VoIP

Introduction

Voice over Internet protocol, has changed the way we communicate. Skype, OOvOO, and Vonage are, a few companies who have increased the use of Voice over IP (VoIP). Voice over IP includes not only voice services but also video and text transmitted over the Internet. VoIP similarly known as Internet telephony is “the real-time transmission of voice signals using the Internet Protocol (IP) over the public Internet or a private data network” (Hallock, 2004, p.1). This means that people are able to video chat regardless of location. Because the data is transmitted over the Internet, and the Internet is worldwide, people can call as far as they please. Voice over Internet protocol technology is rapidly growing because of its many benefits and convenience. By learning its history we can explore the future of the technology and identify some issues that can be improved.

Background

Contrary to the saying “don’t reinvent the wheel”, VoIP essentially does that by merging three separate technologies: the telephone, Internet and TCP/IP. “TCP/IP is the most fundamental protocol, the basic communication language over the internet”(Steinberg, 2008, p.19).  There are three types VoIP currently available. First being ATA (analog telephone adaptor), which essentially works like an analog phone, just plug into socket where a phone goes and you’re ready to make IP calls. The next are IP phones, which connect right into the router (Valdes & Roos). Although they look just like normal phones, they use RJ-45 Ethernet cables instead of RJ-11 connectors (Valdes & Roos). Lastly, there is computer-to-computer, this method allows user t connect to multiple people at once- like –three-way calling on standard phones (only with more people). This category where Skype falls under, is the easiest and most inexpensive way to connect with a VoIP user. Software such as Vonage, which use stared telephone interface in computers, is also known as softphones.

IP moves packets from one server to another until the packet has reached its destination IP address. Voice uses a lower bandwidth than video, thus they can be transmitted on the same line, which reduced the cost of VoIP services. This method of VoIP has history that dates back to 1974, when MIT and Culler-Harrison Incorporated researchers successfully communicated through speech in real-time on the ARPAnet, the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (Gray), which was “the world first operational packet switching network (Steinberg). Being ARPAnet “the predecessor to the internet”, (Steinberg) Internet protocol did not exist then. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the phrase “VoIP” was coined. In 1989 two Israeli men, Alon Cohen and Lior Haramaty founded VocalTech Communications, a telecom equipment provider. These men in February 1995 invented the Audio Transceiver also known as the “internet phone”. This program allowed people with the same type of network and software to communicate via the Internet for free. Then in September of 1997, Net2Phone releases phone-to-phone, and later PC-to-phone become available (Hallock). This way, the same exact software was not needed to communicate. As this technology grows, the US congress begins to make laws concerning it. In 1997 the FCC files a report on the use of Internet telephony. (Unknown) From here VoIP begins to rapidly increase. In 2001 Vonage is founded. Vonage becomes the first commercialized “phone over broadband”. Soon there after, Skype emerges; Apple and Google also open their own VoIP services.