.

Electronic Numbering (Enum) uses standard phone numbers (E.164), but allows connections entirely over the Internet. If the other party uses Enum, the only expense is the Internet connection.

Legal

As the popularity of VoIP grows, and PSTN users switch to VoIP in increasing numbers, governments are becoming more interested in regulating VoIP in a manner similar to PSTN services.

In the US, the FCC now requires all VoIP operators who don't support E911 to attach a sticker warning that traditional 911 services aren't available. The FCC recently required VoIP operators to support CALEA wiretap functionality [1]. A proposed bill, currently in Congress, proposes adding more traditional PSTN regulations, such as number portability and universal service fees.

Networks

Bandwidth.com
A Nation-wide Business VoIP carrier offering full Class-5 calling features, VoIP auto-attendant, and soft phone and moble device integration. Support SIP and MGCP
BroadVoice
A U.S.-based VoIP network that supplies VoIP adapters, or allows customers to use their own SIP devices.

Congruent IP Communications
A Canadian-based hosted VoIP services that operates on Nortel's MCS5200 carrier-grade platform. This platform uses SIP and requires no customer premises equipment.

Free IP Call
The Home to Free IP Call, SIP and VoIP Networks Provider.
Free World Dialup (FWD)
A free SIP-based VoIP network.

Gizmo_Project
Gizmo Project uses your internet connection (broadband or dial-up) to make calls to other computers, phones and mobiles.
Lingo

MetroTel
A U.S.-based VoIP Provider with 800 and local numbers

MyWebCalls
A UK-based VoIP phone service using SIP and also supporting the Asterisk PBX
PeerMe
A proprietary freeware VoIP system which uses a messenger-like client.
SIPphone
A SIP-based VoIP network.
SkyNET
A US based VoIP service provider offering 800 numbers, international calling and more..
Skype
A proprietary freeware VoIP system which uses a messenger-like client.
SunRocket
A U.S. Based VoIP phone service provider
Teleo
A VoIP network using a P2P model
Telio
A European based VoIP phone service provider
Telphin
VoIP phone service provider
TelTel
The largest SIP community
TeleCable Services
A U.S.-based VoIP phone service provider, supplies VoIP adapters or allows customers to use their own SIP devices.
TelSIP
A European-based VoIP network providing the only SIP solution that traverses firewalls and proxies.
Voipex
A U.S.-based VoIP phone service
VoIpBuster A Switzerland based VoIP phone service, allowing for FREE calls to landlines across most of Europe and the US
Vonage
A U.S.-based VoIP phone service provider

Software

* Asterisk PBX : The popular Linux-based open source software PBX switch.
* GameComm Roger Wilco, Teamspeak, and Ventrilo : Voice communication programs popular in online gaming.
* Google Talk : A free VoIP system from Google.
* GnomeMeeting : The popular Linux-based open source softphone, supports H.323 and soon SIP.
* IPCC: IP Contact Center from FrontRange Solutions
* IP Multimedia Subsystem : architectural model (with several SIP extensions), used by the traditional telecommunications industry to develop systems to replace the current circuit switched network with a NGN network.
* Jajah : A freeware VoIP client with free videotelephony, chat, text messaging, voicemailbox and is compatible to SIP, Skype, Gizmo and IAX/H.323
* Mobicents: An open source Java VoIP Service Delivery Platform (SDP) for Next Generation IP Multimedia Subsystem (NG IMS). The First and Only open source Certified implementation of JAIN SLEE 1.0.
* PhoneGaim : A free VoIP system based on Gaim and SIP.
* PeerMe : A proprietary freeware VoIP system which uses a messenger-like client.
* ReSIProcate : A robust and feature-rich open source SIP stack.
* SIMPLE : An instant messaging and presence protocol based on SIP.
* sipX : The popular open source SIP PBX, native SIP call control, many features, Web management, and fully standards-compliant
* Skype : Skype is a free VoIP client that offers in and outbound PSTN facilities.
* *starShop-OSS : Open Source professional and powerful billing and management system based on Asterisk PBX for Calling Shops and Internet cafes.
* Tivi : A SIP VoIP client softphone.
* TERAVoice Server - TERAVoice VoIP Gateway
* YATE : A free software VoIP telephony engine (VoIP server and client for H.323,IAX,SIP)

Other

TestYourVoIP
A free VoIP quality test website that just requires a Java-enabled Web browser.

Freetalk VoIP Watch : News & Information about DSG internationals UK mass market 'all in one' VoIP product available from Dixons, PC World, The Link and Currys.

By Courtesy of http://www.attspiritphone.com

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