Broadband helps spread the word

by Michael Eaton, Director for the Welsh Assembly Government’s Broadband Wales Programme

Everyone’s talking about VoIP

Every so often the dispute about the true inventor of the telephone raises its head. Most recently historians have uncovered new evidence that suggests a German scientist by the name of Philipp Reis created the ’Telephon’ some 13 years before Scotland’s Alexander Graham Bell. At the same time, the Italians have also staked a claim declaring their scientist, Antonio Meucci, invented such a device so he could speak with his bedridden wife from his workshop.

Regardless of who first invented the telephone, it has become one of the single most important inventions of the twentieth century and is essential to our daily lives.

Yet the telephone as we know it today is rapidly evolving. In much the same way that black-and-white television made way for colour sets or TV on your mobile, or cassettes evolved into CDs and now iTunes, society’s thirst for information in a broad array of forms has pushed telephony towards Voice over Internet Protocol VoIP or also known as Voice over Broadband.

As the latest creation in the golden age of "bright ideas", broadband is revolutionising the way people make phone calls. With a broadband connection, VoIP uses the power of the Internet to make calls - and the biggest benefit is that in most cases the calls are free.

How to get started

There are a variety of ways in which VoIP can be used:

• Computer-to-computer - This is certainly the easiest way. You don’t even have to pay for long-distance calls. There are several companies offering free or very low-cost software that you can use for this type of VoIP. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers, sound card and a broadband connection. Except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is usually no charge for computer-to-computer calls, no matter the distance.
• ATA - An ATA Analogue Telephone Adaptor allows you to connect a standard phone to your computer or your Internet connection for use with VoIP . ATA the takes the analogue signal from your traditional phone and converts it into digital data for transmission over the Internet
• IP Phones - These specialised phones look just like normal phones with a handset, cradle and buttons, however IP phones connect directly to your broadband router and have all the hardware and software necessary to handle the VoIP call.

As a first step you will need to install the appropriate software. The simplest option is to use a proprietary messaging system such as Microsoft’s MSN Messenger or Windows Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Skype or iChat for Mac users. These services all offer free software and connectivity. They use their own systems to allow you to make voice calls to other people on the same service.

When you make a call the software on your computer or other VoIP device will send you a message asking if you who you want to talk to. You and the person you are calling will each have an ordinary phone number or an address like an email address that you a unique identity wherever you are in the world. The software then locates the person you are trying to call, just as a web browser finds a particular website. It then tells that person’s PC or VoIP device that you are trying to call them just as when your phone rings when someone calls you over the normal telephone network. If the person accepts the call, a connection is made between the devices. At this point you can then start talking. When you do, the microphone on your PC or VoIP device picks up your voice and converts it into digital signal which is sent over your Internet connection.

Voicing the benefits

Saving your bottom-line
So. I hear many of you say, if VoIP can do what my telephone is already doing, why make the switch? Not to sound too avaricious but the fact of the matter is that VoIP will save you money. For business users VoIP allows you to:

• access all numbers, whether they are international, mobile or premium rate
• use a broadband connection to reduce costs for multiple ’virtual’ business lines
• gain an extra line without the need for a costly installation of a traditional phone line
  
• use a standard telephone handset to make calls
  
• make Internet calls from any broadband connection without changing your number
  
• stay mobile as you can use VoIP remotely or in the office

In addition, most VoIP companies provide the features that phone companies may charge you extra for; such as caller ID, call waiting, call transfer, repeat dial and three-way/conference calling. Some carriers also provide advanced call-filtering options and allow you to check voicemail via the web, or attach messages to an email that is sent to your computer or VoIP device.

Because a VoIP exchange is based on software rather than hardware, it’s easier to alter and maintain, so you will be able to bring your business operating costs down.

Chris Hillier from Bangor marketing agency, Twelfth Man, says VoIP has delivered huge savings that he can now give back to his many SME clients. In setting up his new business, Chris wanted a telephone system that would allow his team to make a large number of inexpensive local and international calls. With VoIP Chris has been able to purchase both a London and international phone number so that international calls that usually cost up to 1 a minute, are now less than 2p.

For a flexible you
For business-people on the move, VoIP is ideal, as it allows you to make calls from anywhere you have broadband connectivity. This means business travelers can take their phones or adaptors with them on trips and always have access to their home or business phone.

Another alternative is the softphone, which allows you to download the VoIP service onto your laptop. Then, as long as you have a headset/ microphone, you can place calls from your laptop anywhere in the broadband connected world. Better still, if your company has its own Virtual Private Network, you can set up a fully functioning office anywhere in the world with full access to your company email and files.

VoIP is also expanding into the world of multimedia offering CD-quality audio, full-motion video and other multimedia communication service. It means you can attach documents to voice messages or participate in virtual meetings using shared data and videoconferencing.

Things to keep in mind

Like any new technology, VoIP does have a few small kinks that are currently being worked out, and you should be aware of these.

Don’t be left in the dark
Silicon.com reports that running your telephony service over IP makes it one of the most "mission-critical IT applications you own". But it’s important to note that unlike your landline, VoIP runs on wall power. This means if there is a power outage, you’ll be unable to make phone calls. So whilst you can usually survive for a while if the Internet goes down, if your telephones go down, you might as well pack up and go home.

Additionally, other systems in your home may be integrated into the phone line such as digital video recorders, digital subscription TV and security systems. There is currently no way to integrate these products with VoIP.

In the event of an emergency
Because VoIP uses IP-addressed phone numbers, there is no way to associate a geographic location with an IP address. So, in the event of an emergency, if the caller can’t tell the 999 operator where he or she is located, then there is no way to know which call centre to route the emergency call to and which the emergency services team should respond to.

Keeping the net-nasties out
Don’t be left at the mercy of hackers! VoIP uses your broadband connection, so is susceptible to worms, viruses and hacking. This means the right security measures need to be taken.

An NCC Group Survey recently found that one in six remote PCs didn’t have adequate protection against hackers, who each day are conceiving more elaborate ways of accessing your corporate network through the "back door". For example, spyware, covertly gathers data, including keystrokes and passwords, and delivers it straight into the competition’s hands. That’s why you need a firewall, as it is designed to prevent any unauthorised access. All messages entering or leaving the Internet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.

You should also be diligent in updating your virus protection so you don’t pass on any infections to customers and co-workers. You can set up your computer so that virus and hacker intrusion, detection and protection software is automatically updated each time the corporate network is accessed.

The way of the future

According to a new report from telecoms researcher, Analysys, by 2010, mobile and VoIP services will account for more than 60 per cent of residential voice spend in Western Europe.

Katrina Bond, lead author of the report says: "The usage of broadband connections for VoIP is at a nascent stage in Western Europe currently, but the scene will change dramatically over the next five years." She says that in this time 45 per cent of voice minutes will be made from a mobile or VoIP connection, compared to 28 per cent in 2004.

As adoption rates continue to increase, integration of VoIP will not only improve - which will work out some of the temporary kinks mentioned above - but will also pave the way for a truly affordable and reliable means of communication. In the meantime, VoIP is here now so you can begin experiencing the benefits of chatting with clients abroad without having to keep an anxious eye on the meter.

If you’d like to see VoIP in action, make sure you visit our team in the Get Smart - Get Broadband smart cars as they continue their regional roadtrip through Wales. For tour dates visit www.broadband.wales.gov.uk.