by Imran Khan

Created on: November 21, 2009

VoIP is break through invention which lets you make free or very cheap local, long distance and international calls. You may have few questions in your mind such as how VoIP works, what are the benefits of VoIP.

VoIP relationship with Computers and Networks.

Put VoIP aside for now and lets start learning about computer networking, you may have heard about computers, networks, switches and wireless networks. Computers communicate with each other via a set of copper wires, fiber optic cables and wireless spectrum waves. Computer communication takes place in the form of data. For example if you are sending an email to someone that email is converted into data packets which are transmitted over the network of computers, switches and routers and when transmitted packets arrives at destination these are again converted back into email. This whole process takes less than few milliseconds to complete. That is how a computer network communication takes place.

VoIP is very similar to computer data communication in nature therefore it is important that you understand how computer data network works.

How VoIP works and how a VoIP call is transmitted over data networks?

Now since we have discovered how computer data network functions therefore it will be easier for us to grasp how VoIP works. VoIP stands for (Voice over Internet Protocol), VoIP calls feel and sounds no different than a standard PSTN call. The only difference is that the VoIP calls are transmitted over computer data networks rather than PSTN exchanges.

When we make a VoIP call, a communication channel is established between caller and called party over IP (Internet Protocol) which runs on top of computer data networks. A telephony conversation that takes place over VoIP are converted into binary data packets streams in real time and transmitted over data network, when these data packets arrive at the destination these are again converted into standard telephony conversation. This whole process of voice conversion into data, transmission and data conversion into back voice conversation takes place within less than few milliseconds. That is how a VoIP is call is works over data networks. I hope that now you understand basics of how a VoIP call takes place.

What are speech codec's and what role codec plays in VoIP?

Speech codec play a vital role in VoIP and codec determines the quality and cost of the call. Let me explain you what exactly VoIP codec's are and how they work. You may have heard about data compression,

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>