VOIP The Next Level: Part One

Introduction

Since the first commercial exploitation of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in March 1995, with Vocal Tec's Vocal Chat' software, VoIP has irreversibly altered the traditional value chain in the telecommunications industry. The speed, flexibility and rich capabilities of the internet, combined with the holy grail of fixed and mobile convergence, are radically transforming the way in which we communicate.

Technological advances and increased broadband penetration have driven the VoIP revolution, allowing cheaper voice calls and providing a platform for innovative services such as distance learning, video conferencing and unified messaging.