IP TELEPHONY – VOIP
WHAT IS IP TELEPHONY?
IP telephony (Internet Protocol telephony) is a general term for the technologies that use the Internet Protocol›spacket-switched connections to exchange voice, fax, and other forms of information that have traditionally been carried over the dedicated circuit-switched connections of the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Using the Internet, calls travel as packets of data on shared lines, avoiding the tolls of the PSTN. The challenge in IP telephony is to deliver the voice, fax, or video packets in a dependable flow to the user. Much of IP telephony focuses on that challenge.
telephony service providers include or soon will include local telephone companies, long distance providers such as AT&T, cable TV companies, Internet service providers (ISPs), and fixed service wireless operators. IP telephony services also affect vendors of traditional handheld devices.Currently, unlike traditional phone service, IP telephony service is relatively unregulated by government. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates phone-to-phone connections, but says they do not plan to regulate connections between a phone user and an IP telephony service provider.
FEATURES OF IP TELEPHONY
Here’s a look at the many features of IP telephony:
HD Voice Quality:
This feature allows users to achieve HD quality for seamless high-quality communication, for sound masking integration to remove background noise, and to access call and recording management.
Multiple Extensions:
The attribute of integrated auto-routing calls enables the users to direct the calls automatically to one or more people. The call is safely and automatically routed to the next available extension. The voice mailbox feature is associated with every extension to provide a window for delayed communication.
Cellular Handover:
This feature allows users to switch from one handset to another (from a phone device to a laptop or mobile or a conference phone) without the caller noticing these changes.
Least Call Routing:
This feature automatically enables the best call route. Network providers have different pricing models fixed for international calls or long-distance calls. This feature cuts any unnecessary cost and gives the user the least-cost routing path.
Voicemail:
For employees who are out of the office and need to stay connected in case a customer contacts them, IP telephony automatically calls the numbers that are already listed and transfers the call to voicemail.
HOW DOES IP TELEPHONY WORK?
IP telephones operate by scanning and detecting an individual’s analogue voice signal and converting it into digital signals, which are then transmitted across the broadline in the form of data. IP phones take the phone conversations and route them through an IP phone system across a network cable into the network, then out through the internet connection into the Web.
The same protocol and network are used by computer systems, devices, printers, and fax machines as well. Thus, an IP network is an effortless way of operating and maintaining only one internal network for all communications. Thus, IP telephony is often touted as a unified way of communicating information.
Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange (IP PBX) is a system to transfer data digitally on LAN, and then transform it into analogue voice signals and send it to the PSTN. However, IP PBX involves an exorbitant cost for hardware and installation. Thus, VoIP acts as a strong alternative solution.
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