Telephony and VoIP

Fundamentals
Steven Taylor
President, Distributed Networking Associates, Inc.
Publisher/Editor, Webtorials
taylor@webtorials.com

Larry Hettick
Vice President, Wireline Solutions
Current Analysis
larry@larryhettick.com

Copyright & Notices

Professional Opinions - All information presented and opinions expressed by Distributed

Networking and/or Larry Hettick are the current opinions of Distributed Networking and/or
Larry Hettick based on professional judgment and best available information at the time of
presentation. Consequently, the information is subject to change, and no liability for advice
presented is assumed. Ultimate responsibility for choice of appropriate solutions remains
with the Customer.

Copyright, 2004 - Distributed Networking Associates and/or Larry Hettick. All portions of
this presentation are copyrighted by Distributed Networking Associates and/or Larry Hettick
and/or the organization credited as the source of information. All forms of reproduction
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prohibited without the express prior written permission of Distributed Networking Associates
and/or Larry Hettick.

1
 Thanks to the sponsor…
„ This presentation is
made possible in part
due to the generous
support of Nortel
Networks.

Agenda
„ The Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
„ Architecture
„ Digital Voice

„ What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?

„ Implementing VoIP

„ Unified Communications and

Applications Convergence

2
 PSTN Architecture
SS7 Control
Network

Tandem
Office
Central
Office Tandem
Office Central
Office

Call info
Control info

Digital Voice Example

(PCM)

„ 8000 Samples per second

„ 255 code levels (8 bits per sample)
„ 64,000 bits per second

Source: Screen capture from “CoolEdit” - http://www.syntrillium.com/

3
 Traditional Digital Hierarchy
„ 64 kbps (DS0) is the fundamental building
block
„ DS1 (T1) carries 24 DS0s in 1.544 Mbps
„ DS3 (T3) carries 28 T1s in ~45 Mbps
„ OC1 carries 3 T3s on ~150 Mbps
„ Data speeds have been adapted to fit into
this hierarchy

Agenda
„ The Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
„ Architecture
„ Digital Voice

„ What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?

„ Implementing VoIP

„ Unified Communications and

Applications Convergence

4
Traditional Data Nets
Layer 1:
Physical Layer

Layer 2: Ethernet,
Frame Relay, etc.

Layer 3:
IP

Layer 4:
TCP, UDP

Layer 7:
Application data

VoIP
Layer 1:
Physical Layer

Layer 2: Ethernet,
Frame Relay, etc.

Layer 3:
IP

Layer 4: UDP
for conversation content

Layer 7:
Voice Packets

5
 Voice Variables
„ Three distinct functions may or may not be
used:
„ Compression
„ Could packetize 64 kbps PCM
„ But usually implies a more efficient coding scheme
„ Packetizing
„ Same low-bit-rate algorithms can be used over a dedicated
connection
„ VoIP is always packetized
„ Silence Suppression

Agenda
„ The Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
„ Architecture
„ Digital Voice

„ What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?

„ Implementing VoIP

„ Unified Communications and

Applications Convergence

6
 Integrated Traditional
and VoIP Network

Control Networks

Tandem
Office
IP Network
Central
Gateway Gateway
Office Tandem
Office Central
Office

Call info
Control info

Typical VoIP Components

„ Hardware / Premise Equipment
„ Gateway Function
„ Usually embedded into another device
„ VoIP-enabled routers
„ IP PBX and IP-enabled PBX
„ Services
„ “IP Centrex”
„ IP-based transport of POTS/PSTN
calls

7
 VoIP Network Architecture
IP Telephony
Service Provider
(IPSP) PSTN
PSTN

IP Centrex IP Phone
IP Phone

IP PBX IP PBX Traditional

Traditional Internet (with or
(with or Phone
Phone Without Without
Router) Router)

Traditional
Traditional
PBX
PBX
Private IP Network
VoIP
VoIP
Router
Router

ATM, Frame Relay,

or Private Line
Network

Agenda
„ The Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
„ Architecture
„ Digital Voice

„ What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?

„ Implementing VoIP

„ Unified Communications and

Applications Convergence

8
 Converged IT Network
Architecture
IP Telephony
Service Provider
(IPSP) PSTN
PSTN

IP Phone
Information IP Centrex IP Phone

Processing
IP PBX IP PBX Traditional
Traditional Internet (with or
(with or Phone
Phone Without Without
Router) Router)

Traditional
Traditional

and Storage
PBX
PBX
Private IP Network
VoIP
VoIP
Router
Router

ATM, Frame Relay,

or Private Line
Network

Thank you!
„ Summary
„ The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
„ Architecture
„ Digital Voice
„ What is Voice over IP (VoIP)?
„ Implementing VoIP
„ Unified Communications and Applications Convergence
„ For more information
„ Webtorials
„ http://www.webtorials.com
„ Nortel Networks
„ Sponsor of this presentation
„ http://www.nortelnetworks.com