IP Telephony

What is telephony?

IP telephony is the ability to send voice over traditional data paths. IP or Internet Protocol, is a form of computer language that sends binary information (0's and 1's) from one system to another. There are many variants of IP including TCP/IP which is used by the internet.

What has this to do with telephones? When you speak into a phone handset, the noise you make is converted into a series of 0's and 1's (binary). This information is then sent over the public telephone system to another phone. It is then converted back from the 0's and 1's to speech. This is a typical example of a modern phone connection, although in simplistic form. What IP telephony does is to take your voice message (in the form of binary) and send it along a path used by data methods, such as a T1 trunk (leased line), frame relay or the internet. What this means is that your voice communications are sharing the resources of a traditional data means of communicating.

By using IP telephony, there are no long distance charges between remote branches or remote agents.

IP phones for people on the move

There are a number of solutions that discount Telecom can offer. For example, if you have staff that are mobile or do a lot of traveling, the IP phone could provide the ideal solution. Simply give an IP phone to your staff member .  This will allow them  to communicate with the office. All that is required is a fast internet connection such as DSL, Cable or T1. This could be provided by a customer's computer network system (a single PC Point) or even a hotel room connection. The person plugs their IP phone into the (DSL / Cable) modem or the local area network and within seconds, the person becomes an extension on the office phone system. It means they can now intercom another member of staff, have a conference call or even use a line to dial someone else. Full phone features are available during the connection including the busy lamps fields on the IP phone. This can allow any office member to see whether the person is on a line.  IP telephony can operate any where in the world. This technology is often referred to as "voice over IP".

IP Systems for businesses with multiple branches

The biggest advance is in true IP Telephony and this is where organizations with multiple branches benefit the most. There are several products available, notably from Inter-Tel and Cisco. As detailed above, existing data structures are used to transfer  voice, although, for businesses, a more permanent pipe such as T1 (leased lines) or packet switching mediums such as frame relay and X.25 are used. One control unit can be used to take care of multiple branch telecom programming requirements or alternatively one can be supplied at each location as part of the PBX (phone system) for smaller requirements.

Apart from substantial reductions in the cost of phone line expenses, a number of new technologies can be added to compliment the product such as video conferencing. Some of the IP systems can be used with existing handsets (non IP) while other require specific IP phones. IP phones, while more costly to buy, do have a number of feature benefits advantage over standard handsets.

Another interesting feature is the way voice messages can be sent to a person in the form of an attachment to an e-mail. It can also work the other way where you can dial into your phone system remotely and have the system read back your written e-mails. At present this is achieved with a basic computerized voice although the newer products are using human simulated speech.

IP telephony is going to have a major impact on companies throughout the U.S. and the world. Please contact Discount Telecom for more details and learn how this technology could benefit your organization.