How Does VoIP Really Work?
by Michael Lemm
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. By using a VoIP phone and VoIP technology you can effectively use the internet to make phone calls. VoIP does this by placing the voice calls on network which encrypts the voice in data packets at one end and encrypts it in voice calls at the other end. In VoIP, encryption and decryption is from a analog signal (i.e. your voice call) into digital signal (data packets) and again into the analog signal.
You can make VOIP calls by a regular phone with VOIP adapter or even from your computer using a simple microphone. VoIP applications can generally be used with a simple microphone and computer speakers, but IP telephones or VoIP boxes can also be used, providing an experience identical to normal telephoning. Many VOIP manufacturers are designing phones which are specially meant to work with this technology, called SIP phone, and now extensively used by growing VoIP users.
In the past year, the quality and reliability of VoIP technology has improved to the point that vast numbers of users have abandoned their standard telephone contracts entirely, in favor of VoIP. Local as well as long distance calling is available for VoIP. Rates and plans can vary from one VoIP service provider to another VoIP service provider.
Advantages of using VOIP
Using VOIP you can effectively cut down your phone bills, since you just pay to your regular internet connection and small fees to your VOIP service provider. Setting up conference calls with VOIP is very easy.
You can even set up your own VoIP network and don't need any special equipment like PBX etc. You can call to any local telephone, mobile, long distance number or any international number through VoIP phones. More importantly, the person you are calling by using VoIP technology does not need any special equipment; just a regular telephone.
Many additional features like call forwarding, call tracing, reminders, caller ID are readily available in VoIP Phones. You can even assign a local telephone number to your VOIP phone set, and just need a fast internet connection to use your VOIP service anywhere in the world.
VoIP Dilemma
VoIP applications and services require data transfer in real time. During a call an interactive data voice exchange takes place. Unfortunately, TCP/IP is not well suited for this purpose. Sometimes you have to wait for a few seconds, to hear the other side answering. But with recent developments streaming the flow of voice signals has improved. PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone calling quality is still not as sharp as regular PSTN calls. However, with SIP phones and a reliable high speed internet connection there is little or no difference....and sometimes the quality is even better.
SIP Phones
SIP Phones are the phones which are specifically designed to work as VOIP phones. SIP phone can be considered as a network endpoint routing voice via its IP address. This allows a DID (direct inward dialing) number to move with a user. With SIP phones you can use advanced features like voice mail to email etc. Using a SIP phone also closely resembles a regular analog phone in look, feel, function, and ease of use.
FCC and VoIP
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates VOIP Services in the USA. They are in charge to create and promote telecommnuication regulations....such as VOIP services....to benefit consumers. In November, 2004 FCC ruled that individual States do not have the jurisdiction to impose taxes on VoIP services, which made the cost of VOIP services even more attractive in relation to standard PSTN phone services.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
How To Set Up A Business VoIP System
How To Set Up A Business VoIP System
by Michael Lemm
To set up a business VoIP system, you need several components. A central device to manage the calls, the way a private branch exchange (PBX) or key system unit (KSU) does in traditional phone systems is one of them.
This can be a dedicated piece of hardware such as an IP PBX, a regular PBX that has been IP-enabled, or a server running specialized software. You will also need phones and a data network. In many cases, you may be able to use your existing digital phones and computer network, although you may need to upgrade some of your network hardware.
VoIP Benefit
The most prominent benefit of an IP PBX is for businesses with multiple locations. With the advantage of VoIP, all the offices on a LAN or WAN can get the profits of having a common office phone system. The profits are - extension dialing, seamless call transfers, and other features.
In addition to making it easier to communicate, this sharing of features can enhance collaboration as employees at different locations can truly feel like they are part of the same organization. Plus, if they are on the company network, the phone calls are free - even if your offices are located thousands of miles apart. It is an advantage in saving money expended on calling between two branches of the same office.
VoIP Conversations
Computer networks are designed to handle messy data: packets arrive out of order and some are even lost, but in most cases the data being sent can easily be reconstructed when it is needed. Voice conversations, though, are not as tolerant of these kinds of disturbances. Each packet of sound has to arrive in the correct order because they are being sent in real time - if packets are lost; the conversation sounds distorted, choppy, or falls off all together. This is why VoIP services that rely on the Internet to transmit calls can have uneven phone quality.
The selection of a business VoIP solution is a major decision. Voice service is critical to the operation of the business, so no one wants to implement a technology that will compromise call quality or reliability in any way. On the other hand, the cost savings and value-added functionality available with VoIP makes it a compelling investment.
LANs & WANs
The VoIP phone system is beneficial for companies having multiple locations branches, telecommuters and remote sales offices. And the locations are connected with a company's Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN). In that case the companies are suitable for using a VoIP system.
You can share the full features of your phone system across all your locations. In addition, even if you have one office in one place and one in different place, VoIP allows calls between them via extension dialing, making it a zero cost call. For businesses with hefty monthly long distance charges due to calls between far off locations, is an attractive reason to upgrade.
