Internet telephony

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
IP Telephony
Internet Telephony
IPT

   <communications> (IPT, Internet Telephony) Use of {IP} data
   connections to exchange {voice} and {fax} data that have
   traditionally been carried over the {public switched telephone
   network}.

   During the late 1990s, an increasing number of telephone calls
   have been routed over the {Internet}.  Calls made in this way
   avoid PSTN charges.  Unlike traditional telephony, IP
   telephony is relatively unregulated.

   Companies providing these services are known as {Internet
   Telephony Service Providers} (ITSPs).  They include telephone
   companies, cable TV companies and {Internet Service Providers}
   (ISPs).

   There are still many problems with voice quality, {latency},
   {compression} {algorithms}, and {quality of service}.

   {Voice over IP} is an organised effort to standardise IP
   telephony.

   See also {Computer Telephone Integration}.

   Internet Telephony Overview
   (http://fokus.gmd.de/research/cc/glone/projects/ipt/).

   (1999-03-17)