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Why deploy VoIP? |
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Consumers are demanding more from their communication technologies.
They want voice, data and images, all of which require increased
bandwidth. Communication networks offering this increased bandwidth
are becoming more popular - such as cable networks, company Intranets
and the Internet. Consumers also want one-stop shopping, all their
communication services through one network. An IP telephone offers
this convenience, by allowing the user to use his existing data network
to make telephone calls. All this is achieved while eliminating the
costs to sustain analog peripherals, including the purchase and
maintenance of separate hardware and service charges.
For service providers, IP networks open a new stream of revenues
allowing them to offer enhanced services such as real-time
communication and interactive voice response. This also allows cable
and Internet providers an entrance into the long distance market.
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Quality of service |
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When VoIP technology was in its infancy, there were many problems with
the quality of service compared to an analog phone call. VoIP
technology has improved dramatically. A VoIP phone call over a virtual
private network (VPN) is now almost indistinguishable from an analog
call. Some of the systems employed by VoIP to improve call quality
include the introduction of new voice coding technology, jitter
buffering techniques and quality of service (QoS) bandwidth
management. These systems have largely addressed such call quality
issues as latency (the elapsed time for voice transmission); jitter
behaviour (the variation in inter-packet arrival time); packet loss
and echo problems.
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