VoIP Process
A VoIP phoning process requires a regular phone, an adapter, broadband Internet service, and a subscription to a VoIP service. When you place a call, it is sent over the Internet as data until it nears the recipient's destination.
Then the call is translated back into a more traditional format and completes the trip over standard phone lines. Also known as Internet telephony, this allows for extremely cheap long-distance and international calls.
VoIP Drawbacks
The main drawback of VoIP systems is the network requirements.
In VoIP telephony the greatest challenge is the bandwidth. It requires high bandwidth for clear messaging.
by Michael Lemm
To set up a business VoIP system, you need several components. A central device to manage the calls, the way a private branch exchange (PBX) or key system unit (KSU) does in traditional phone systems is one of them.
This can be a dedicated piece of hardware such as an IP PBX, a regular PBX that has been IP-enabled, or a server running specialized software. You will also need phones and a data network. In many cases, you may be able to use your existing digital phones and computer network, although you may need to upgrade some of your network hardware.
VoIP Benefit
The most prominent benefit of an IP PBX is for businesses with multiple locations. With the advantage of VoIP, all the offices on a LAN or WAN can get the profits of having a common office phone system. The profits are - extension dialing, seamless call transfers, and other features.
In addition to making it easier to communicate, this sharing of features can enhance collaboration as employees at different locations can truly feel like they are part of the same organization. Plus, if they are on the company network, the phone calls are free - even if your offices are located thousands of miles apart. It is an advantage in saving money expended on calling between two branches of the same office.
VoIP Conversations
Computer networks are designed to handle messy data: packets arrive out of order and some are even lost, but in most cases the data being sent can easily be reconstructed when it is needed. Voice conversations, though, are not as tolerant of these kinds of disturbances. Each packet of sound has to arrive in the correct order because they are being sent in real time - if packets are lost; the conversation sounds distorted, choppy, or falls off all together. This is why VoIP services that rely on the Internet to transmit calls can have uneven phone quality.
The selection of a business VoIP solution is a major decision. Voice service is critical to the operation of the business, so no one wants to implement a technology that will compromise call quality or reliability in any way. On the other hand, the cost savings and value-added functionality available with VoIP makes it a compelling investment.
LANs & WANs
The VoIP phone system is beneficial for companies having multiple locations branches, telecommuters and remote sales offices. And the locations are connected with a company's Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN). In that case the companies are suitable for using a VoIP system.
You can share the full features of your phone system across all your locations. In addition, even if you have one office in one place and one in different place, VoIP allows calls between them via extension dialing, making it a zero cost call. For businesses with hefty monthly long distance charges due to calls between far off locations, is an attractive reason to upgrade.
VoIP Process
A VoIP phoning process requires a regular phone, an adapter, broadband Internet service, and a subscription to a VoIP service. When you place a call, it is sent over the Internet as data until it nears the recipient's destination.
Then the call is translated back into a more traditional format and completes the trip over standard phone lines. Also known as Internet telephony, this allows for extremely cheap long-distance and international calls.
VoIP Drawbacks
The main drawback of VoIP systems is the network requirements.
In VoIP telephony the greatest challenge is the bandwidth. It requires high bandwidth for clear messaging.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Five Reasons To Buy VoIP
Five Reasons To Buy VoIP
by Daymon Hoag
Believe it or not, there are still a few people out there who just don't get it when it comes to VoIP. With services like Skype, or Google Talk, it is easy to confuse what a true VoIP plan really is.
Skype, Google Talk, and the like would be more accurately described as PC to phone or click to call VoIP services. A true VoIP service uses an adaptor, enabling you to make and receive calls with your home telephone.
I think it is important people know the difference between click to call and true VoIP when deciding on a VoIP plan. For all intents and purposes we will be discussing five good reasons to buy a true VoIP plan.
The biggest reason to buy a VoIP plan is also the most obvious. VoIP is tremendously cheaper on both local and long distance telephone service, plus available calling features.
Number two on our list would be the dynamic features of VoIP phone service. VoIP enables you to have a phone number outside your own area code. You can take your adaptor with you when you travel too.
Number three is the cost effective ability to add on to existing service. Lets say you want a second phone line. With VoIP there is no need to install new equipment, and in most cases this will only cost around five dollars.
Number four is what I like to call the big trade off. By switching from dial up Internet to broadband, and switching to VoIP for phone service, you are acctually getting better service for less money.
Last but certainly not least, VoIP providers do not charge hidden fee's. Hidden fee's can make up to 20% of your total monthly phone bill. The only extra fee with VoIP is a 3% federal excise tax based on usage.
In closing, when looking for a VoIP service, make sure it is true VoIP. You only need a cable broadband or DSL connection, plus an adaptor to get started. Look for a VoIP company with a money back guarantee.
by Daymon Hoag
Believe it or not, there are still a few people out there who just don't get it when it comes to VoIP. With services like Skype, or Google Talk, it is easy to confuse what a true VoIP plan really is.
Skype, Google Talk, and the like would be more accurately described as PC to phone or click to call VoIP services. A true VoIP service uses an adaptor, enabling you to make and receive calls with your home telephone.
