WHITE PAPER

Secure WebRTC for Contact Centers

Delivering Superior Customer Experience and Increased
Agent Productivity
 The AudioCodes WebRTC solution provides contact center customers
the most secure, comprehensive, yet easy to deploy web-based voice
communications solution, resulting in improved customer experience,
cost savings and enhanced customer service operations

1. INTRODUCTION
In this document, we discuss the improved customer experience, cost savings, and enhanced IT productivity
brought about by the introduction of web real-time communications (WebRTC) in the contact center and
the potential security vulnerabilities it presents. We introduce the AudioCodes WebRTC Solution, which
comprises a feature rich WebRTC gateway that is fully integrated with AudioCodes market-leading session
border controller (SBC) and a WebRTC client SDK. AudioCodes’ unique solution prevents all threats carried
by internet-based WebRTC traffic. It also enables reduction in IT hardware and software components as
well as management simplification, and cost-effectiveness.

2. WEBRTC IS TRANSFORMING THE CONTACT CENTER

WebRTC (Web real-time communications) is a highly disruptive, cutting-edge technology and communications
standard that enables natively embedding real-time voice, video, and chat communications capabilities in
web browsers without the need for plug-ins or other downloaded
software components. WebRTC is a set of Application Programming
Interface (APIs) that allows organizations and developers to add
real-time communications (RTC) features to their web browser
and mobile applications without having to deal with the inherent FIGURE 1 - WEBRTC PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS
complexities of requiring downloads or plugins to use them.
WebRTC is a combination of two standards: an IETF-driven “media engine” and set of IP network protocols
for real-time communications, plus an API invented by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) enabling
browser-to-browser applications for voice calling, video chat, and peer-to-peer communications. WebRTC
includes the fundamental building blocks required for high-quality communications on the web, such as
voice and video networking, audio and video processing and data channel for chat and screen sharing
services.

WebRTC has gained universal acceptance. It is widely used for voice and video calling and is supported
in the Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge browsers, as well as in Android and iOS mobile operating
systems. WebRTC standards have stabilized and address areas such as security, encryption, voice/video
codec implementations, connection establishment, network address translation (NAT) traversal, packet
loss concealment, bandwidth management, and voice over IP (VoIP)/media transfer. WebRTC supports
mass-market consumer communications applications (such as Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger/
WhatsApp/Instagram, Snapchat, Oculus VR Chat. Business), as well as business services such as Amazon
Chime, Slack, and GoToMeeting.

WebRTC is revolutionizing the contact center as well1 . It enables an omnichannel approach to customer
service by allowing customers to engage with contact center agents (either on-premises or work-at-home
- WAHA) via a “Click-to-Call” button, in context, while they are browsing the contact center customer
website. The agents themselves may be equipped with a SIP phone, a softphone, a web browser (on a
PC, a Chromebook or tablet or mobile phone), or a WebRTC-based mobile application. The interaction can
occur via any of the following modes of customer engagement:

1. https://www.uctoday.com/contact-centre/why-webrtc-is-boosting-the-contact-centre-experience/

1 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 • Web-based voice calling or conferencing
• Web-based chat
• Web-based video calling or conferencing
• Message and file sharing
• Screen sharing FIGURE 2 - WEBRTC PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS

From the perspective of the contact center IT team, WebRTC is attractive because of the operations
simplification, productivity gains, and cost savings it delivers. With WebRTC, there is no need to install and
maintain downloadable applications or plug-ins to agents’ PCs or web browsers or provide them with (and
maintain) hardware SIP phones. Furthermore, with WebRTC, connectivity is made seamless for work at
home agents, regardless of the home router being used and its configuration.

WebRTC is prevalent in the fast-growing cloud contact center as a service (CCaaS) market2 as well. More
often than not, CCaaS solutions rely on WebRTC as the underlying communications platform because
using WebRTC is simple, ensures high voice and video quality while removing the need for application
downloads or client upgrades.
because using WebRTC is simple, ensures high voice and video quality while removing the need for
application downloads or client upgrades. It also makes NAT/firewall traversal a breeze.

WebRTC is already being used by established and emerging CCaaS providers, including: Genesys, Avaya,
NICE inContact, Five9, Enghouse Interactive, Vocalcom, Puzzel, Twillio, and Amazon Connect to name a
few.

