VoiceOverIp (VoI''''''p) started in 1995 and has been the NextBigThing around the beginning of this 21st century. There exists a substantial document, a 2002 whitepaper prepared by Information Technology Support Centre at http://www.itsc.org/PDF/C2-1_VOIP.pdf. WorkInProgress Low-end solutions use VoI''''''p gateways, whereas high-end offerings typically use use SIP or H.323 mechanisms, and are more robust and are typically router based. High-end solutions have provisions for continuation of analog services (e.g. interface to 911, fax etc) However high-end products require users to have different dialing habits for their additional functionalities. Some high-end solutions raise concerns about vendor lock-in. Low-end solutions have problems in enterprises using NAT and other security mechanisms. In the end, both type of solutions have poor survivability in real world implementations. -- from http://www.voip-news.com/art/5z.html ---- '''Technology benefits''' Compared to PSTN phones, VoI''''''p can be linked up with other internet-based services such as email and web. And in one instance some links was found to provide a favourable impact to sales. ---- '''Issues''' Quality of service (bandwidth management for different traffic types), availability, choice of codec (voice quality as measured by "Mean Opinion Score" vs bandwidth consumption rate). And security is harder, see below. ---- '''SecurityManagement aspects''' Phone tapping is easy; the captured data traffic can be reconstructed using easily available software - see section 3.6.3 "secure internet communications" at http://www.itsc.org/PDF/S-3-1_Final.pdf. IBM and CISCO has partnered to provide a "Secure Network Foundation Solution" which includes VoIp component. See a glossy at http://www-1.ibm.com/businesscenter/cpe/download1/21335/SecureNetLeaveBhnd.pdf. ---- '''Reading material and other resources''' ''Microsoft strategy for VoI''''''p'' at http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/getstart/devplat/voip/voipmsstrat/default.aspx * Only client solutions (via WindowsCe embedded) for now? ''VoiceXML technology (via JavaLanguage from IBM)'' see http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/wireless/library/wi-vxml.html ''Outlook 2003'' at http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;964997629;fp;512;fpid;1370648978 * cost benefit changes (e.g. IDD tarriff reductions) and "sweet spot" for mid sized organizations ---- CategoryCommunicationProtocol