I think it is important people know the difference between click to call and true VoIP when deciding on a VoIP plan. For all intents and purposes we will be discussing five good reasons to buy a true VoIP plan.
The biggest reason to buy a VoIP plan is also the most obvious. VoIP is tremendously cheaper on both local and long distance telephone service, plus available calling features.
Number two on our list would be the dynamic features of VoIP phone service. VoIP enables you to have a phone number outside your own area code. You can take your adaptor with you when you travel too.
Number three is the cost effective ability to add on to existing service. Lets say you want a second phone line. With VoIP there is no need to install new equipment, and in most cases this will only cost around five dollars.
Number four is what I like to call the big trade off. By switching from dial up Internet to broadband, and switching to VoIP for phone service, you are acctually getting better service for less money.
Last but certainly not least, VoIP providers do not charge hidden fee's. Hidden fee's can make up to 20% of your total monthly phone bill. The only extra fee with VoIP is a 3% federal excise tax based on usage.
In closing, when looking for a VoIP service, make sure it is true VoIP. You only need a cable broadband or DSL connection, plus an adaptor to get started. Look for a VoIP company with a money back guarantee.
What's The Story With VoIP?
What's The Story With VoIP?
by James Johnson
Unless you've been residing in a cave for the last couple of years, you've probably at least heard the word "VoIP" even if you didn't realize what all the excitement is about.
VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" and it's going to change the way you think about making long distance phone calls. Basically, VoIP technology turns analog audio signals (like the sounds you hear when talking on your regular telephone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet.) So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry? Because it means that by acquiring your hands on some of the free software that's available right now, you can totally bypass your telephone company, and start making long distance phone calls for free!
Here's what's got the phone companys buzzing: This revolutionary technology has the ability to completely change the phone system of the entire world! Maybe you've seen television commercials for one of the pioneers of VoIP - Vonage. Vonage brands itself as the "broadband telephone company", and offers enticing perks to customers who switch to its service, like low-cost 800 numbers, very cheap international rates (fees are waived from the American to Canada, and how about .03 cents a minute to call Paris?) But Vonage isn't the sole company who is interested. AT&T is setting up VoIP calling in many areas of the U.S. and there are more major players on the scene as well, such as Skype, who is relying on viral advertising to get the word out.
One of the really interesting thing about VoIP is that there's not just one way to make a call. There are actually three:
ATA - is the most commonly used VoIP method right now. Using the ATA (analog telephone adaptor), you connect your regular telephone to your computer or Internet connection. The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter and it takes the analog signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and transmits it over the Internet.
This is how Vonage does it, and AT&T 's CallVantage will be doing it. The ATA is free with their services. And utilizing an ATA is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug the cable from your phone into the ATA instead of the wall socket, and you're set. Based on your computer, and where you live, and what type of Internet connection you have, you might have to also install the software onto your computer, but even my grandmother knows how to do that these days.
IP Phones - They look just like the phones we're used to. They have a handset, cradles and buttons. But an IP phones use an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. It connect directly to your router and all the hardware and software is already built inside to handle your IP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones to be available in the near future, which will allow you to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi spot. (Can you see the power of that? Just take your IP phone with you when you travel, and stop in at any Internet café, hotel or other location where you can use your Wi-Fi laptop, and you can "phone home" wherever home happens to be!
Computer-to-Computer. This is arguably the easiest way to use VoIP. Not only do you not have to pay for long distance calls, there are several corporations that are offering free or low-cost software right now for you to make use of the VoIP technology. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers a sound card and a broadband or cable DSL Internet connection, and your loved ones sound as if they're in the next room. And, except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is no charge for any computer-to-computer call...no matter how far.
And guess what? Chances are, you've already been using the VoIP technology without even being aware of it, any time you've made a long distance telephone call recently. Many of the major phone companies are already applying VoIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth . It's a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. Once received on the other side of the gateway, the calls are decompressed, reassembled and routed back to a local circuit switch.
IP telephony is the wave of the future. It makes sense in terms of ROI, from both an economic and infrastructure point of view. It may take some time, but sooner or later all of the current circuit-switched networks that are in use now will be replaced by packet-switching technology. More and more businesses are already installing VoIP systems. And as the technology makes our way into our everyday language our lives, and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity.
According to Forrester Research, they predict that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006. The 2 biggest benefits for home users so far are price and flexibility.
There are some advanced features that make VoIP something worth looking into. With some carriers, you can set up call-filtering options, and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers want to be handled. For example, you can: · Forward the call to a particular number · Send the call directly to voicemail · Give the caller a busy signal · Play a "not in service" message · Send the caller to a funny rejection hotline
With most VoIP services, you can also check your voice mail on the Internet, or attach messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or handheld. (By the way, if you're interested in any of these features, not all VoIP companies are created equal, so do a little looking around first, because prices and services do vary).
