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Introduction to VoIP Internet Phone
Service
If you have an
ear open to new computer technologies, you are sure to have heard
about VoIP broadband phone service.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an emerging set of
applications which allows you to make telephone calls over the
Internet. It is already starting to replace existing telephone
networks, with some people and businesses opting to cancel their
traditional phone line and use VoIP phone
service instead.
VoIP Internet
phone service was originally developed to provide voice
communication between computer users in different locations.
Although it still has this application, it has been further
developed into a telephone network in its own right. People using
VOIP phone
service can call any telephone anywhere in the world and
can receive calls on telephone sets connected to the Internet or
Local Area Network (LAN).
Background
of VoIP Broadband Phone Service
It all started back in 1995 when
Israeli computer enthusiasts made the first computer to computer
voice connection. In the same year this technology was developed
into a software package called Internet Phone Software. All that was
needed to talk to another computer user was a modem, sound card,
speakers, and a microphone.
The software digitized and
compressed the audio signal before sending it over the Internet in
data packets. These voice connections could only occur between
computers which had the software installed. The sound quality was
very poor -- nowhere near the quality of standard telephone
connections.
The technology continued to be developed and by
1998 gateways had been established to allow PC-to-phone connections.
Later that same year phone-to-phone connections that used the
Internet for voice transmission were set in place. These
phone-to-phone connections still required a computer to initiate the
call, but once the connection was established, the callers could use
a regular phone set.
VoIP Phone
Service Today
There are
currently many VoIP broadband phone
services available for residential and commercial use. Some of
these still rely on PC-to-PC connections but may offer other
services such as PC-to-phone and phone-to-phone.
Internet
phones are available that plug into the sound card or USB port
of a computer. These phones may have number pads and ringers that
allow you to use them the same as traditional telephones. The
computer can be bypassed completely by connecting a phone directly
to a broadband modem (either DSL or cable).
How Does VoIP Internet Phone
Service Work
The
first step in using VoIP phone
service is converting your voice into digital data. This
is done by 'sampling' your voice -- dividing the analog sound signal
into discrete steps that can be assigned a number value. Once your
voice is digitized, the data can be compressed.
This
compressed digital data is split up into 'packets' of about 1500
bytes that can be transferred over the Internet. As well as
the voice data, the packets contain information about their origin,
their destination, and a timestamp that allows them to be
reconstructed in the correct order. Once they arrive at their
destination, they are reassembled and converted from digital back
into analog so that the receiving party can hear your
voice.
In order for voice data to be transmitted without
noticeable delays, a broadband Internet connection is
necessary. Many households and businesses are already using
broadband (either DSL or cable) so adding VoIP phone service is relatively
simple. |
