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Technology Stocks : Voice-on-the-net (VON), VoIP, Internet (IP) Telephony -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jeff Pulver who wrote (1007)	7/20/1998 9:02:00 PM
From: Frank A. Coluccio	Respond to of 3178

Jeff, In one of the points I was making over in the Ftel thread, I was actually referring to the administrative hooks such as the CDR capabilities and other reporting aspects, when I stated other gateway protocols. And behind the curtains, I always think of electronic bonding with other service providers through the use of OSS-like systems as well, to support number portability, customer account information, etc. In line with the trunking and call management protocols that you referenced, I also feel that mapping SS7 and AIN attributes to IP, and vice versa, are likewise features that will serve to differentiate ITSPs in the near to interim future, during the transition phase, and the platforms (read: manufacturers' wares) that these ITSPs chose to employ, along with global name databse handling and directory services. I've been following some of the work that Soliant has been involved with in this regard, and one thing that pops off the page real fast is that this is not child's play, by any means. You say, "Hope this helps." And how, it sure has. You gave a lot more than I asked for, and all I can say is Thanks, and Best Regards, Frank C.

To: Jeff Pulver who wrote (1007)	7/20/1998 9:52:00 PM
From: BuzzVA	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3178

Mr. Pulver, Thanks for your response to Frank's earlier question. Can you expand on your statement that follows, Right now the only way people are able to get around the lack of Interoperablity between Gateways it to connect to a traditional Switch and use PSTN as common platform. But this has limited applications.

To: Jeff Pulver who wrote (1007)	7/21/1998 12:17:00 AM
From: Darren DeNunzio	Respond to of 3178

The death of the Gatekeeper... H.323 interoperability has been the buzz-word used by the industry leaders to justify their position in these early stages of VoIP development. It seems everyone was trying to position their products as the "industry standard solution". We can all see the results of these actions. Many solutions, and no standard. Thus the VoIP market has gone nowhere in the last quarter. Now all of these companies who announced their entrance into the VoIP market, are trying frantically to deliver the solution. It is entirely possible that none of the current solutions will emerge as a standard. It is even more unlikely that we will see a standard based on several of the current solutions. Company rivalry will prevent this. Perhaps the reason for the delay in the integration of these Gateways into the existing infrastructure, is the infrastructure itself. The biggest stumbling blocks have been QoS and Accounting. These features are not part of the existing Internet infrastructure, but are necessary for VoIP. The solution (for many) was to add a controlling layer that would run over the existing IP backbone. This layer has emerged as the Gatekeeper. At the time of its inception, the Gatekeeper was seen as the only way to get the additional functionality from the existing legacy network. At the time no one would have imagined that the additional layer would be integrated into the Internet at the router layer, at least not in the immediate future. Well it seems that the future is already here. All of the large router manufacturers have either announced plans to incorporate these features into their routers, or in the case of the largest (Cisco), already have incorporated these features into their routers. cisco.com It seems that time has run out for the Gatekeepers. Quoting from the Cisco Web Site.... The Cisco IP/ATM WAN service architecture combines the application layer visibility of IP and the traffic management capabilities of ATM--on a single platform. The IP/ATM architecture empowers services providers to provision hybrid LAN/WAN services such as VoIP for managed LAN networks and VoIP PBX trunking--with toll-quality voice. The IP/ATM architecture is setting the standard for the "next generation" in carrier class infrastructure solutions by combining the best attributes of IP and ATM. And in doing so, it is opening the door to new revenue-generating opportunities that will shape the future of the telecommunications business. Network Management--The Glue that Makes IP/ATM Work Cisco network management capabilities support end-to-end multiservice networks, enabling you to combine all network devices under a comprehensive device, network, and service management structure. In addition to managing the core infrastructure, Cisco enables management of customer premises equipment, ensuring availability and QoS for customer applications. The VoIP - ATM Service Portfolio In addition to supporting standalone services (such as VoIP over cable or VoIP long distance toll bypass services), the IP/ATM architecture empowers service providers with the ability to provision "next-generation packet-cell" services which blend the best attributes of IP (i.e. application layer visibility) and ATM (cell-based traffic management). Enterprise VoIP Opportunities Enterprise customers represent one of the fastest-growing business opportunities for service providers. These customers are increasingly looking to outsource networking services because of the financial, operational, or managerial challenges of running a state-of-the-art information system. VoIP-VoATM PBX Trunking Voice VPNs for PBX switches recently have been one of the most profitable businesses for service providers. Traditionally, service providers used their CLASS 4/5 switches to provision such services. However, by leveraging the Cisco signaling architecture, service providers now have the capability to offer such services over the IP/ATM backbone - at substantially reduced port and transport costs. Virtual Call Centers Call centers are typically built on three network infrastructures: Voice VPN (for 800 routing), managed LAN (for service personnel) and PBX network (for local call handling). With the IP/ATM architecture, all three networks can be merged into a single bundled offering. Consumer/Residential VoIP Opportunities In residential markets, service providers stand to benefit from being able to deliver similar bundled services to the home. Internet access, cable television, voice, as well as emerging on-demand video/information services are the leading candidates for winning consumer acceptance and loyalty. And just as in business, consumers prefer to receive one bill from one service provider for their communication and entertainment needs. Unified Messaging Customer churn is one of the biggest problems faced by service providers today. To combat this problem, service providers need to move their customers away from a "cost-based" decision model to one based on "value." Bundling a customers e-mail, wireless, and wireline phone mail is one way to sell the value verses the service cost. When VoIP is combined with an IP/ATM architecture, service providers can provision and deliver unified messaging services to any number of devices (PC, Cable, DSL, Wireless, and so on). Secondary Dial-Tone to Cable and DSL Customers The "battle for the consumer" will determine which of today's service providers will become tomorrow's industry leaders. By combining VoIP over cable and DSL with the IP/ATM network, service providers have the capability to provision local and long distance services that are very competitive to traditional POTS services. With its ability to support multiple levels of QoS (allowing for the provisioning of discount and premium service levels) and multiple signaling interfaces (allowing for connectivity to PSTN and wireless networks), the IP/ATM infrastructure can substantially reduce costs and time to market for competitive carriers deploying residential services. Don't Bet on the Future--Be Ready for It So it seems that the future for VoIP is even brighter than before. Food for thought.... Cisco has a market cap of 107 billion. (thats billion with a B). Their stock has nearly doubled in value in less than one year. Today the stock gained 3.45% to close near $103 with more than 15,000,000 shares traded.