The second benefit that makes VoIP so attractive for home and small business users is the flexibility. Using VoIP you can make a call anywhere you can get broadband connectivity. Since the IP phones or ATAs broadcast information over the Internet, they can be administered by any provider. For business travelers, this means they can take their phone or ATA with them on the road, and never miss a home phone call!
In a way, VoIP is just a "better mousetrap." But it looks like it's one mousetrap that's here to stay.
by James Johnson
Unless you've been residing in a cave for the last couple of years, you've probably at least heard the word "VoIP" even if you didn't realize what all the excitement is about.
VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" and it's going to change the way you think about making long distance phone calls. Basically, VoIP technology turns analog audio signals (like the sounds you hear when talking on your regular telephone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet.) So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry? Because it means that by acquiring your hands on some of the free software that's available right now, you can totally bypass your telephone company, and start making long distance phone calls for free!
Here's what's got the phone companys buzzing: This revolutionary technology has the ability to completely change the phone system of the entire world! Maybe you've seen television commercials for one of the pioneers of VoIP - Vonage. Vonage brands itself as the "broadband telephone company", and offers enticing perks to customers who switch to its service, like low-cost 800 numbers, very cheap international rates (fees are waived from the American to Canada, and how about .03 cents a minute to call Paris?) But Vonage isn't the sole company who is interested. AT&T is setting up VoIP calling in many areas of the U.S. and there are more major players on the scene as well, such as Skype, who is relying on viral advertising to get the word out.
One of the really interesting thing about VoIP is that there's not just one way to make a call. There are actually three:
ATA - is the most commonly used VoIP method right now. Using the ATA (analog telephone adaptor), you connect your regular telephone to your computer or Internet connection. The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter and it takes the analog signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and transmits it over the Internet.
This is how Vonage does it, and AT&T 's CallVantage will be doing it. The ATA is free with their services. And utilizing an ATA is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug the cable from your phone into the ATA instead of the wall socket, and you're set. Based on your computer, and where you live, and what type of Internet connection you have, you might have to also install the software onto your computer, but even my grandmother knows how to do that these days.
IP Phones - They look just like the phones we're used to. They have a handset, cradles and buttons. But an IP phones use an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. It connect directly to your router and all the hardware and software is already built inside to handle your IP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones to be available in the near future, which will allow you to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi spot. (Can you see the power of that? Just take your IP phone with you when you travel, and stop in at any Internet café, hotel or other location where you can use your Wi-Fi laptop, and you can "phone home" wherever home happens to be!
Computer-to-Computer. This is arguably the easiest way to use VoIP. Not only do you not have to pay for long distance calls, there are several corporations that are offering free or low-cost software right now for you to make use of the VoIP technology. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers a sound card and a broadband or cable DSL Internet connection, and your loved ones sound as if they're in the next room. And, except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is no charge for any computer-to-computer call...no matter how far.
And guess what? Chances are, you've already been using the VoIP technology without even being aware of it, any time you've made a long distance telephone call recently. Many of the major phone companies are already applying VoIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth . It's a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. Once received on the other side of the gateway, the calls are decompressed, reassembled and routed back to a local circuit switch.
IP telephony is the wave of the future. It makes sense in terms of ROI, from both an economic and infrastructure point of view. It may take some time, but sooner or later all of the current circuit-switched networks that are in use now will be replaced by packet-switching technology. More and more businesses are already installing VoIP systems. And as the technology makes our way into our everyday language our lives, and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity.
According to Forrester Research, they predict that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006. The 2 biggest benefits for home users so far are price and flexibility.
There are some advanced features that make VoIP something worth looking into. With some carriers, you can set up call-filtering options, and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers want to be handled. For example, you can: · Forward the call to a particular number · Send the call directly to voicemail · Give the caller a busy signal · Play a "not in service" message · Send the caller to a funny rejection hotline
With most VoIP services, you can also check your voice mail on the Internet, or attach messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or handheld. (By the way, if you're interested in any of these features, not all VoIP companies are created equal, so do a little looking around first, because prices and services do vary).
The second benefit that makes VoIP so attractive for home and small business users is the flexibility. Using VoIP you can make a call anywhere you can get broadband connectivity. Since the IP phones or ATAs broadcast information over the Internet, they can be administered by any provider. For business travelers, this means they can take their phone or ATA with them on the road, and never miss a home phone call!
In a way, VoIP is just a "better mousetrap." But it looks like it's one mousetrap that's here to stay.
VoIP and local phone service
VoIP and local phone service
by Michael Weaver
With VoIP technology entering the mainstream, it brings the possibilities or huge profits for the companies that provide the service. The current promise of cost savings is driving more and more residential and business users to investigate this technology. But the local telephone companies are not going to give up customers without a fight.
