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| The unfulfilled promise of voice over the Web |
March 5, 2002 |
By K. K. Campbell
IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT PROMISES OF THE INTERNET REVOLUTION: MAKE LONGDISTANCE CALLS FOR FREE OVER THE WEB USING A TECHNOLOGY CALLED VOICE
over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The year was 1995, and VocalTec had just introduced its first Internet phone software.
The logic was tantalizing; people were already using e-mail to keep in touch with friends and family scattered around the planet, saving countless dollars in longdistance charges. Why not extend that capability to voice communications? The letters and numbers typed into an e-mail and the vocal modulation of a voice-to-voice
conversation are ultimately both information, and the ’net can transmit all kinds of data.
But something didn’t work.The problem was the volume of data.
Connection terminated
A voice call carries a lot more information than does an alpha-numeric transmission.
When you count the number of words in a phone call and compare that to an e-mail, the total might be exactly the same. But the human voice carries an incredible amount of non-word signals, such as tone and tempo, that also have to be transmitted.
Because the communication is so much more complex—and occurring in real-time—it requires vastly more reliable
networks. E-mail, by comparison, departs and finds its destination without reliance on the schedules of the sender and recipient.
It does not travel through a direct
connection but is broken into packets of data that are reassembled on the other end, and it’s easy to lose a packet.
This system can cause dropped words
or delays when used for voice transmission.
In other words, VoIP requires fast
connections and reliable systems to reassemble voice communications.
Neither of those is ubiquitous today.
That’s why in 2001, real-time reliable
telephony remains one of the great unfulfilled promises of the Internet.
But it’s closer than ever.
Who’s calling, please?
Today, you can call PC-to-PC, phone-to-PC and PC-to-phone. There are millions of people using different variations of this set-up.
Consumers: Many consumers are
willing to endure even the crudest of setups.
They plug $10 microphones into
their computers and use global chat
systems like ICQ to place voice-to-voice calls. ICQ itself is free and there’s no extra charge for the ICQ phone option.
The quality is invariably awful but the
savings can be terrific, especially when calling relatives overseas. Many people also use services like ICQ as singles
meeting places, and there’s extra security in giving out an ICQ number as opposed to the treasured home phone number.
Microsoft recently announced improvements to its voice system called Messenger, which lets people chat directly, much like ICQ. Messenger users are now able to make PC-to-phone calls using the new Windows XP operating system.
Public carriers: The big voice players
are already getting into the Internet
telephony game, and IDC expects that by
2004, 15 per cent of U.S. long distance
traffic will be handled by the Internet.
Nortel Networks sold VoIP equipment
to U.S. public carrier Qwest, which is
among the first local carriers to move
toward Internet telephony, replacing its traditional circuit-switch networks. Qwest is planning for additional packet-switched network deployments throughout its 14-state region.
As of October 2001, Nortel had sold more than one million voice over packet ports, which offer the following features:
• Video caller ID: your picture will be flashed to the person you are calling
• Incoming call routing: office phones can be programmed to forward to various numbers at certain times of day or to give scripted messages to specific callers
• Simultaneous ringing: when you really need to contact someone fast you can call all of their numbers at the same time
• Desktop videoconferencing: many believe quality video meetings conducted desk-to-desk will enhance security, reduce airport hassle and save on travel costs—and still retain the power of human interface
Business: Business doesn’t have the same cost/benefit analysis as consumers do. Most managers won’t opt for saving thousands of long-distance dollars if they are continually irritating customers and suppliers or hampering personnel communication to the point that corporate performance falls.
Small businesses can be more aggressive in finding VoIP solutions.
The cost of change is lower and the return on investment can be much higher. In Toronto, Fox-Hoey, a five-person communications consultancy, has migrated to an Internet Protocol communications server.The company has integrated fax/messaging, Internet,
data and voice and believes this will reduce operating costs by combining the administration of two separate networks into one.
Many businesses are creating a mix of systems; some large companies are testing the waters by first rolling out intranet IP telephony—in other words, using staff and friendly associates as VoIP guinea pigs.
Businesses are well advised to keep a watchful eye on VoIP developments. It will soon be stable and secure enough to stand alone. And when that day comes, business will no longer fear phone calls like: “I am [gap] you over [lag] on this deal [silence] loving every minute of it, you [long delay—call dropped].”
Instead, your customer will hear you loud and clear: “I am calling you over our new IP phone. The company saves longdistance charges on this deal.We’re high tech and loving every minute of it, you should look into it!”
W e b p h o n e s
ICQ http://web.icq.com
IDC http://www.idc.ca
Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com
Nortel Networks http://www.nortel.com
VocalTec http://www.vocaltec.com
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