Internet Protocol Version 6 is the next-generation protocol on which the future of the internet, and a huge part of telecommunications in general, is based. In this article, we review the characteristics of IPv6 and examine its benefits and challenges when applied to voice over IP, as well as suggest some practical tips for your deployments.

Three reasons your customer should not be recording their own IVR greetings

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By Allison Smith, The IVR Voice.com

You’re an installer. You’re on the front lines of ensuring that companies – large or small – have their telecommunications systems installed, scaled to the appropriate size, and working seamlessly. You’re part engineer, part salesperson, and a huge part problem-solver in the installing and maintaining of telephony systems.

You’re actually putting together an intricate puzzle. But most installers don’t realize that a significant piece of that puzzle is missing.

Part 2 of 2

When it comes to VoIP signaling, SIP is by far the most widely-used protocol. But, there are other protocols, as well, and being familiar with them is helpful when establishing interoperability between systems or deploying specialized installations. In this article, we’ll discuss the H.323 protocol suite and the media gateway control protocol (MGCP), and look at applications for which they are best suited.

As widespread as IP telephony and unified communications are, it is often assumed that all analog technologies leveraging telephony systems have advanced sufficiently to use VoIP. However, this is not the case. There are several useful and, for some businesses, vital applications that continue to operate in analog form. In this article, we’ll look at fax machines specifically, and how to integrate them into your VoIP network.

Enhanced 911 (E911) works differently for VoIP than for PSTN landlines. With a few simple steps, you can make sure that 911 operators and first responders receive accurate location information from calls made from your network, so you can protect your workers and stay compliant with the prevailing regulations. To cover your bases, use our handy checklist below.
 

Even as VoIP has become widespread, governments are still figuring out how to regulate it. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for creating the regulatory framework for both the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and VoIP telephony.

In this article, we look at how FCC regulations affect both internal enterprise VoIP installations and Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs), and how they impact your VoIP deployments.

Demystifying codecs, part 2

Different VoIP codecs digitize sound differently. Knowing which codec to use for a given application will allow you to better optimize your telephony implementations.

In this article, we examine the most commonly used codecs for VoIP, including the the G.711, G.729, G.722, G.726, iLBC and Opus codecs, and identify the situations for which each one is best suited.

Understanding how codecs work

One of the most abstract attributes of Voice over IP (VoIP) is the codec. We may wonder which codec to use in a given situation. Of course, there are general industry guidelines that help us make such decisions, but it can be unnerving to blindly follow recommendations without knowing why. For example, why should G.729 be preferred over the G.711 codec for WAN links? Why should I use G.722 when I don’t have an issue with bandwidth? What are the advantages of iLBC and Opus over the G series of codecs and when should I use them?

New year, new risks. Let’s talk security.

In today’s digital economy, mobility is not only an expectation, but in many cases, a requirement for workers to successfully fulfill their responsibilities. Security is a key preoccupation for network administrators as they implement voice and data technologies for remote workers.

In this article, we review various remote employee voice service scenarios, look at what their potential risks are, and examine the best voice encryption and VPN solution for each case. 

How to deal with jitter, packet loss, latency and signaling delay

Some of the most difficult issues to troubleshoot on a network are failures resulting in a degradation of service, a slowdown in speed, or intermittent connectivity, as opposed to a complete disruption in service.

When it comes to troubleshooting issues involving VoIP, this becomes even more acute. Intermittent, low-quality, and metallic-sounding voice, as well as erratic connectivity between VoIP end devices, are all network problems falling into this difficult-to-diagnose category.

Almost all such malfunctions are due to a faulty implementation (or lack thereof) of quality of service mechanisms. In this article, we will look at some of the most common failures of this type, what they sound like, and what should be done to verify and rectify the problems.