There is a current mandate by the US federal government that all VoIP providers offer E911 service. The initial blocking of this information was with the public switched telephone network maintained by the major telephone companies
The next stumbling block is 'naked DSL' or DSL access without local phone service. This service is rare, but without it a residence would not be able to use VoIP as their primary phone service mechanism. You see, DSL is running over your existing phone line provided by your local telephone company. Drop your local phone service and you'll probably drop your broadband DSL access as well. (Cable broadband access is a viable solution here and the increased cost in cable access should be offset by the reduction on your monthly phone bill)
These are just two fronts in the battle over VoIP. Should companies be compensated for the infrastructures they build? Should E911 service be 'free' and offered as a public service? What about the existing phone service run into our homes? Who pays for those lines to be laid and hooked into the public switched telephone network?
There really are no easy answers to the questions above. The phone companies are not about to give up customers without a fight. They have years and billions of dollars spent in building one of the most reliable communications networks 'currently' known to us.
Is VoIP the next step in the evolving communications industry? How will this play out with phone companies offering internet and TV services and cable providers offering phone and internet service? The line is being blurred and yet the technology pushes forward.
I don't have the answers, only questions. I know how I'd like to see it all play out, but alas, there is no Nirvana and no, it would seem we all cannot get along. Not when there's literally billions of dollars at stake. There will be winners and losers as this war rages on, but it is my hope that we, the end users, will, in the end, be better for it. After all, we've been down this path many times before and it's turned out ok.
Remember the advent of the PC and where we've gone since then? Remember the first bulky cellular phones vs. what's available today? Yes, TV's, radios, computers, phones the list goes on. Technology advances will continue to push us into new directions. I'm sure that in the end, VoIP will be as commonplace as the home computer.
We can leverage this technology today in a cost effective manner. Like any technology how you implement VoIP will make the difference. Whether you're a residential or business user, there can be an immediate benefit. Check with your communications broker to find out if your existing phone needs can be met cost effectively with VoIP.
by Michael Weaver
With VoIP technology entering the mainstream, it brings the possibilities or huge profits for the companies that provide the service. The current promise of cost savings is driving more and more residential and business users to investigate this technology. But the local telephone companies are not going to give up customers without a fight.
There is a current mandate by the US federal government that all VoIP providers offer E911 service. The initial blocking of this information was with the public switched telephone network maintained by the major telephone companies
The next stumbling block is 'naked DSL' or DSL access without local phone service. This service is rare, but without it a residence would not be able to use VoIP as their primary phone service mechanism. You see, DSL is running over your existing phone line provided by your local telephone company. Drop your local phone service and you'll probably drop your broadband DSL access as well. (Cable broadband access is a viable solution here and the increased cost in cable access should be offset by the reduction on your monthly phone bill)
These are just two fronts in the battle over VoIP. Should companies be compensated for the infrastructures they build? Should E911 service be 'free' and offered as a public service? What about the existing phone service run into our homes? Who pays for those lines to be laid and hooked into the public switched telephone network?
There really are no easy answers to the questions above. The phone companies are not about to give up customers without a fight. They have years and billions of dollars spent in building one of the most reliable communications networks 'currently' known to us.
Is VoIP the next step in the evolving communications industry? How will this play out with phone companies offering internet and TV services and cable providers offering phone and internet service? The line is being blurred and yet the technology pushes forward.
I don't have the answers, only questions. I know how I'd like to see it all play out, but alas, there is no Nirvana and no, it would seem we all cannot get along. Not when there's literally billions of dollars at stake. There will be winners and losers as this war rages on, but it is my hope that we, the end users, will, in the end, be better for it. After all, we've been down this path many times before and it's turned out ok.
Remember the advent of the PC and where we've gone since then? Remember the first bulky cellular phones vs. what's available today? Yes, TV's, radios, computers, phones the list goes on. Technology advances will continue to push us into new directions. I'm sure that in the end, VoIP will be as commonplace as the home computer.
We can leverage this technology today in a cost effective manner. Like any technology how you implement VoIP will make the difference. Whether you're a residential or business user, there can be an immediate benefit. Check with your communications broker to find out if your existing phone needs can be met cost effectively with VoIP.
VoIP - A Layman's Look - Should You or Shouldn't You?
VoIP - A Layman's Look - Should You or Shouldn't You?
by Dennis Schooley, BBA, CA
So what's all this VoIP hype anyway? I mean we all know that our voice can be delivered to the four corners of the globe over telephone lines. (Actually, I missed that part of second grade math where they taught us that a ball has corners, but everybody says it, so I'll accept it). Alex G. Bell, the second most famous resident of Brantford, Ontario, right after Wayne Gretzky of course, led us down the voice transmission path.
We're also fully aware of the Internet. Otherwise where would we get our sports scores, weather reports, horoscopes, and genealogy fixes. So why do we care about the real-time transmission of our voice, in telephone quality, using Internet protocol (VoIP)?
Presumably the whole concept was created to deliver some benefit to us techno-ignorant dwellers of the house of the masses. As business people we manufacture shin pads, or we distribute cat food, or we evangelize, but should we be considering VoIP? Will it make us money, or save us time? Will it make us more efficient as a Manufacturer, Distributor, or Evangelist? If the answer to those questions is no, then we shouldn't even think about it. So let's explore those questions. After all, it's all about results.
