Swanky VoIPer

Inter-Connectivity, Convergence - Its coming...

2005-10-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

CNet News.Com reported yesterday that MSN and Yahoo announced a pact that would allow users of their respective instant messaging services to exchange messages with one another.

FINALLY!!!!!

If a customer with a Verizon phone can talk to a customer with SBC phone, why can't IM users communicate?

In fact, this should actually be mandated (who? fcc?) if we want to avoid creating a large number of walled gardens.

This news could potentially trigger a convergence-tsunami. If that happens, we will see companies pushing towards a way to converge all your communication tools. Imagine a world where you would be protocol:swanky.voiper@someservice.com and all your communication devices can be routed through this URI (sorta like ENUMS). And the service provider will allow users to integratetheir phones (regular and voip), faxes and emails etc.

Attempts have been made in the past by companies to provide convergence tools, but nothing really interesting to talk about yet!

Read more about it here...

What is SIP?

2005-10-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia,

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a protocol developed by the IETF MMUSIC Working Group and proposed standard for initiating, modifying, and terminating an interactive user session that involves multimedia elements such as video, voice, instant messaging, online games, and virtual reality. In November 2000, SIP was accepted as a 3GPP signaling protocol and permanent element of the IMS architecture . It is one of the leading signalling protocols for Voice over IP, along with H.323.

According to Henning Schulzrinne,

SIP provides the necessary protocol mechanisms so that end systems and proxy servers can provide services:

call forwarding, including
- the equivalent of 700-, 800- and 900- type calls;
- call-forwarding no answer;
- call-forwarding busy;
- call-forwarding unconditional;
- other address-translation services;
callee and calling ``number'' delivery, where numbers can be any (preferably unique) naming scheme;
personal mobility, i.e., the ability to reach a called party under a single, location-independent address even when the user changes terminals;
terminal-type negotiation and selection: a caller can be given a choice how to reach the party, e.g., via Internet telephony, mobile phone, an answering service, etc.;
terminal capability negotiation;
caller and callee authentication;
blind and supervised call transfer;
invitations to multicast conferences.

What is VoIP?

2005-10-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

According to FCC,

VoIP allows you to make telephone calls using a computer network, over a data network like the Internet. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the internet then converts it back at the other end so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number. When placing a VoIP call using a phone with an adapter, you'll hear a dial tone and dial just as you always have. VoIP may also allow you to make a call directly from a computer using a conventional telephone or a microphone.

According to Wikipedia,

Voice over Internet Protocol (also called VoIP, IP Telephony, Internet telephony, and Digital Phone) is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or any other IP-based network. The voice data flows over a general-purpose packet-switched network, instead of traditional dedicated, circuit-switched voice transmission lines.

Protocols used to carry voice signals over the IP network are commonly referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP protocols.