| I have been hearing and reading about lots of | | | | new unknowns still (My belief), connections- a few in |
| complaining concerning the voice quality of a VoIP | | | | the cables, connectors themselves but everything is |
| connection....both residential and business Is this real or | | | | relevent to what is defined as VoIP which is just a |
| memorex (so to speak). Just what are the REAL | | | | protocol- what about all those other things to access, |
| issues...and where may we (especially businesses) be | | | | control, and transport those packets? |
| headed with the maturation of VoIP? | | | | Then - keep in mind that a significant majority of |
| The issue is still that our IP networks are packet | | | | "telephone lines" are copper, TDM based. Longer loops |
| based. This is efficient for moving data, but not so | | | | have boosted loop current levels and mixed with IP -- |
| good for time and sequence sensitive traffic. | | | | you get echo. |
| Over private networks, we can adjust the | | | | The "list" of issues or causes and effects is just mind |
| communications elements for session versus packet | | | | boggling. It's not simple or black and white - short |
| centric performance. We make sure we have | | | | answer is "it depends." |
| sufficient bandwidth to allow a smooth stream of | | | | Once VoIP can meet those expectations of "just plug |
| session traffic (VoIP for example), we adjust | | | | it in" then we will in doubt be in a new world of |
| prioritization so that session traffic has priority, we | | | | telecom. It's a journey and it will be an adventure for |
| change our balancing and routing to insure sessions | | | | those that tough it out. It will be interesting to see and |
| follow a consistent symmetrical route. The result is a | | | | experience how it all plays out. |
| less efficient use of our bandwidth capacity, but a | | | | (Q)Do you think that less than toll quality voice will be a |
| higher quality session for the users. In short, we move | | | | limit to the growth of VoIP? |
| away from the purely packet delivery focus and | | | | No. Less than toll quality isn't a VoIP metric for |
| towards a channel like network. | | | | enterprise or carriers (Big Iron) or the softswitch world |
| Over the Internet, we lose the ability to optimize our | | | | either. VoIP as a whole - is improving- at least so says |
| session traffic. The Internet is by design application | | | | the media. :) Call quality is moving away from what we |
| neutral. The focus is on packet delivery, and each | | | | do for example with software and an appliance to |
| packet is as important as every other packet. At each | | | | watch voice packets, equipment, and other things... to |
| step in the communications path, the devices are tuned | | | | embedded monitoring call quality within the software |
| to receive a packet, determine which port to send it | | | | itself reporting back across the network. This is |
| out next, and move it on its way. Load balancing | | | | significant in when it becomes the norm--- then less |
| across multiple paths, each packet to a given | | | | expensive solutions to monitor, packet shape, and |
| destination may take a unique route. The criteria for | | | | direct voice packets to their final destinations on time |
| success is the delivery of packets error free. | | | | will notably change quality, MOS scores, etc. Who can |
| So what is likely to happen? I expect prioritization of | | | | afford the existing tools other than Big Iron and |
| session traffic over the carrier networks. They will | | | | L-Enterprise ? |
| implement it first for their own services, and the cost | | | | (Q)If poor voice quality continues can this cause a |
| of doing so will be recovered from that service | | | | backlash against VoIP and a return to Big Iron for |
| revenue. It will be available to individuals, companies, | | | | some companies? |
| and competing service providers as a premium | | | | Not likely. Too much is already invested and proven in |
| service. After all, it is a level of delivery above what | | | | the way of the carriers successfully delivery VoIP |
| simple Internet access promises. To work, the carriers | | | | traffic without the end-user knowing they are in fact |
| will have to agree on respecting each others | | | | on a VoIP segment or call. Ethernet Layer 2 provides |
| prioritization when traffic moves from one carrier to | | | | a slightly cheaper method of delivery over TDM and |
| another. This will probably be no different than their | | | | since cost is always a factor and as "techniques" |
| current method of carrying each others traffic from | | | | improve so will delivery. It isn't likely that a "pull out" will |
| business sense, and the engineers will quickly work out | | | | occur. |
| the technical aspects. The VoIP service companies will | | | | (Q)What can be done to raise VoIP voice quality to toll |
| scream that this isn't fair, that their service is simply | | | | grade? |
| using bandwidth paid for by their customers' access | | | | It depends upon which audience is addressed. From |
| fees. However, session prioritization is not what their | | | | where I sit: |
| customers' have contracted for, so their complaints will | | | | 1) Training - Certification - Field Experience by those |
| be ignored. A new level of access will become | | | | implementing VoIP; |
| common - possibly called Voice Assured or something | | | | 2) Metrics that measure not just MOS but the actual |
| along that line. | | | | voice packets for jitter, latency, etc and then |
| At some point, either a new startup carrier or an | | | | accountability in the missions of those making the |
| existing carrier will decide to market session priority as | | | | decisions- did we achieve our objective and what |
| part of their standard level of service. If sufficient | | | | were the true costs in doing so and how did it impact |
| customers switch to get this, the other carriers will | | | | us? |
| follow suit. By that time, most of the networks will | | | | 3) Timing - hardware isn't getting worse, it's getting |
| have become session prioritized as the standard build. | | | | better. (That's a fact) The industry is in a learning |
| Big iron will not benefit from all of this. | | | | curve- one that's not going to become stagnant |
| Some session service providers will lose out to the | | | | because deliverying VoIP in any form factor is |
| carriers because their business model relies on the | | | | challenging- it's not for those faint of heart. |
| performance of a competitor. Some will step up and | | | | (Implementers) |
| pay for session priority so that their customers do not. | | | | 4) User Expectations - this is one of the greatest |
| If they can survive with the reduced margins until | | | | failures not just in VoIP but delivery of any telecom / IT |
| session priority becomes the norm, they will retain their | | | | service or solution. The expectations are not set and |
| customer base. | | | | there is a consistent failure of "the meeting of the |
| (Q)Has anyone experienced poor call quality using | | | | minds." |
| VoIP? | | | | 5) Benchmarking vs. Hook-Line-Sinker - instead of |
| Yes - of course most people have knowingly or | | | | ramping an entire effort for VoIP cutovers - |
| unknowingly. VoIP traffic in all methods of delivery- | | | | organizations need to set some bench marking in |
| Skype, Vonage, Cable, IP-PBXs, Peer-2-Peer, | | | | place first. The temptation to go big vs small because |
| softswitches and COs... have varying degrees of | | | | the leaders within the organization need to score a big |
| voice quality issues in their experiences with VoIP. At | | | | hit (cost savings). |
| least for now. | | | | 6) QoS, access, transport, infrastructure - these all |
| (Q)Is this a case of poor equipment, poor software, | | | | apply to any user of VoIP. |
| bad connections, or what? | | | | Before jumping in, catch up and get into more specifics |
| This is a very broad issue. Too many people expect | | | | about what is wanted, methods of delivery, metrics, |
| to "just plug it in" and it's going to work- whatever "it" is | | | | how VoIP is planned before inking a deal or making a |
| defined as. The same is true about VoIP due to | | | | change with someone promising them something |
| marketing, misfires, bad judgment, and inexperience. | | | | better, faster, cheaper - as with anything. |
| There are many other reasons too - DSPs which are | | | | VoIP is here to stay. Sink, swim, or paddle - it's |
| improving (Fact), software gets fatter which patches | | | | rewarding, it's a beast to manage, challenging and very |
| the known existing issues and maybe creating a few | | | | rewarding for those who are prepared. |