Geoffrey Moore introduced the concept that a product must cross the chasm of market acceptance in the 'Technology Adoption Life Cycle' in his book Crossing the Chasm. In his next book, Inside the Tornado, Moore talks about the tornado of market acceptance that lies like a siren beyond the chasm. It appears that VoIP is clawing up the far wall of the chasm, but we don't know for sure whether it will find that toe hold to crawl out, and catch the swirling tornado winds of fortune. All indicators are that it's going to happen. Dorothy and the Tin Man are holding their breath.
Perhaps the most significant indicator is that the 'business-prevention specialists', a title I usually reserve for lawyers, but in this case is applied affectionately to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), have begun the task of investigating what should be regulated in the world of VoIP. The FCC has already delivered a ruling on a VoIP product offered by AT&T. That fact in itself should make us all take notice that there must be something good coming, or they wouldn't be showing up at the dance to make sure the band isn't too loud.
Larry Stocker, of Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants in Kansas City says, "if my clients' interest in VoIP is any indicator, then I think there will be a big increase in the provision of the service. We have quadrupled our number of assignments in the last six months alone, for clients that wish to select the right VoIP service, at the right price, from the right supplier. That seems to be a good indicator of market acceptance."
Another good indicator would be the number of suppliers, including the tier-one Telco's that have entered the fray to provide VoIP in their own particular flavor. That fact should cause us pause. It should cause us to challenge the original premise that 'talking over the Internet will be free', and that there will be no long distance cost any more. If that were the case, would all of these big companies - the renowned leaders in the telecom world - be scrambling to get to market to provide the service? Maybe it's just their way of giving back to society. I'm more inclined to think there are huge profits at stake.
And now you say, 'but I've already got the Internet, why isn't it free'. Well first of all, you'll need some kind of device that delivers 'telephone quality' over the Internet. Remember, I said 'real time'. Those $20 microphones just don't do it. In addition, have you ever tried to put someone on hold on the Internet, or call forward, or take a voice message - you know, the things that businesses do everyday.
Presumably that's what all these suppliers are running the relay for - to sell you that 'stuff' at the end of the race. Whether they sell it to you outright, or whether you rent it from them for a monthly service fee isn't the point. The point is that there is a cost to get access, as well as proper business applications. Included in the cost, which will be recovered through charges to you, are signaling, routing, protocol, and interface technologies. Oops, that's not layman's talk.
In addition to the access 'stuff' as a layman would say, there has to be access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or I would never be able to call my mother. VoIP calls have to terminate on everyday telephone sets because I'm pretty sure my mom doesn't have a VoIP set up at her house. She doesn't have a bankcard, won't stay in a hotel that doesn't have 'real keys', and still loves her dial phone (definitely in Moore's technology buying group called Skeptics or Laggards). There is no way I'll be talking to her over her Internet connection - she doesn't have one, and never will. So this VoIP thing will have to access the normal phone system. That's where the FCC and CRTC step in. Their position is that if the PSTN will be accessed, then access fees will have to be paid by the providers. And up goes the cost.
In his book, Implementing Voice Over IP, Bhumip Khasnabish, says "The goals of VoIP implementation are to achieve (a) significant savings in network maintenance and operations costs and (b) rapid rollout of new services."
O.K., so it's not free but there should be 'significant savings' if that holds true. Assuming those savings will be passed on, it should make me more money through cost reduction. Presumably these 'new services' will be designed to save me time, make me more efficient, or provide easier access to my target markets. Just think if one step can be eliminated in the manufacture of shin pads, if distribution channels for cat food are more streamlined, or the Evangelist can find more heathens to convert.
Bill Webster, another Schooley Mitchell consultant in Calgary, Alberta says, "the key is to assess the reliability and quality of service. If the quality is what you need, and by the way, it's improving every day, then a cost-benefit analysis is required comparing your current access to VoIP. Often times VoIP is the winner. As new services with VoIP become available over time, that win will be even more evident for the regular business person."
So there you have it. Should you or shouldn't you, as the title queries? It seems that the answer is akin to; should I or shouldn't I, when Alexander Graham introduced the telephone concept in the first place. I'm pretty sure that everyone, at least those that are alive today, eventually got one. Bell had to deal with laggards too.
It seems that this is the way the market will develop if the supply and regulatory indicators hold true. VoIP is not out of the chasm yet, but when this many suppliers enter the arena, then functionality is driven up to deliver the 'better mouse trap', price is driven down through competitive alternatives, reliability (the bugs are worked out) is driven up by the same forces, and you have emergence.
It seems that if you take Webster's advice and prepare the proper cost-benefit analysis, you're likely going to be getting your kite ready for the VoIP tornado.
by Dennis Schooley, BBA, CA
So what's all this VoIP hype anyway? I mean we all know that our voice can be delivered to the four corners of the globe over telephone lines. (Actually, I missed that part of second grade math where they taught us that a ball has corners, but everybody says it, so I'll accept it). Alex G. Bell, the second most famous resident of Brantford, Ontario, right after Wayne Gretzky of course, led us down the voice transmission path.
