Voip Applications

VoIP could be applied to almost any voice communications requirement, ranging from a simple inter-office intercom to complex multi-point teleconferencing/shared screen environments, passing through applications like Net2Phone and voice mails. Some examples of VoIP applications that are likely to be useful would be:

• Remote access from a branch office: A small office could gain access to corporate voice, data, and facsimile services using the company's Intranet. This may be useful for home-based agents working in a call centre. An example can be a bank that wants to reduce costs and combine traffic to provide voice and data access to the main office. This is accomplished by using a packet network to provide standard data transmission while at the same time enhancing it to carry voice traffic along with the data.
  
  
• Internet-aware telephones: Ordinary telephones can be enhanced to serve as an Internet access device as well as providing normal telephony, using VoIP technology. The Internet is so rich in resources and the telephone is relatively poor, though that much popular and useful. Using VoIP, directory services, for example, could be accessed over the Internet by submitting a name and receiving a voice reply. The telephone can be used to query database for any information, including membership details to communication companies.
  
  
• PSTN gateway: Interconnection of the Internet to the PSTN can be accomplished using a gateway either integrated into a PBX (the iPBX) or provided, for example, would have access to the public network by calling a gateway at a point close to the destination (thereby minimizing long distance charges).
  
  
• Internet call centre access: Access to call centre facilities via the Internet is emerging as a valuable adjunct to electronic commerce applications. Internet call centre access would enable a customer who has questions about a product being offered over the Internet to access customer service agents online. VoIP can be further be used to interconnect different call centres, thereby coordinating the work between them.
  
  
• Voice calls from a mobile PC via the Internet: Calls to the office can be achieved using a multimedia PC that is connected via the Internet. One example would be using the Internet to call from a hotel instead of using expensive hotel telephones. This could be ideal for submitting or retrieving voice messages. All you need is a PC (laptop), equipped with the necessary hardware and software to allow for VoIP application.