Voice Over IP Products

We would like to classify the products using VOIP to 3 main groups:

1. Software Based Solutions
2. End user Hardware and Gizmos
3. VOIP Network Hardware

Software Based Solutions

• Internet Phone - VocalTec's Internet Phone client was the first application to offer real-time voice communication over the 'net. As a matter of fact, Internet Phone remains one of the best clients in a now over-crowded market of 'net phone products. Using advanced compression schemes, VocalTec has produced a tool that allows for both audio and video high-quality transmissions, even over 14.4 and 28.8 Kbps SLIP/PPP connections.
  Recent releases also offer direct PC-to-Phone calling capabilities which gives Internet Phone users the ability to call regular telephone numbers anywhere in the world and thereby save a bundle on long distance charges (this feature does require the use of an internet telephony service provider, or ITSP). Sound quality is extremely high considering the medium, but it's still a far cry from being as clear as a telephone conversation. Still, the quality has improved with each new release of Internet Phone and will likely continue to improve with each new release of the client. (The new release is also compliant with ITU H.323, the new international standard for audio and video communications over the Internet)
  
  
• Net2Phone - With Internet phone clients like WebPhone, Internet Phone, and TeleVox, the person you call must already be on the Internet and, in most cases, must be using the same software.
  Net2Phone, on the other hand, allows anyone with a multimedia PC (A soundcard and a microphone) to place domestic and international calls from his computer to any telephone in the world. The computer-generated call is transmitted over the Internet to Net2Phone's phone switches. At these switches, the call signal is converted from the Internet's packet switch network to the circuit switch network used by telephone companies. The signal is then carried to the recipient of the telephone number originally dialed. The result is real-time voice communication with anyone in the world, at only the cost of the Internet connection and a small surcharge.
  
  
• Surf & Call - Surf&Call (VocalTec) is a unique Web plug-in designed for Web-based telecommunications applications. Surf&Call enables a live voice connection from any Web site, through the Internet, to any regular telephone. For only the cost of an Internet connection, e-commerce customers can communicate by voice with each other (Other e-commerce customers shopping at the same site) - all from their PC. On a Web page, Surf&Call appears as a button for the surfer to click. With most browsers, Surf&Call downloads itself and installs automatically when a user arrives at a Surf&Call-enabled Web page. After the plug-in is installed, surfers can use their multimedia PC to speak with a customer care representative at a pre-set phone number anywhere on the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or take advantage of a Web sites dial-anywhere and flat-rate or usage-billable Web telephony service. While the customer care representative speaks to the e-commerce customer using VoIP technology, he is able to view in real-time the exact screen the cusromer views, and show the customer how to carry out what he wishes, by performing actions on his computer, which happen simultanteously on the customer's computer on the remote premises.
  
  
• Rave 2 - Rave 2 is a partner application for ICQ that makes it possible to actually talk to ICQ users rather than having to type messages back and forth. With Rave 2 one can carry on two-way voice conversations with anyone on the ICQ network that also uses Rave 2.
  
  
• Microsoft Netmeeting - Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01 is considered to be one of the best Net phones available in the market today. It sports a svelte, simple-to-use interface and places calls with a single click. NetMeeting's superb whiteboard and application sharing make it an ideal business tool with high-quality audio.
  As its name suggests, NetMeeting is more than just a way to talk on the Internet. It also transfers files, places videoconference calls, and includes a shared virtual whiteboard so that you can collaborate with other callers. It even lets you share applications with other users. For instance, you can run Word on your machine so that everyone can see and discuss (and even edit) your document on their screens.
  NetMeeting supports the Internet's H.323 phone standard, so you can call and talk to people who use other Net phones that also support this standard.
  

End User Hardware And Gizmos

• VOIP Blaster - The VoIP Blaster features a powerful Digital Signal Processor (DSP) that delivers superior Voice-over-IP calls. The VoIP Blaster converts analog voice signals into streams of packet information that are transmitted as digital data in real-time over the Internet.
  When received at the destination, this data is converted back into the original voice signal without the garbled sound, echoes or delays associated with software based Voice-over-IP solutions. VoIP Blaster's DSP also reduces the need for system resources or additional system requirements like a sound card, microphone or speakers.
  When you make PC-to-PC calls to other VoIP Blaster users anywhere in the world, the cost of the call is free. That's because the VoIP Blaster transfers the voice over the Internet like any a file or email. There's also no need for a second telephone line or disconnecting from the Internet. If the other user isn't online, you can leave a voice mail message of up to three minutes.
  
• Aplio - Black box that turns an ordinary telephone into an Internet Telephone without a computer. pop
• Calista - PBXoverIP Solo™ allows nearly any digital PBX telephone to be relocated to a remote location. Using Voice Over IP technology.
• CIDCO - Internet/phone device. Calls are made on POTS, surfing is made on Internet.
• Vienna Systems - IPCourier is an Ethernet phone that provides PBX like functionality without the PBX. IPShuttle is a customer premises device that allows up to two standard telephones to be plugged into an IP network. SerialSet is a serial telephone that connects directly to a PC serial interface.
• Add@Tel - Surf and talk at the same time. Receive phone calls while browsing the Internet, on one analog line! USB Telephone Adapter.
• Ezfone - PC adapter for phone-to-phone over IP. Connect your phone to the adapter in your PC and turn your PC into a one line H.323 gateway.
• InnoMedia - InfoAccel™ is a plug-and-play VoIP PCI card that easily installs into your PC. InfoAccel uses your Internet connection to make free long-distance calls over the Internet to other InfoAccel users, and call any phone in more than 200 countries at significantly reduced rates.
• MagicTalk - It's a small stand-alone device that enables you to place an Internet phone call to any phone in the world. The dot matrix LCD will guide your setting at the beginning. NO computer, no Internet software, no specific carriers and no gateway (for MagicTalk-to-MagicTalk) are required.
• MCK - Branch Office EXTender extends digital system phones over IP. Support several PBXs including Nortel Meridian & Norstar and Lucent Definity.

VOIP Network Hardware

A large variety of products exist in this field too. Routers, Gateways and IP switches and Quality of Service products that optimize the use of Voice Over IP over the Internet or Intranet. Some of the leading names in this field are: Cisco, Lucent, Ericsson and Broadcom.
Here is a sample of such product:

MultiVOIP - With the MultiVOIP Gatekeeper, network managers have the ability to configure, monitor and manage the activity of registered network endpoints. In addition, managers can set policies and control network resources, such as bandwidth usage, to ensure optimal implementation. It also provides seamless interoperability between PBX dial plans and IP-based terminals. And, it provides call centers with the ability to perform needs-based call routing.
Features:
• H.323 Version 2 compliance
• Admissions control determines whether H.323 devices are allowed to access resources (make calls)
• Address translation allows calls to be routed across your network
• Bandwidth control monitors and controls H.323 bandwidth usage to provide superior QoS
• Zone control provides defined call control services to all registered endpoints in the gatekeeper's zone
• Bandwidth management controls the number of H.323 devices that are allowed to simultaneously use the network
• Call routing directs calls to specified groups of gateways
• Call authorization/access authorizes or rejects a given call based on time of day, type of service, gateway restrictions or lack of available bandwidth
• Configurable "neighbor gatekeeper" database for optimized inter-gatekeeper communication and efficient call routing
• Intra-zone security mechanism to control calling activity within a zone using PBX-like prefix dialing
• Support for non-RAS endpoints such as Microsoft NetMeeting