| Essential Guide to Voice Over IP | | | | steps is required to interconnect them. The |
| | | | addressing system has a tendency to be |
| Voice over IP (VoIP) is a means of sending | | | | complicated, requiring the interconnection of |
| voice communication through the Internet. | | | | packets within packets and goes through a |
| Instead of the traditional telephone, which | | | | series of processes as it moves through |
| uses copper wires to transmit conversations, | | | | cyberspace. |
| VoIP technology uses optical wires to | | | | |
| transmit voice, which has traditionally | | | | When finally the packet arrives, its |
| transmitted data or computer information. | | | | placement is checked to proper sequencing. A |
| These days, execution of the VoIP technology | | | | decompression procedure restores data to its |
| is easy unlike five years ago, and this | | | | original structure, while time-related |
| article will tell you all about it. | | | | techniques ensure proper sequencing. Because |
| | | | data goes through the Net through different |
| Companies implement VoIP because of the | | | | routes, they don't necessarily arrive in the |
| following reasons: | | | | same order as was sent. To correct the |
| | | | situation, incoming packets are momentarily |
| 1. Huge savings in their network operations | | | | piled while waiting for the delayed packets. |
| costs as well as maintenance. Because VoIP | | | | How long the data are momentarily stored |
| uses existing LAN/ WAN equipment, cabling and | | | | depends on the network set-up. |
| set-up, there is very minimal need for new | | | | |
| equipment. Having only a single system for | | | | In IP networks, a percentage of the packets |
| voice and data allows for simplified | | | | can be lost or delayed, especially in periods |
| management and administration. | | | | of congestion. Also, some packets are |
| | | | discarded due to errors that occurred during |
| 2. Speedy implementation of the service. With | | | | transmission. Lost, delayed, and damaged |
| VoIP, you use open, adaptable, and | | | | packets result in a substantial deterioration |
| simultaneous execution of PSTN-type services | | | | of voice quality. In traditional |
| using IP-based protocols and technologies. | | | | error-correction techniques, arriving chunks |
| | | | of data with errors are eliminated, and the |
| How Does VoIP Work? | | | | receiving computer requests to resend the |
| | | | packet; thus, the message that is finally |
| Digitization is the first step in the process | | | | delivered to the user is exactly the same as |
| of VoIP. Then, unwanted voice signals are | | | | the message that originated. As VoIP systems |
| compressed. Compression has two stages. | | | | are time-sensitive and cannot wait for |
| First, the system determines if the digitized | | | | retransmission, more sophisticated error |
| info contains legitimate voice or only | | | | detection and correction systems are used to |
| ambient noise. If noise is detected, it is | | | | create sound to fill in the gaps. This |
| discarded. Next, complex algorithms are used | | | | process stores a portion of the incoming |
| to decrease the size of information being | | | | speaker's voice and then, using a complex |
| sent. Noise is suppressed and voice streams | | | | algorithm to copy the contents of the missing |
| are optimized using codecs. | | | | packets. Thus, new sound information is |
| | | | created to enhance the communication and the |
| After compression, voice must be put in | | | | sound heard at the receiving end is not |
| chunks called packets simultaneously adding | | | | exactly the sound transmitted, but an |
| VoIP protocols. Storage occurs in the | | | | enhanced version of it. |
| process, while the transmitter is waiting for | | | | |
| voice data being collected before being | | | | Because of the reduction in on-going costs |
| formed into a packet. Signals are added to | | | | and maintenance, most companies with excess |
| the packet to ease the transmission. Because | | | | LAN capacity are resorting to VoIP solutions. |
| IP is a set of rules that interconnect | | | | Shouldn't you be thinking about it? |
| networks, the smaller the network, the more | | | | |