Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Even though the NANP defines specific categories of numbers that the E.164 standard
does not include, the number still falls under the three broad categories, also shown in
Figure 1-11.
When I (Jeremy) first started exploring VoIP technology, I often talked excitedly with
people about the amazing process of converting spoken voice into packets. Many of these
people replied, “Ah, those processes have been happening for a long time!” Indeed, it is
true: Everything we discussed thus far deals with taking spoken voice (or analog data) and
converting it into binary 1s and 0s (digital data). Digitizing voice is now considered “old
school.”
So, what's so new about VoIP? Here it is: taking those “old school” 1s and 0s and placing
them into a data packet with IP addressing information in the headers. You can then take
that VoIP packet and send it across the data network at your office. But, is it that simple?
Not necessarily. Our concerns now turn to ensuring that the packet gets to its destination
in time (QoS), choosing the proper coding and decoding (codec) methods, making sure
that the VoIP packet doesn't fall into the wrong hands (encryption), and a plethora of
other concerns. However, these topics will unfold in their due time—for now, take a mo-
ment to simply enjoy walking into the “new frontier” of VoIP!
VoIP: Why It Is a Big Deal for Businesses
When many people first learn about VoIP, they commonly say, “So, we are sending voice
over data cables instead of voice cables...what is so big about that?” It seems like the
biggest benefit is saving cabling costs, nothing more. After you dig deeper into the ramifi-
cations of running voice over data networks, you begin to uncover many business benefits
that were previously untapped.
The business benefits of VoIP include the following:
Reduced cost of communicating:
Instead of relying on expensive tie lines or toll
charges to communicate between offices, VoIP allows you to forward calls over
WAN connections.
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Reduced cost of cabling:
VoIP deployments typically cut cabling costs in half by
running a single Ethernet connection instead of both voice and data cables. (This cost
savings is most realized in newly constructed offices.)
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Seamless voice networks:
Because data networks connect offices, mobile work-
ers, and telecommuters, VoIP naturally inherits this property. The voice traffic is
crossing “your network” (relatively speaking) rather than exiting to the PSTN. This
also provides centralized control of all voice devices attached to the network and a
consistent dial-plan. For example, all users can dial each other using four-digit exten-
sions, even though many of them may be scattered around the world.
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Take your phone with you:
Cost estimates for moves, adds, and changes (MAC) to
a traditional PBX system range from $55 to $295 per MAC. With VoIP phone sys-
tems, this cost is virtually eliminated. In addition, IP phones are becoming increas-
ingly plug-and-play within the local offices, allowing moves with little to no
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