Cable companies scramble for their piece of increasing VoIP market
San Francisco, California June 15, 2006: The demand for VoIP service and equipment increased dramatically in the first quarter of 2006. According to a recent Infonetics report, CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System) sales jumped 30% from the previous quarter to a high of $257 M. This is due to a combination of increased demand from multiple service operators, pushing VoIP services as well as cable companies scrambling to compete with telecom giants to increase bandwidth capacity and support the rising demand for communication alternatives.
Already branded as “Digital Phone,†cable companies are looking to grow existing demand for VoIP services as more people are seeking cheaper ways to communicate. Technologies such as SIP, short for Session Initiated Protocol can establish sessions for features such as audio/videoconferencing, interactive gaming, and call forwarding to be deployed over IP networks, thus enabling service providers to integrate basic IP telephony services with Web, e-mail, and chat services. With SIP protocols, MSOs will be able to merge this technology to existing cable modems, enabling an easier transition to digital phone service. In addition, SIP is being developed for both wired and wireless services; cable companies are looking at this protocol as a potential next-generation technology for integrating VoIP into users experience. This may spell trouble for the smaller VoIP providers as the large Telco’s and cable providers look to enter the market with a bang.
While the MSOs are competing to bring digital phone to the market, Cisco is emerging as the far and away leader in this exciting market. According to figures from the first quarter, Cisco Systems currently provides over 60% of the ports and equipment (VoIP Gateways, switches) used in VoIP networks today. These increases in market share are prompting companies like Motorola to explore the possibilities of telephony service. This would allow Motorola to leverage their wireless phone service to utilize VoIP technology to recognize a users mobile phone and enable mobile service when it makes a connection with a wireless fidelity gateway. With the ever-increasing demand for communication alternatives, VoIP technology seems poised to become the backbone for the emerging digital phone revolution.
“CMTS market up 30% in 1Q06 as VoIP and high speed Internet access customers increase.†Infonetics Research. May 30, 2006. June 15, 2006. http://www.infonetics.com/resources/purple.shtml?ms06.ca.1q06.nr.shtml
“MSOs and Vendors Tackle Hurdles On the Road to Digital Phone Service.†Multichannel News. August 8, 2005. June 15, 2006. http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA632687.html?&display=Features&referral=SUPP
Bits of Technology – Voip at your Service
In the dazzling era of modern technology, the telecommunications sector is at the top of the list. More and more users want to benefit from sophisticated media services and that is why VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) has become one of the latest requests on the market.
The main feature of VoIP is that it combines both voice and data communication on a single network. Using this technology, voice and fax traffic are carried over an IP network with the help of common Internet equipment.
VoIP is a technology that allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet offering a multitude of advantages. The greatest feature is the ability to make local and more important global distance calls at a significant lower price than over a plain telephone.
VoIP came out originally as a technology that provides voice communication between computer users in different locations. It was new, daring and attractive. But it didn’t stop at computers. As the industry of telecommunications developed, people started to use VoIP first in PC-to-phone connections and then, after a brief period of time, for phone-to-phone connections.
But how does VoIP work? It requires from both users (sender and receiver) a broadband connection meaning a high-speed Internet connection (cable/DSL modem). Broadband modems were initially used for connecting PCs to the Internet, but, after VoIP started to kick in, telephones were connected directly through these modems making possible the functionality of this new technology.
A VoIP call starts with the user’s voice (analog) being sent from the regular phone to a device called Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA). This device converts the analog voice into digital samples with the help of a converter. The digital samples must be compressed into a standard format in order to be carried faster and more efficient. This process is done by digital signal processors which use codecs in order to shred the segment voice signal into frames. The compressed data must be put in IP packets. VoIP protocols use Real-Time Transport Protocol. Packets are transmitted over the Internet with a voice communication protocol such as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). The CO (Central Office) is the final step where the decision to where the call must be sent is taken.