3. CONTACT CENTER NEEDS ADDRESSED BY WEBRTC

All contact centers, regardless of industry vertical, aim to handle customer service smoothly and at the
lowest operations cost possible. Paramount to contact center operators are three requirements:

1. Improve customer experience (CX), so they can delight their customers through every interaction they
have with them, from a web site visit to a customer service phone session with an agent. Among the
delight factors are:
• Easy and immediate reachability of an agent, which is greatly enhanced by the WebRTC click-
to-call feature
• High quality voice (and video) communications, which is made possible by the Opus (and AV1)
codecs used by WebRTC
• Interaction/co-browsing with agents who are aware of the context which led the customer to
click-to-call customer service and are more knowledgeable of the customer issue

2. Minimize telephony costs, which WebRTC facilitates by:

• Eliminating toll calls, as no 1-800 toll-free access charges are incurred when customers click to
call the contact center.

3. Enhance IT productivity and simplify customer service operations, which WebRTC facilitates by:
• Obsoleting the need for download, installation, or upgrades of agent client software
• Minimizing quality issues created by network impairments
• Reducing the need for IT knowhow as voice and video connectivity are addressed by the web
browser.

2. Enabled by WebRTC, the worldwide cloud-based contact center market is predicted to grow from US$ 6.47B in 2017 to US$ 24.11B by 2023, at a CAGR of 25%

https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/cloud-based-contact-center-market-trends-size-growth-and-segments-by-forecast-to-2023-2018-09-20

2 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 4. THE ROLE OF A WEBRTC GATEWAY
A WebRTC gateway enables connectivity between a WebRTC-based endpoint and any of the following
SIP-based applications and endpoints:

• a SIP-based contact center application server

• SIP trunking services
• Enterprise UC/UCaaS platform
• SIP phones/softphones
• PSTN phone (via a PSTN gateway).

As such, a WebRTC gateway extends the scope of WebRTC applications and enables interoperability of
WebRTC with SIP and PSTN.

FIGURE 3 - WEBRTC GATEWAY

WebRTC gateway mediates and bridges between the WebRTC and the SIP protocol stacks. It translates
WebSockets-based signaling to plain SIP-based signaling3 and also converts WebRTC-based
(SRTP+DTLS+ICE) media transport to RTP/SRTP transport. While doing so it can also transcode voice
codecs from OPUS to G.711.
WebRTC SIP

SIP over SIP over UDP /

Websockets TCP/TLS

OPUS, G,711 All Codecs

SRTP+DTLS+ICE RTP

FIGURE 4 - WEBRTC TO SIP INTEROPERABILITY

In a contact center, a WebRTC gateway is essential for enabling:

1. an agent equipped with a SIP phone/softphone to respond to a click-to-call call
2. an agent using a web browser (on a PC, Chromebook, mobile phone, or WebRTC-based mobile
application) to respond to a call coming from a PSTN phone,

3. Note that there is no standard for WebRTC signaling.

3 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 regardless of who the PSTN/UC/UCaaS service providers are on either end of the communications session.

A WebRTC gateway is also required when centralized control is needed, e.g., for session recording, calling
policy enforcement, or conferencing.

5. SECURITY CHALLENGES INTRODUCED BY WEBRTC TRAFFIC

By virtue of bringing voice, video, and unified communications (UC) traffic directly from a web browser via
the public Internet, WebRTC exposes the contact center to the risk of attacks such as denial of service
(DoS), distributed denial of service (DDoS), fraud or eavesdropping. Any contact center that wants to deploy
WebRTC must protect itself from vulnerabilities to attacks carried by WebRTC traffic. A solution must be
found to make the WebRTC gateway resistant to such attacks.

FIGURE 5 - VULNERABLE WEBRTC GATEWAY DEPLOYMENT CONFIGURATIONS

Typically, session border controllers (SBC) are relied upon to provide enhanced security for VoIP
communication environments such as unified communications (UC) networks and contact centers. SBCs
form an effective demarcation point between non-trusted VoIP networks, such as the public internet,
and the trusted communication network that is being protected. They perform SIP mediation and media
handling (interoperability). Should the WebRTC gateway be deployed in tandem with the SBC, it might be
taken down and crash during a DoS/DDoS attack, unless appropriate security mechanisms have been
incorporated into the WebRTC gateway design and code. Using the WebRTC gateway for signaling-only
communication directly with the contact center’s SIP application server makes things even worse: in this
case, even if the WebRTC gateway survives a DoS/DDoS attack, it will allow the attack to pass through and
overwhelm the application server. Clearly, neither of these options delivers the level of security demanded
in such environements and another, more robust solution needs to be employed.

6. THE AUDIOCODES WEBRTC SOLUTION FOR CONTACT CENTERS

AudioCodes, a leader in the voice networking market in an all-IP world, provides the most advanced and
highly scalable business voice solutions for enterprises, service providers and contact centers.

