Integrating Voip Into An Increasingly Mobile World
In the age of convergence, it is but natural to extend Internet telephony or what is more popularly known as VoIP into mobile phones
. This is since mobile phones (more specifically smartphones) are kin to both wired based telephones and Internet-based telephones as they use common systems to transmit voice and data calls.
Backhaul and underlying technology
Unknown to many, telecom companies providing fixed and mobile lines use low-cost VoIP to connect the network backbone to switching stations (base stations or cell sites for mobiles) that are directly serving the customers. This intermediate link is also used to interconnect with other telecom companies and is simply called the backhaul.
For example, when a cellphone user calls a landline, the mobile phone connects to the nearest cell site, which then uses VoIP to connect the call to the network's core backbone to establish a point of presence. The backbone then routes the call to the switching station where the landline is located also using VoIP, and the call is terminated on the phone line corresponding to the number dialled.
Using different technologies such as microwave point relay, free-space optical communication and high-speed DSL (digital subscriber line) to implement backhauling, data packets are transmitted instantaneously from point-to-point, ensuring a seamless connection between the calling and receiving parties.
VoIP Phones and Smartphones
Although PC-to-PC calling using the Internet started in the 1990s, it was only in 2002 when VoIP was introduced to mass audiences and gained wide acceptance. As VoIP became more popular, the development of software and hardware became fast-paced, resulting in the production of business grade equipment and devices that make VoIP accessible to more people.
One of the major developments in IP telephony is mobile VoIP, which allows users to send or receive calls even away from computers and while on the go, as long as there is an Internet connection. This relatively new field is roughly divided into two major groups: dedicated IP handsets and dual-mode phones.
Dedicated IP phones
Handsets under this group are mobile versions of tabletop IP phones, which allow the user to call other VoIP users, landlines and mobile phones using WiFi. These handy items offer many features that are not usually available in typical PSTN phones, such as voice-quality and volume enhancements, group pick-up, and speed dial. Some of the IP phones currently available include Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phone, BroadVoice WiSIP, D-Link Wi-Fi Mobile, and Logitech Cordless Internet Handset.
Dual-mode Phones
One of the popular products under this group are handsets designed for the proprietary VoIP technology of Skype, which relies on peer-to-peer networking. This includes the Skypephone brand marketed by the company itself, and those manufactured by third parties such as NETGEAR Skype WiFi Phone and IPEVO S0-20 WiFi Phone for Skype. There are also quite a number of popular brand smartphones like Blackberry, iPhone and Android that have built-in Skype programs which are promoted as Skype-capable phones.
Other high-end smartphones in the market have Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) capability, which allows them to connect to IP networks through WiFi. These dual-mode phones allow seamless connection to another phone using GSM/UMTS or WiFi signals.
Even as mobile gadgets are already part of people's daily life, it is expected that devices of this type will soon become more ubiquitous, thanks to the increasing popularity of mobile WiFi. The cheap prices for VoIP calls should pave the way for more competitive prices for network-based mobile calls.
by: Andrew Wiggin
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