Understanding VoIP
What is VoIP? It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a
technology that lets you make telephone calls over the Internet, rather
than a regular phone line. Which is almost always cheaper.
In
order to use VoIP, both sender and receiver need to have a "broadband"
connection. This is a high-speed Internet connection usually provided by
cable or a DSL modem. Broadband modems are usually used to connect
computers to the Internet, but in the case of VoIP, computers are not
necessary, because now there are telephones that connect directly.
High-Speed Connection
The
simplest form of VoIP is a computer-to-computer voice connection. The
only requirements: a computer with a broadband connection, a headset
consisting of earphones and microphone, and VoIP software.
Most
VoIP software packages are free (you can download one from the Internet
at versiontracker.com), and they allow you to connect to any computer
that also has VoIP software. The only time that both parties need the
same VoIP software package is when they are making computer-to-computer
calls. There is no charge for this type of connection, and calls can be
made to anywhere in the world.
VoIP software can also be used to
connect to landline phones, that is, phones that are not connected
directly to the Internet. This type of call is usually not free, but
still costs quite a bit less than your telephone company charges. Some
VoIP services also allow you to make calls to cellular phones. Parties
receiving landline or cellular calls do not need any extra equipment or
software.
Your Voice Becomes Data
VoIP is based on digital
data transmission. So, the first step in any VoIP call is to convert the
analog human voice into digital data and divide itl into groups of
numbers. The next step is to compress the data to reduces the data size
as much as possible without sacrificing audio quality.
The
compressed digital data is then divided into packets which adds
information about their destination and their place in the data stream.
Multi-Layer Transmission
Now
you probably don't need to know about this section of techno-speak, so
feel free to skip to the final section. I won't be offended.
All
data sent over the Internet has discrete layers to aid in its accurate
delivery. For example, a network layer specifies destination and origin
addresses, a transport layer creates a connection between 2 computers,
and an application layer might allow a page to be displayed correctly at
the receiving end.
is a very high-speed protocol. A commonly
used application layer is Real-time Transmission Protocol, which
provides information about the sequence of the data packets, so they can
be reconstructed in the correct order at their destination.
Data Becomes Voice
If
packets do not arrive within a certain time limit, they are dropped.
This is necessary to avoid unacceptable delays in the audio stream. Even
though some packets are sometimes dropped, there is usually enough
information left to make the conversation understandable. The number of
packets that are dropped depends on the speed of your Internet
connection and the distance between the 2parties.
Once the voice
data has arrived at its destination, it is reassembled in the correct
order and converted from digital back to analog -- the sound of your
voice.
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