AudioCodes’ solution portfolio includes VoIP media gateways and SBCs that offer enhanced security
(including when WebRTC traffic is thrown into the mix), seamless SIP connectivity with enterprise voice
infrastructure, cloud voice services (UCaaS, CCaaS), the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and
SIP trunking services. AudioCodes SBCs also deliver Direct Routing capabilities for Microsoft Teams.
AudioCodes Mediant SBC platform is perfectly suited to support WebRTC in contact centers in the most
secure fashion, due to the integration of the WebRTC gateway capabilities within the SBC.

The AudioCodes WebRTC solution for contact centers includes:

4 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 1. A feature-rich and scalable WebRTC gateway that is fully integrated with the AudioCodes
market-leading SBC in a single appliance or virtual machine, eliminating the need for a
separate WebRTC gateway device. The built-in WebRTC gateway inherits the security and the
interoperability power of the SBC and can prevent DDoS attacks carried by WebRTC traffic.
It also supports high capacity OPUS transcoding for an exceptional voice quality experience.

2. A WebRTC client SDK that enables quick and easy integration of WebRTC into client websitesand
Android and iOS-based smartphones. A “Click-to-Call” button web widget is available for simple
and instant website integration (no coding knowledge is required).

FIGURE 6 - AUDIOCODES WEBRTC SOLUTION

AudioCodes’ WebRTC solution for contact centers can be complemented by additional offerings such as:

1. One Voice Operations Center (OVOC) management system that combines management of
voice network devices and quality of experience monitoring into a single, intuitive web-based
application. OVOC provides tools to monitor and analyze network performance, and voice
and video quality. It can detect WebRTC call quality issues that are caused by performance
problems in the underlying IP transport network (e.g. the agent’s connection through the public
internet to the CCaaS provider) and problems associated with signaling, media engine or NAT
(network address translation) traversal code.

2. AudioCodes professional services, that follow a complete network lifecycle model based on the
three basic phases of PLAN, IMPLEMENT and OPERATE, including: planning services, network
voice readiness assessment, WebRTC deployment best practices, business benchmarking,
and experienced project management.

The WebRTC gateway capabilities are available on all AudioCodes Mediant SBC products and are
enabled via a software license key.

The AudioCodes WebRTC solution provides contact center

customers the most secure, comprehensive, yet easy to deploy
web-based voice communications solution, resulting in improved
customer experience, cost savings and enhanced customer service
operations
5 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers
 The AudioCodes WebRTC gateway solution meets the needs of modern contact centers with in-built
support for:

• High scalability (up to 10,000 sessions in a single gateway)

• High availability with seamless switchover in case of failure
• Virtualized, private or public cloud deployments
• Cost-effective dynamic elasticity of compute resources to adapt to workload changes in an
autonomic manner. The SBC and embedded WebRTC gateway are dynamically scalable and
can meet any sudden or unexpected demand in real time, removing the need to statically
allocate the maximum resources for worst-case scenarios.

FIGURE 7 – ELASTIC AND SCALABLE DEPLOYMENT OF AUDIOCODES SBC IN THE CLOUD

7. MOST SECURE WEBRTC GATEWAY

Unique in the market, the AudioCodes WebRTC offering provides comprehensive VoIP security by virtue
of the AudioCodes WebRTC gateway being integrated within the SBC. Competing solutions typically
include a dedicated WebRTC gateway that is separate from the SBC and thus vulnerable to VoIP attacks.
Such an external gateway cannot be protected by placing an SBC in front of it since a standard SBC is
vulnerable to VoIP attacks and is unable to handle WebRTC streams.

FIGURE 8 - SECURE AND DDOS-PROOF WEBRTC GATEWAY DEPLOYMENT CONFIGURATION

6 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 8. FEATURE-RICH WEBRTC SOLUTION THAT IS SIMPLE TO DEPLOY AND MANAGE
The AudioCodes WebRTC offering is an integrated solution that is simple to install, configure and manage
from a single management console (OVOC). Nevertheless, by virtue of being integrated with SBC technology,
AudioCodes WebRTC solution features advanced SIP interoperability, call routing, media processing and
voice quality monitoring that are necessary but not typically found in other WebRTC gateway solutions
(which require adding a separate SBC).

