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Internet Telephony, also known as IP Telephony, is for any telephony application that can be enabled across a data network via the Internet Protocol.

Internet Telephony is created by the merging of the circuit-switched and packet-switched world. In the past, real-time voice information is sent over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). With the circuit-switched technology, every call takes up a dedicated bandwidth. End-to-end calls are established on the basis of a sequence of dialed digits, and the PSTN dedicates a physical path between callers. Although the telephone equipment establishes the call path at the beginning of the call, the path may change between calls, but not during any specific call.

In comparison with a PSTN, an Internet Protocol (IP) network or Internet Telephony network has a packet-switched architecture. Devices transmit data in packets, and the path from end to end can vary within an established session. In addition to data, packets also contain addressing information, which routing devices used to send information to its destination. Routing devices maintain tables which instruct them how to direct packets. As networking environments change, routing devices are updated with dynamic protocols.

Traditionally the PSTN was the only network supporting voice communication. With Internet Telephony, voice, fax, data, and video can be sent over IP-based packet-switched networks. There are also many Internet Telephony applications such as web-enabled Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Unified Messaging, intelligent Private Branch Exchanges (PBXs) and much more Internet Telephony applications being invented due to the merging of computer and telephony technology. The term Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) is now becoming increasing popular and there will be series of applications, which are now under development, to meet the growing demands for new technologies.




What Are The Advantages Of Internet Telephony       


InternetTelephony efficiently improves the use of bandwidth of real-time voice transmission.
Internet Telephony offers the promise of cost savings through the use of shared data network resources, such as carrying voice over a private network between facilities in a company.
InternetTelephony offers equivalent degree of quality and improvement for fax transmissions, voice-mail/messaging delivery and other applications.
Internet Telephony provides improved efficiency and quality of service to customers while generating new revenues for call centers, help desks, customer support and other information operator intensive activities.
Internet Telephony can be used with any existing PSTN leased and dial-up lines, PBXs and other Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), enterprise Wide Area Networks (WANs)/Local Area Networks (LANs) and Internet connections.
Internet Telephony can also be utilized without the need of computers, modems, or Internet access for alternate telephone calling.
Internet Telephony can be used transparently without needing to know that the Internet, TCP/IP or packet switching are involved.




                            Future With Internet Telephony      


 
With the evolution of telecommunication, Internet Telephony has already created the initial foundation for a new class of applications. This technological innovation will be anything but static; it will be an expanding and ongoing technology that will offer more solutions to satisfy the growing needs for the Internet and computer telecommunications industry.