We're also fully aware of the Internet. Otherwise where would we get our sports scores, weather reports, horoscopes, and genealogy fixes. So why do we care about the real-time transmission of our voice, in telephone quality, using Internet protocol (VoIP)?
Presumably the whole concept was created to deliver some benefit to us techno-ignorant dwellers of the house of the masses. As business people we manufacture shin pads, or we distribute cat food, or we evangelize, but should we be considering VoIP? Will it make us money, or save us time? Will it make us more efficient as a Manufacturer, Distributor, or Evangelist? If the answer to those questions is no, then we shouldn't even think about it. So let's explore those questions. After all, it's all about results.
Geoffrey Moore introduced the concept that a product must cross the chasm of market acceptance in the 'Technology Adoption Life Cycle' in his book Crossing the Chasm. In his next book, Inside the Tornado, Moore talks about the tornado of market acceptance that lies like a siren beyond the chasm. It appears that VoIP is clawing up the far wall of the chasm, but we don't know for sure whether it will find that toe hold to crawl out, and catch the swirling tornado winds of fortune. All indicators are that it's going to happen. Dorothy and the Tin Man are holding their breath.
Perhaps the most significant indicator is that the 'business-prevention specialists', a title I usually reserve for lawyers, but in this case is applied affectionately to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), have begun the task of investigating what should be regulated in the world of VoIP. The FCC has already delivered a ruling on a VoIP product offered by AT&T. That fact in itself should make us all take notice that there must be something good coming, or they wouldn't be showing up at the dance to make sure the band isn't too loud.
Larry Stocker, of Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants in Kansas City says, "if my clients' interest in VoIP is any indicator, then I think there will be a big increase in the provision of the service. We have quadrupled our number of assignments in the last six months alone, for clients that wish to select the right VoIP service, at the right price, from the right supplier. That seems to be a good indicator of market acceptance."
Another good indicator would be the number of suppliers, including the tier-one Telco's that have entered the fray to provide VoIP in their own particular flavor. That fact should cause us pause. It should cause us to challenge the original premise that 'talking over the Internet will be free', and that there will be no long distance cost any more. If that were the case, would all of these big companies - the renowned leaders in the telecom world - be scrambling to get to market to provide the service? Maybe it's just their way of giving back to society. I'm more inclined to think there are huge profits at stake.
And now you say, 'but I've already got the Internet, why isn't it free'. Well first of all, you'll need some kind of device that delivers 'telephone quality' over the Internet. Remember, I said 'real time'. Those $20 microphones just don't do it. In addition, have you ever tried to put someone on hold on the Internet, or call forward, or take a voice message - you know, the things that businesses do everyday.
Presumably that's what all these suppliers are running the relay for - to sell you that 'stuff' at the end of the race. Whether they sell it to you outright, or whether you rent it from them for a monthly service fee isn't the point. The point is that there is a cost to get access, as well as proper business applications. Included in the cost, which will be recovered through charges to you, are signaling, routing, protocol, and interface technologies. Oops, that's not layman's talk.
In addition to the access 'stuff' as a layman would say, there has to be access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or I would never be able to call my mother. VoIP calls have to terminate on everyday telephone sets because I'm pretty sure my mom doesn't have a VoIP set up at her house. She doesn't have a bankcard, won't stay in a hotel that doesn't have 'real keys', and still loves her dial phone (definitely in Moore's technology buying group called Skeptics or Laggards). There is no way I'll be talking to her over her Internet connection - she doesn't have one, and never will. So this VoIP thing will have to access the normal phone system. That's where the FCC and CRTC step in. Their position is that if the PSTN will be accessed, then access fees will have to be paid by the providers. And up goes the cost.
In his book, Implementing Voice Over IP, Bhumip Khasnabish, says "The goals of VoIP implementation are to achieve (a) significant savings in network maintenance and operations costs and (b) rapid rollout of new services."
O.K., so it's not free but there should be 'significant savings' if that holds true. Assuming those savings will be passed on, it should make me more money through cost reduction. Presumably these 'new services' will be designed to save me time, make me more efficient, or provide easier access to my target markets. Just think if one step can be eliminated in the manufacture of shin pads, if distribution channels for cat food are more streamlined, or the Evangelist can find more heathens to convert.
Bill Webster, another Schooley Mitchell consultant in Calgary, Alberta says, "the key is to assess the reliability and quality of service. If the quality is what you need, and by the way, it's improving every day, then a cost-benefit analysis is required comparing your current access to VoIP. Often times VoIP is the winner. As new services with VoIP become available over time, that win will be even more evident for the regular business person."
So there you have it. Should you or shouldn't you, as the title queries? It seems that the answer is akin to; should I or shouldn't I, when Alexander Graham introduced the telephone concept in the first place. I'm pretty sure that everyone, at least those that are alive today, eventually got one. Bell had to deal with laggards too.
It seems that this is the way the market will develop if the supply and regulatory indicators hold true. VoIP is not out of the chasm yet, but when this many suppliers enter the arena, then functionality is driven up to deliver the 'better mouse trap', price is driven down through competitive alternatives, reliability (the bugs are worked out) is driven up by the same forces, and you have emergence.
