| Peer to Peer technology (P2P) first came into focus | | | | two of the innovators behind the P2P network Kazaa, |
| through companies like Napster and Kazza, who | | | | Skype was bought by eBay in late 2005 for 2.6 billion |
| developed file sharing applications that would allow | | | | dollars. With over 100 million users according to eBay, |
| users to share their own files, as well as search for | | | | it's safe to say that Skype is the industry leader in |
| and download files of other users on the network. | | | | peer to peer Internet telephony. Ebay would like Skype |
| Instead of relying on a centralized client server | | | | to evolve into a "customer service" application, allowing |
| relationship, a peer to peer network gets it's strength | | | | potential buyers to communicate directly to |
| from each individual node, adding bandwidth and | | | | Ecommerce enabled web sites online and in real time. |
| processing power with each new member for the | | | | Peer to Peer and the Gaming Comunity |
| good of the many. | | | | Another area where the peer to peer idea has taken |
| Much like the Borg of the later Star Trek episodes, | | | | off is the online gaming community. PeerMe is a peer |
| peer to peer can scale indefinately without the use of | | | | to peer internet telephony company that caters to |
| expensive central servers, and from a cost standpoint | | | | gamers, offering PC-to-PC and PC-to handheld voice |
| - resistance is futile! | | | | communications, instant messaging, and peer-to-peer |
| Peer to peer Internet Telephony is, like Napster, a | | | | file transfer over public Internet connections. They |
| software application that you download on to your | | | | have recently partnered with game distributor Boonty, |
| computer from a peer to peer VoIP service provider. | | | | offering a broad selection of downloadable games in |
| The softeware, or soft phone as it is called, is free to | | | | many languages. Gamers can form communities, |
| download and calls to or from anyone on the network | | | | evaluate and purchase games, and communicate with |
| are free. The only hardware you need is a headset, or | | | | friends via voice and text online in real time. |
| a microphone and speakers. Internet telephony | | | | P2P Internet Telephony for Small Businesses |
| headsets are cheap and come in USB or can plug | | | | The cost effectiveness of a decentalized peer to peer |
| directly into your sound cards. | | | | voip solution has not been overlooked in the business |
| For those with web cams, many providers allow you | | | | community. Market leader Avaya has developed the |
| to make video calls to others on the network for free. | | | | one-X Quick Edition line of SIP telephones that is a non |
| Services offered with this technology go above and | | | | server based IP PBX system. Connected to your LAN, |
| beyond the Telco's, with conference calls, call | | | | each phone contains the software necessary maintain |
| forwarding, instant messaging and chat - peer to peer | | | | the PBX, and knows about every other phone on the |
| Internet telephony literaly turns your computer into a | | | | network. An ideal solution for small businesses with |
| telephone/vidiophone communications center. | | | | many branch offices, the stay at home telecomuter, |
| Like the traditional VoIP providers, calls within the | | | | call centers and customer service centers. |
| network are free worldwide, but calls to a PSTN | | | | Over at the Gizmo Project they have developed a |
| number will usualy cost you if it is an option. You can in | | | | business software solution that supports the open |
| some cases, have different numbers in other locations | | | | source Asterik PBX software, and has free calling to |
| so that people can call you from a land line even from | | | | anyone on the Gizmo peer to peer network. Under the |
| other counties toll free. Even if you do have to pay to | | | | All Calls Free plan.employees make free calls to the |
| get on the PSTN, the rates are so much cheaper than | | | | landlines and mobile phones of co-workers in 60 |
| a telco. | | | | countries. |
| Just like the other forms of VoIP, developers have had | | | | The biggest advantage of a peer to peer internet |
| some technological hurdles to overcome. Quality of | | | | telephony solution is the economical start up costs |
| Service, NATed firewalls, and centralized directories of | | | | (usualy the price of a headset), and the ability to turn |
| members using a dynamic IP address are just a few. | | | | your computer into a world wide communications |
| Also, as calls and instant messages are routed through | | | | center. While a "Soft Phone" and a headset is the |
| the public Internet, encryption is a must for any user. | | | | norm for most providers, hand helds and IP desk |
| Internet Telephony in Ecommerce | | | | phones are rapidly gaining ground in P2P internet |
| Probably the best known company and indeed a | | | | telephony. Peer to peer networking for online |
| pioneer of peer-to peer Internet telephony is Skype. | | | | communication - a technology coming of age for web |
| Originaly founded by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, | | | | sites, gamers, and the small business community. |