9. COST-EFFECTIVE WEBRTC SOLUTION YIELDING HIGH VOICE QUALITY

Integrating the WebRTC gateway capabilities within an SBC not only resolves security challenges as
described above, but also reduces the number of network elements and associated costs, since the need
for a separate SBC is eliminated. This also contributes to resiliency (less points of failures) and higher voice
quality (less delay and jitter introduced by an external SBC).

The AudioCodes WebRTC gateway also eliminates the need for STUN and TURN servers (needed for
addressing issues of WebRTC clients behind NAT) since it exposes a public IP address and supports ICE
lite. This further contributes to the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the resulting network architecture.

10. WEBRTC CLIENT SDK

AudioCodes WebRTC Client SDK enables quick and easy integration of WebRTC into client websites and
Android and iOS-based smartphones. It supports Web, iOS, and Android platforms

FIGURE 9 - AUDIOCODES WEBRTC CLIENT SDK

for placing and receiving WebRTC voice and/or video calls. Lightweight (only 320KB), it provides a simple
API layer for developers with no VoIP expertise.

A “Click-to-Call” button web widget is available for simple and instant website integration (no coding
knowledge is required).

11. BENEFITS TO CONTACT CENTER CUSTOMERS

Existing AudioCodes contact center customers can easily add the WebRTC gateway capabilities via
software licensing on their deployed SBC. Non-AudioCodes contact center customers can greatly benefit
from introducing the AudioCodes WebRTC solution into their service, as well. In particular, the solution can
deliver significant benefits to:

7 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 1. Contact center IT managers
• WebRTC allows IT managers to reduce communications costs and simplify agent-related
operations
• AudioCodes WebRTC solution and services allow smooth and rapid introduction of secure
WebRTC into their contact center, based on proven technology and experience.
2. Contact center customer service managers
• With WebRTC, contact center customer service managers can improve CX and their agents’
productivity
• AudioCodes can help them deploy secure WebRTC technology so they can delight their
customers.
3. System integrators deploying contact centers or contact centers operators
• WebRTC is gaining awareness and momentum in the contact center industry and provides
system integrators deploying contact centers or contact centers operators (e.g. as a managed
service) differentiation from competition.
• AudioCodes is the best partner to securely WebRTC-enable their customers’ contact centers.

AudioCodes is your vendor of choice for smooth integration of

secure WebRTC in your contact center.

Adopters of the AudioCodes WebRTC solution for contact centers can expect the following benefits:
1. Simple and secure integration of WebRTC through the seamless integration of a WebRTC
gateway within the SBC, the most secure solution that is simplest to install, configure and
manage from a single management console.
2. Cost savings achieved by the reduction/elimination of 1-800 toll free access charges. The
expense of procuring and distributing softphone software is also avoided. The WebRTC
endpoint code resides on a server, is downloaded to a web browser on each call, and is always
up-to-date for every call.
3. Enhanced IT productivity and smoother customer service operations realized by drastically
simplifying the complexity of telephony operations, installation and maintenance, including the
elimination of the need for special-purpose agent softphone clients or hard phones (including
certification, licensing and maintenance of a SIP client for each operating system used by the
agents). WebRTC is as portable and trouble-free as browsing the web.

12. SUMMARY
WebRTC is key to contact center evolution from the perspective of cost savings, customer experience,
agent productivity and ease of operations. The AudioCodes WebRTC solution, which includes both a
WebRTC gateway and a client SDK, can ensure a smooth introduction of secure WebRTC services within
any contact center. Existing AudioCodes SBC customers can immediately leverage the integrated WebRTC
gateway capabilities. AudioCodes has the unique expertise and field experience to accompany contact
centers through their WebRTC journey.

For further details, please visit the WebRTC solution page on the AudioCodes website.
https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/solutions/enterprise-voice/webrtc-gateway

8 WebRTC Solution for Contact Centers

 About AudioCodes
AudioCodes Ltd. (NASDAQ, TASE: AUDC) is a leading vendor of advanced voice networking and media processing solutions for the digital
workplace. AudioCodes enables enterprises and service providers to build and operate all-IP voice networks for unified communications,
contact centers, and hosted business services. AudioCodes offers a broad range of innovative products, solutions and services that are used
by large multi-national enterprises and leading Tier-1 operators around the world. For more information on AudioCodes,
visit www.audiocodes.com.

International Headquarters AudioCodes Inc. Contac us: www.audiocodes.com/contact

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Lod 7019900, Israel Suite A101E, ©2019 AudioCodes Ltd. All rights reserved. AudioCodes, AC, HD VoIP, HD

Tel: +972-3-976-4000
Fax: +972-3-976-4040
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specifications are subject to change without notice.

9 2019 V.12