You Don't Know Jack about VoIP

gManZboy writes "Phil Sherburne and Cary Fitzgerald, two senior technologists over at Cisco, have written an in-depth overview of VoIP for developers and the like (not for everyone who's ever used a phone). Like Queue's earlier You Don't Know Jack about Disks, this article covers the history, the basic technologies, how they work, and where they're headed. If you found the blog post yesterday lacking, check this one out."

Comments

inevitable

[scaaven]

voip will take over. Voice can be transmitted at such a low bandwidth, and all the cost to make a connection anywhere in the world is the cost of your ISP. I think they have them, but you need to have some sort of program always listening on a port from your IP, and transfer incoming calls to a usb connected phone that rings. Then you'd have all sorts of spam bots calling everyone's IP, so you'd have a list of approved incoming IP's or a numerical code that allows your call.

Re:inevitable

[TwitchCHNO]

Yes & no.

Voice over ATM & Voice over IP do have alot of potential for telcos & backhouling. Both VOIP & VOATM offer much of the same benefits - call routing, dynamic packet switching. The last mile barrier will prevent VOIP/ATM from completely replacing POTS, especially in rural areas.

Re:VoIP = fad

[Ugodown]

I don't think it's a fad, this year I am getting VIOP from Primus Canada. Finally I can say "screw Telus" because I am getting cable Internet from Shaw and phone through Primus. It's a good feeling.

Jacking in

[Doc Ruby]

What, indeed, do we know about Jack?

Maybe

[paranode]

and all the cost to make a connection anywhere in the world is the cost of your ISP

Unless you're one of the unlucky who has to use a DSL provider which requires you to pay for a landline to get said DSL service. Then you're stuck in a bit of a pickle. Hopefully that will change, I seem to remember hearing about laws regarding that problem.

Hesitant to throw circuit-switched away

[JamesR2]

Not just because of what Cringely said, but my phone works in a power outage, and still sounds way better than cell, for example. http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20040624. html

Re:Test your connection...

[Nos.]

Some other things to think about before switching completely over to VOIP... what happens during a power outage? You're POTS line will still work, but your VOIP probably won't, unless you are providing backup power. Not to mention your *11 services (411, 611, 911) may or may not work depending on your service provider. Also, even if they do not connect you, they may not be able to locate you. One of the best feature of 911 is the ability to locate the source of an incoming call in case the caller is unable to speak.

No, not inevitable. Obsolete

[Animats]

Cellular providers have had flat-rate long distance for a while now. That's what's really putting pressure on the wireline carriers. Now we're starting to see flat-rate long distance from the wireline carriers. Soon, at least for U.S. domestic calls, there will be no price advantage for voice over IP.

Internationally, though, voice is still a cash cow. That may last a while longer.

Voice over IP is more of an advantage for companies with elaborate internal telecommunications infrastructures. The VoIP gear is cheaper.

That's Not In-Depth

[chemman]

Wow. As much as that tells you something about VoIP it is mighty far from in depth. Entire books are devoted to nothing but QoS and H.323. You don't know anything if you don't know these.