When will the world have VoIP over POTS/PSTN?

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mammador

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Dec 9, 2010
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Is the goal for VoIP over PSTN achievable in the near future? Wouldn't there need to be even more broadband/digital cable installations globally for this to work out? Would it be possible that 4G mobile telephony could move this along?
 

silverpig

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Jul 29, 2001
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drebo

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Feb 24, 2006
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The PSTN is not and cannot be "VoIP". The two are not compatible.

VoIP can "on-ramp" to the PSTN. This is how VoIP service providers provide connectivity to existing infrastructure. However, the VoIP network itself is a completely different network.

Now, if you're asking "when will the PSTN start using packet switched (as opposed to circuit switched) voice throughout" then the answer is "it already is. kind of". Much of the long-distance networks have been redesigned to be packet-switched, because it's cheaper.

The other question is "when will we ditch copper circuits for voice". This, also, has been well in the works. AT&T Uverse voice is packet-based. They simply use the copper as a transport medium for the VDSL signal. This is similar to Comcast's voice. Comcast's voice is packet voice over the cable.

We will never get away from physical line connectivity. Wireless just isn't reliable enough. However, we are starting to get to the point where the VoIP infrastructure is expanding at a rate faster than the PSTN infrastructure. This is a good thing.

However, there are many efforts that will thwart the adoption of a purely packet-switched voice network. Namely, net neutrality. Also, the clinging to fax machines makes it extremely difficult to get away from traditional TDM copper.
 

wirednuts

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Jan 26, 2007
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its a big reason why i think americas internet infrastructure should be heavily government subsidized (paid by taxpayers). make us all pay for it, but give us all a free decent speed option.

that way it would insure that net neutrality is upheld, and it would allow VOIP to become a sole standard. POTS could be completely eliminated if everyone had an internet connection, even if some people used their connection just for phone.

some argue that POTS is a safe backup for basic communication, but i think thats what cell phones and am/fm radio is for. POTS is just redundant costly crap in this day and age.
 

drebo

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Feb 24, 2006
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its a big reason why i think americas internet infrastructure should be heavily government subsidized (paid by taxpayers). make us all pay for it, but give us all a free decent speed option.

that way it would insure that net neutrality is upheld, and it would allow VOIP to become a sole standard. POTS could be completely eliminated if everyone had an internet connection, even if some people used their connection just for phone.

some argue that POTS is a safe backup for basic communication, but i think thats what cell phones and am/fm radio is for. POTS is just redundant costly crap in this day and age.

This is an absolutely terrible idea. But, thanks for playing anyway.
 

LiuKangBakinPie

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Jan 31, 2011
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Answer: The answer is address translation. Your computer or VoIP device connected to the Internet has an IP address assigned to it. When you call a person on a PSTN landline phone, your call is handed over to the PSTN network through the person's phone number, which you dial. And vice-versa. In VoIP, every phone number has an IP address to which it maps. Each time a device (PC, IP phone, ATA etc.) engages in a VoIP call, its IP address is translated into the phone number, which is then handed over to the PSTN network. This is analogous to the way web addresses (domain names) and email addresses are mapped to IP addresses.
This is besides the basis of some of the patents that Verizon claimed Vonage infringed upon in March 2007. This caused big trouble for Vonage, one of the leading VoIP companies. Vonage used the PSTN network to translate VoIP addresses (and hence numbers) to. Since Verizon has some history and certain rights over PSTN, they sued Vonage, and won their case.

http://voip.about.com/od/voipbasics/f/IPToPSTN.htm
 

mammador

Platinum Member
Dec 9, 2010
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The PSTN is not and cannot be "VoIP". The two are not compatible.

VoIP can "on-ramp" to the PSTN. This is how VoIP service providers provide connectivity to existing infrastructure. However, the VoIP network itself is a completely different network.

Now, if you're asking "when will the PSTN start using packet switched (as opposed to circuit switched) voice throughout" then the answer is "it already is. kind of". Much of the long-distance networks have been redesigned to be packet-switched, because it's cheaper.

The other question is "when will we ditch copper circuits for voice". This, also, has been well in the works. AT&T Uverse voice is packet-based. They simply use the copper as a transport medium for the VDSL signal. This is similar to Comcast's voice. Comcast's voice is packet voice over the cable.

We will never get away from physical line connectivity. Wireless just isn't reliable enough. However, we are starting to get to the point where the VoIP infrastructure is expanding at a rate faster than the PSTN infrastructure. This is a good thing.

However, there are many efforts that will thwart the adoption of a purely packet-switched voice network. Namely, net neutrality. Also, the clinging to fax machines makes it extremely difficult to get away from traditional TDM copper.

What I meant to say is when VoIP will take over PSTN as the main standard for telephony.
 

PsiStar

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Dec 21, 2005
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What I have been waiting for someone to point out is ...

that VoIP would be redundant on POTS.

AND

VoIP is the competition to POTS.

AND

POTS does not have the bandwidth.
 

mammador

Platinum Member
Dec 9, 2010
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But the telecommunications industry wants to actively replace POTS/PSTN with VoIP. it's not a matter of competition really, but the phasing out of one for the other.
 

wirednuts

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Jan 26, 2007
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What I have been waiting for someone to point out is ...

that VoIP would be redundant on POTS.

AND

VoIP is the competition to POTS.

AND

POTS does not have the bandwidth.

well i tried to explain that but i was shot down as retarded with no explanation.
 
Mar 10, 2005
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What I meant to say is when VoIP will take over PSTN as the main standard for telephony.

if you live in a medium-to-large metropolis, it already is/has. my former employer ripped out its hard switches and sold them to saudi arabia 10 years ago. any high-density area should have hfc or ftth builds by now, and those customers get voip even if they only subscribe to pots.
 

smb

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Mar 7, 2000
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its a big reason why i think americas internet infrastructure should be heavily government subsidized (paid by taxpayers). make us all pay for it, but give us all a free decent speed option.

that way it would insure that net neutrality is upheld, and it would allow VOIP to become a sole standard. POTS could be completely eliminated if everyone had an internet connection, even if some people used their connection just for phone.

some argue that POTS is a safe backup for basic communication, but i think thats what cell phones and am/fm radio is for. POTS is just redundant costly crap in this day and age.

LOL...tell that to the telecommunications lobbyist in washington.
 
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