SIP is a protocol, more exact – a signaling protocol, and it is one of the main branches of the telecommunication industry. It is a request/response protocol for starting communications between two users and it has several features: the medium (text, voice), the transport (RTP) and the encoding (codec). Other related functions of SIP are the abilities to indicate call ending and instant messaging.
SIP has many advantages among which ‘tech geeks’ include: stability, speed, flexibility, security (encryption), authetification. The first line of a SIP message contains the type of message and the version of SIP chosen. In requests, this line has an address (SIP URL) which represents the destination of the message.
SIP is frequently used in the VoIP technology but also in videoconferencing, answering machines, networked games, cell phone games and mobile e-bussiness applications. Also, it is already common knowledge that Java offers excelent support for SIP.
A simple tool, SIP is chosen by many providers in order to build converged voice and offer multimedia services. Still, we have to bear in mind that SIP does not do conference control. It isn’t a resource reservation protocol and it can never be linked with the quality of service.
VoIP and SIP are part of a new technology which allows phone-to-phone connections with the help of the Internet. While VoIP is already used by a lot of big companies in order to cut down on their expenses on business communications which include fax, conference calling and streaming video applications, SIP is just the protocol used for establishing sessions for an IP network.
SIP responds to the need for a catalytic protocol in the management of a VoIP call. SIP includes finding potential call participants and contacting them no matter where they are on the Globe or if they change their location. So, if you want to make a phone-to-phone conversation using the Internet, VoIP is just the thing for you. It has incredible extra features such as: video, conference, data exchange and, most importantly, it is cheap. Do not hesitate to choose this technology because it is a good option!
Why Should you Get a Vonage Voip?
Vonage technology enables anyone to make and receive phone calls worldwide with a touch-tone telephone. Vonage Offers quality phone service bundled with enhanced high-speed Internet connection and its interactive communications portal is a gateway to advanced features that is accessible through digital telephone service. Vonage is an all-inclusive phone service that gives local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada; and in select European countries for one low price. VoIP has gained popularity world over as an innovative, feature-rich and cost effective alternative to traditional telephony services.
By Vonage, you connect your telephone to your high-speed Internet connection using the Vonage phone adapter. When you pick up the phone, the Vonage phone adapter converts your voice into data and sends it through the Internet like an email. What you need is a Broadband Ethernet connection such as Cable or DSL, not dialup service since it is more likely to have speech delays. Moreover, a Vonage phone adapter that is provided free, upon signing up to Vonage, and any touch-tone phone. Now what you need to do is plug a regular phone into the phone plug, a network cable into the network plug, and a power cable into the power plug.
Now let us count the advantages that give an edge to vonage. First and foremost is- with Vonage, you can cut your telephone bill significantly, and converse worldwide by buying local telephone numbers from Vonage. Whether you are a telecommuter, or have a small business, Vonage Small Business Unlimited gives your business everything you need to maximize your savings and productivity. With 1,500 anytime minutes and a great low price it is easy to see how Vonage Small Business Basic service gives you. Each additional minute is only 3.9 cents. With the Vonage Premium Unlimited Plan you can make unlimited voice over IP phone calls anywhere in the United States and Canada for the low price of $24.99 a month. The saving on your phone bill can be as much as 50 percent. Many features Vonage gives even for free like, caller ID with name, call waiting, call forwarding, 3-way calling, in-network calls, transfer capabilities, click-2-call, call return, anonymous caller ID block, and repeat dialing. Checking voice mail over the Web is highly appealing. Vonage gives liberty from bill fears if family members are all over the world. If you use your phone much for calling long distance, you’ll quickly get tremendous value from a Vonage account. Vonage gives freedom to choose any area code. Its latest offer includes free calling to France, Spain, UK, and Italy. Vonage have a 24×7 toll free service line and you can use their customer care services to get answer any questions any time you need it. Thus, Vonage has potential to take over your old phone number and transfer it to their service.
