Voice over IP

Voice over IP (VoIP) is a way of directing voice conversations (i.e. the telephone) across the Internet or any Internet Protocol (IP) network.

Advantages of VoIP

There are advantages in using a VoIP system:

  • Cost – It is usually cheaper or even free to have VoIP for phone services, as there are less costs in sending the data. Voice and data utilise the same network when sending signals.
  • Functionality – VoIP is an easier method of using conventional phone services.
  • Mobility – The technology behind VoIP lets users travel and still communicate.

Disadvantages of VoIP

There are, however, disadvantages to VoIP:

  • Security issues – Most VoIP solutions do not support encryption. Therefore, VoIP telephone calls can be insecure, allowing people to listen to calls being made.
  • Mobile phone communication – Most developed countries have acquired mobile telephones as a standard way of communicating. Some even use mobile phones instead of landlines. It is, consequently, difficult to see if VoIP has any demand until companies can produce mobile VoIP telecom devices or VoIP can communicate over 3G legacy networks already set up.
  • Emergency calling – Users who face an emergency may not be able to connect to a local emergency service. This is due to the inability to detect the location of the user.
  • Power supply – Since standard telephones receive power from the phone line, there would always be a connection during a power shortage or failure. VoIP, however, uses in-house power to operate.
  • Quality – All VoIP data transfers rely on the connection of the Internet and it can be difficult to achieve good quality with a poor connection.

There have been so many advances in telecommunications and the technology behind the design and development of telecommunication products. Most of them we take for granted, such as mobile phones or pagers.

The telephone was actually an accidental discovery, when inventors were intending to improve the speed of the telegraph.

Nowadays, we take telecommunication devices wherever we go. We use phones, laptops, PDAs (electronic organisers) and much more. But what does the future hold for the world of telecoms? Is there really any more technology to develop and if so, what?

Telecoms-Today looks at how telecoms are affecting us now and how they will affect us in the future.