voice Ovrer Internet Protocol

What is VOIP

Voice over internet protocol is a new generation telephony system. Here we can use our packet data channel for voice communication. This can be used to make or receive calls across the globe at cost of our data cannel only. Here we can use a soft-phone or an IP Phone for making or receiving calls.

History

The communication system using PSTN network is using circuit switching and hence was consuming high bandwidth and hence was costly in nature. This led to the evolution of VOIP telephony system. The name VOIP has been given by VOIP Forum founded in May 1996.

How it works

The VOIP System is divided in two parts, Server and client. The VOIP Server provides the authentication and creates dial plan for the clients. The VOIP Server works like telephone exchange and we can configure automatic voice responses and we can also connect it to other VOIP Servers as Telephone Exchange provides us a trunk line. The administrator of the server can check the traffic on the server and also he can check all the activities through the server. Server can be configured to get two or more offices connected through VOIP for intercom calls.

The VOIP Servers can be connected to PSTN with the help of some specialized hardware devices (Analog telephony adaptor) and we can get connected to our existing infrastructure as well. Organizations can use VOIP as their Integrated voice response system also. Some of the organizations provide support to their customers using google talk, yahoo messenger and other messaging services through their VOIP systems.

The client side is usually an IP phone. Which need to be configured according to the settings of the server. In most of the cases IP phone, a configuration file is provided where user name and other settings are made and uploaded through ftp protocol. The phone number is given on the user id hence if a user is not having fixed location can also use same VOIP extension for making and receiving calls.

The major constraint with VOIP is that the IP phones are more costly than the conventional ones and so are not that much popular. There are some computer applications, called softphones can also be used for making and receiving calls same as the IP Phone. There is only requirement, you have to login to your IP phone application and you can use the VOIP network.

Area of application

This is a very useful technology for communicating across the globe. Mainly used by organizations use it for making long distance calls, specially call centers makes call across the globe with help of this technology. We can provide IVRS, can conduct online conferences and can provide voice based support to remote client also.

Future scope

Now the new generation mobile services are providing high speed data channel and hence we can use them for making VOIP calls. There are so many applications available for making VOIP Calls from smartphones like Android, widows, Symbian etc. These are the softphones and can be used to communicate on VOIP Channels. The Generation 4 mobile services are using VOIP to make calls and hence as the channel speed increases the VOIP Services become more popular.