VoIP Services: Deploy unified communication

By: Kristen Kiya
Submitted: 2008-07-10 14:37:18
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The business entities are looking forward to realize the benefits such as cost savings, business continuity and mobility with the latest voice over IP or VoIP services. The advancement in context to "unified" communication and contact center solutions for small and medium-sized businesses can be experienced with voice over IP technology. To do this, entities need to upgrade or extend their telecom services to VoIP infrastructure and deploy unified communications over IP networks. These internet telephony services focus on packet switched voice without unacceptable deterioration of voice quality. The digital data sets are transmitted across a packet switched network in form of compressed IP data. The high fidelity voice signals can be transmitted across the networks with negligible loss of accuracy.

These advanced VoIP phone services deliver various benefits ranging from improved organizational productivity and scalability to streamlined infrastructure and reduced calling costs. With these benefits, many business enterprises have got attracted towards this IP services to enjoy “unified” communication with their customers or clients, across the world. The main concern of this service is to provide necessary skills and expertise to assure that voice quality meets or exceeds business requirements. As a matter of fact, the voice over IP is a technology, wherein voice traffic is transmitted over data network including the public internet. In conjunction with a broadband internet connection, it is possible to use equipment such an ATA or Analog Telephone Adapter, a special IP Phone and software PC-to-Phone.

Depending upon the type of VoIP phone services used, the calls can be made either to VoIP users or both VoIP and regular phone users. The VoIP services can be categorised as Hardware based and Software based.

The Hardware based VoIP services require a converter box. This box converts or connects users traditional phone to the broadband modem or home router. As a matter of fact, the users do not have to turned on their computer system to make and receive calls. On other hand, the software VoIP works over computer with a microphone, a headset or a USB phone.

The hardware-based IP telephony is one of the most flexible applications. It requires only one additional ATA hardware. The ATA is an analogue-to-digital converter which connects users traditional phone to Internet connection. Usually, the service providers offer this hardware to their customers at the time of registration. A second and commonly used hardware-based option is an IP phone. This IP phone integrates an ATA. This phone is similar in appearance to a standard telephone but comes embedded with a built-in adapter. With the help of a standard RJ-45 Ethernet connector this phone connects directly to the router. These IP phones can be distinguished in three different standards namely- MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol), H.323 as well as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). In comparison to all, the SIP phones are quickly becoming the standard.

The Software-based VoIP phone services work little differently. Rather than using a telephone, the users can use speakers and a microphone connected to their computer or an inexpensive USB phone. Not only this, one can even set up a phone book for one-click calls to others.

With the help of advanced VoIP based services, these low-cost or quality enriched technology help the business entities to rely on it, for their growth and prosperity. Moreover, the business VoIP services have been modified to add reliability, stability and enterprise-class features to deliver the advanced capabilities of an enterprise-class phone system for 40 to 80 percent in comparison to traditional offerings.

Article source: Expert Articles