It seems that if you take Webster's advice and prepare the proper cost-benefit analysis, you're likely going to be getting your kite ready for the VoIP tornado.
Monday, January 14, 2008
VoIP Types that are Available
VoIP Types that are Available
by Alex Rider
Increasingly popular with both today's home users and businesses alike, VoIP looks set to replace traditional phone usage in a big way. Three main types of VoIP exist:
Consumer VoIP
Numerous consumer oriented VoIP services have low cost or free voice calling. This can be through a specific adaptor connecting to broadband services at home, or through a telephone-like program on a home computer.
Consumer VoIP services allow a really cheap way of calling the public telephony network. Often consumers are able to take advantage of many cost cutting deals. Skype allow customers to call each other for free.
A problem with such services is that their mode of use is not always apparent, being more complex than the traditional phone. Additionally, if the computer required is busy processing something considerable in size the sound quality can sometimes suffer as a result. Good quality headphones, especially not cheap microphones and speakers, are best used so that the sounds aren't distorted and feedback or background noise is not an issue.
Small to medium sized company VoIP
"Centrex" is used by a lot of VoIP services. This is a phone service that performs all the central call controls and switching usually done within a box on the wall in your office is actually done at a remote internet hosting center, in a central server. Commonly quoted as a "PBX" in the sky, Centrex services involve customers having telephones on their desks that connect out, via broadband internet, to the PBX servers. This VoIP system means that:
Deployment is a simple affair, phones just requiring plugging into the internet. Lower expenditure is required, the phone service is now generally maintained via the web. Capital spending is lowered, phone switches are not needed. Lowered internal phone call costs occur, in particular between offices and workers at their homes (inter-site calls). There are increased novel ways of working and flexibility, e.g. offices can be more distributed, and people can work from home.
Big business VoIP
Possibly the oldest facet of the VoIP market is the interconnection between traditional office phone systems (i.e. the PBX) across the various corporate sites. A lot of corporate customers get their phone systems from vendors like Panasonic or Avaya. Commonly via the use of a VoIP adaptor or converter these systems are able to be linked enabling calls that route between different company sites to be carried over the corporate internet connection (corporate VPN). In this way no additional costs are levied on the user.
In much the same way, a lot of new office phone systems are said to be "IP enabled". Multi-site connectivity which uses an internet connection may well be built in. On the other hand home-worker handsets may be connected to the head office PBX across the internet.
All kinds of cost saving solutions for businesses are offered by vendors, generally as a result of new technology. It is typically well worth discussing the various options available with current equipment maintainers, at least to begin with.
by Alex Rider
Increasingly popular with both today's home users and businesses alike, VoIP looks set to replace traditional phone usage in a big way. Three main types of VoIP exist:
Consumer VoIP
Numerous consumer oriented VoIP services have low cost or free voice calling. This can be through a specific adaptor connecting to broadband services at home, or through a telephone-like program on a home computer.
Consumer VoIP services allow a really cheap way of calling the public telephony network. Often consumers are able to take advantage of many cost cutting deals. Skype allow customers to call each other for free.
A problem with such services is that their mode of use is not always apparent, being more complex than the traditional phone. Additionally, if the computer required is busy processing something considerable in size the sound quality can sometimes suffer as a result. Good quality headphones, especially not cheap microphones and speakers, are best used so that the sounds aren't distorted and feedback or background noise is not an issue.
Small to medium sized company VoIP
"Centrex" is used by a lot of VoIP services. This is a phone service that performs all the central call controls and switching usually done within a box on the wall in your office is actually done at a remote internet hosting center, in a central server. Commonly quoted as a "PBX" in the sky, Centrex services involve customers having telephones on their desks that connect out, via broadband internet, to the PBX servers. This VoIP system means that:
Deployment is a simple affair, phones just requiring plugging into the internet. Lower expenditure is required, the phone service is now generally maintained via the web. Capital spending is lowered, phone switches are not needed. Lowered internal phone call costs occur, in particular between offices and workers at their homes (inter-site calls). There are increased novel ways of working and flexibility, e.g. offices can be more distributed, and people can work from home.
Big business VoIP
Possibly the oldest facet of the VoIP market is the interconnection between traditional office phone systems (i.e. the PBX) across the various corporate sites. A lot of corporate customers get their phone systems from vendors like Panasonic or Avaya. Commonly via the use of a VoIP adaptor or converter these systems are able to be linked enabling calls that route between different company sites to be carried over the corporate internet connection (corporate VPN). In this way no additional costs are levied on the user.
In much the same way, a lot of new office phone systems are said to be "IP enabled". Multi-site connectivity which uses an internet connection may well be built in. On the other hand home-worker handsets may be connected to the head office PBX across the internet.
All kinds of cost saving solutions for businesses are offered by vendors, generally as a result of new technology. It is typically well worth discussing the various options available with current equipment maintainers, at least to begin with.
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