Voice-Over-IP
VOIP Telephony (Asterisk / Trixbox)
What is Voice over IP? Voice over IP Telephony (VoIP) designates the technology by which voice telecommunications are transported over the Internet by means of the Internet Protocol (IP).
Voice is no longer transmitted over a closed-circuit line as with the classic telephony (circuit mode), but instead is sent as IP data packets through your network. Voice over IP technology has considerably increased in quality in the past few years. Today, the quality of voice communications over IP networks is very close to being at par with classic switched networks (STN). How does Voice over IP work?
The audio signal (captured by microphone) is converted into a digital format by an application called a codec, which then compresses the signal. The digitized soundtrack thus obtained is then moved through the internet by the IP Protocol. At the other end of the line (receiver’s end), the reverse operation takes place: decompression and reconstruction of the analog audio signal.
Why use Voice over IP?
The main interest in using Voice over IP resides in the fact that voice and data communications both share the same « pipes », thus eliminating the need for two separate networks (one for telephony and one for data). The administration of data and communications is simplified this way and can be managed by just one team.
Voice over IP also makes developing applications that mingle voice and other kinds of data together easier. One field that benefits from VoIP is collaborative work: Video Conferencing, Unified Messaging...
Lastly, Telephony over IP has considerable advantages in terms of real cost savings. The cost of communicating over the internet is significantly lower than doing it over classic plain old telephone service (digital or STN POTS). This advantage in cost savings is amplified when it comes to International Communications, and large companies with an established presence in many countries have been quick to adopt VoIP over the last several years.
