Network management Toolkit

VoIP showcases advanced phone services

Ben Charny CNET News.com

Published: 22 Jan 2004 11:00 GMT

Another effort aiming to create new VoIP applications is Digium's Asterisk, a Linux-based open-source project that is developing "soft switches," which are open application program interface software tools that are used to bridge a public switched telephone network and a broadband phone service. Sakaria said VoicePulse and other providers are beginning to look at this new developer community for applications and ideas.

Phones are smartening up
The rush to find killer applications for VoIP is also putting pressure on IP phone makers to smarten up their handsets and reduce their prices.

A majority of home phones still have no display screens, so broadband phone applications for now must rely on the clunky and limited dial pad interface. Some broadband phone providers have tried to open up these cramped confines by introducing Web sites for those who want the relative comfort of a full screen and keypad.

It's a much less expensive alternative than buying phones, from Cisco and other manufacturers, that are specifically designed for use over IP networks. These can go for as much as $1,000 (£546) but usually start at about $300 each.

These VoIP phones were built to perform some of the most complex tasks around. They all have large display screens, some in colour, plus an extra set of buttons for manoeuvring through menus or turning on applications.

"When the price of these phones drops below the $50 point, then the really cool things can happen," Sakaria said.

1 2 3

Did you find this article useful?
146 out of 309 people found this useful

Post a comment

Full Talkback thread

0 comments

More In Network management

Company/Topic Alerts

Create a new alert from the list below:

Related Jobs

Associate Director of Business Intelligence

Flexible team player with the ability to establish good working relationships with colleagues at all levels - Capable of working under pressure and ...

CRM Incentive Compensation Management Consultants-00047339

You will be responsible for defining/driving the overall technical solution and will need to be able to demonstrate a strong track record in ...

Head of Information

To be considered for this role, you will need to demonstrate the following skills and attributes: Essential - Educated to Post Graduate Level in a ...

Featured Talkback

Could it be that ISP’s are making this out to be a bigger problem than it actually is? We’re a small country with an internet penetration of less than 60%, for every Youtuber there’s someone who only uses the internet to check their emails, more people surf on their mobile handsets than a few years ago. Surely things should even themselves up.