Current Implementations of IP Telephony for Home and Business

Current Implementations of IP Telephony for Home and Business

Ernest Mac is the Technology and Marketing Director for Metroline Direct, an independent distributor of technology and telecommunications equipment. Find out how MetrolineDirect can decrease the cost of your business voice and data equipment at http://www.metrolinedirect.com.

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Internet Protocol telephony or IP telephony has been in use for quite some time now. Bypassing the proprietary Bell network by making use of the public internet promised free long distance calling for consumers. This provided great motivation for the growth of a new technology. Today, consumer VoIP telephone services can be divided into three modalities of use, VoIP trunks, IP desk phones, and IP softphones. The majority of IP telephony users implement one of these three methods.

Consumer Use

Early renditions of internet telephony employed the use of IP softphone client software. This software allowed any user with a PC and a headset to call another user over the internet using the same client. Most of these services began with free PC to PC calling and eventually evolved into paid PC to phone models. Some of us may still remember using DialPad or Packet 8. Popular services in use today include Skype and Yahoo! Messenger.

Subsequent to IP softphone offerings, providers began to advertise VoIP trunk services. VoIP trunks were touted as an inexpensive alternative to traditional land lines. VoIP trunks employ IP protocol and use a customer’s broadband connection to carry voice packets. This requires the use of small analog gateway devices to convert VoIP signals to analog. These gateways allow residential consumers to continue the use of traditional telephones. The most notable providers are Vonage, AT&T, and Comcast digital voice.

Business Use

IP telephony has also entered the business realm. Today’s open source and proprietary IP PBX systems support bothVoIP trunks as well as IP desk phones and IP softphones.

Although traditional trunking methods still abound, some VoIP trunking is gaining momentum. Typical trunks for businesses include plain old telephone service (POTS) lines and T1/PRI. A form of VoIP trunk that shows promise is the SIP trunk. SIP trunks compete more directly with POTS lines and have the competitive advantage of cheaper long distance costs.

IP softphones also have important implications in business communications. Within the office, softphones are not as pragmatic. For most users desk phones are more efficient and seem to be the norm. Where IP softphones do have an advantage is for the remote telecommuter. Remote workers equipped with laptops and PC headsets can access both the business data and voice network via VPN. Voice calls can be taken just as if you were at your desk. You can also dial other users’ extensions and access your voice mailbox just as if you were in the office. Hooray, yet another way for the boss to get a hold of you.

Whether you’re a home or business consumer of voice products and services, IP telephony is here to stay. The options for use are plentiful and growing. Features are becoming more robust and can even include video. Look into this burgeoning technology and you’re sure to find great uses and savings.

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• iPhone VOIP Capabilities Could Nullify Network Operators