VoIP service providers are everywhere. The breadth and variety of their networks are vast. Building private VoIP networks can create benefits for interoffice connectivity but what can be done to support the convergence of the PSTN with an IP-based voice and data network? One popular answer is hosted VoIP.
It is a public network infrastructure that switches IP-based voice traffic and PSTN traffic within the network. There are many advantages to this configuration. Subscribers can reduce their quantity of traditional telephone circuits and merge voice and IP data together over a common path from their facilities. Installing and maintaining one network costs less than two.
Second, hosted switching enables all phone users access to one another regardless of transmission origin. VoIP users can be connected to other VoIP users and can be connected to switched phone network users. The need to maintain end-to-end VoIP connectivity or internally switch calls from IP to PSTN through PBX equipment is eliminated.
Finally, hosted VoIP becomes a converged environment whereby everyone is connected. The practice of converging voice and data at a subscriber’s premises and then switching traffic to the outside world via traditional means can reduce the cost benefits. Why not let the public network converge all voice and data regardless of origin?
Contact the author at tcolwell@evotem.com.
© 2008Telecom Reseller. All Rights Reserved.