VoIP breaks through
Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 7/1/2004
After floundering for several years, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology has stabilized and is moving into the mass market. Because of that stability, communications carriers such as AT&T have begun to deploy VoIP into their networks. Customers who use DSL or cable modems in some cities can now use data networks to carry voice (Ref. 1).
For carriers to roll out their VoIP services, they must buy packet-switching equipment known as softswitches. The softswitch market should boom over the next few years, reports In-Stat/MDR, topping $2 billion by 2008 (Ref 2).
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The softswitch market could experience a compound annual growth rate of 64.6% between 2003 and 2008. |
Although VoIP has changed protocols, the tests haven't changed. Test equipment still must measure voice quality, packet jitter, packet loss, and protocol violations. For example, Acterna introduced software that captures incoming VoIP packets and converts the audio they carry into wave files that you can analyze. Teltone's VoIP tester generates simulated calls. Radcom's test equipment tests for voice quality as VoIP packets pass through an enterprise's network routers and VoIP gateways. Spirent's equipment tests VoIP communications over wireless systems.
With SIP, "The technology works," says Larry Scheck, VP of sales for Radcom USA. "Carriers can see tremendous savings with softswitches over traditional class 4 and class 5 telecom switches." He adds, "Enterprises will also switch to VoIP as they incorporate it into their call centers." Another reason for the expected boom is that VoIP sends digitized voice over private computer networks instead of the public telephone network. Thus, VoIP communication isn't subject to the public network's regulations.
VoIP will let carriers provide new wireless services. "VoIP is the next 'killer app' for wireless communications," says Hesham Elhamahmy, senior director of business development at Spirent Communications. The push-to-talk (PTT) feature in cell phones, based on VoIP, is gaining momentum. With PTT, you push a button and connect to another person without dialing a phone number. In effect, you operate your phone like a walkie-talkie—instead of broadcasting your voice to anyone with a receiver, you transmit on a dedicated channel. Elhamahmy says that PTT will become the primary revenue source for wireless communications carriers.
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