Internet Telephony

Internet telephony is the integration and convergence of voice and data
networks, services, and applications. The rapidly developing technology can convert
analog voice input to digital data, send it over available networked channels, and
then convert it back to voice output. Traditional circuit-switching networks such as
telephone lines can be used together with packet-switching networks such as the
Internet, thereby merging communication modes such as email, voice mail, fax, pager,
real-time human speech, and multimedia videoconferencing into a single integrated
system. Because Internet telephony allows the interchangeable and seamless use of
phones, computers, personal digital assistants, TV cables, wireless, and Web
technology, myriad combinations become possible.The transformation of the Internet
from a network application using phone lines to a general communications
infrastructure through which voice is but one of many data types offered has a wide
impact on applications, architectures, networks, economics, public policy, industry
structures, regulation, and service providers. This book explores these and other
issues, and considers future scenarios as Internet telephony continues to alter the
communications landscape.Contributors David D. Clark, Daniel Fryxell, William Lehr,
Brett Leida, Terrence P. McGarty, Lee W. McKnight, Philip Mutooni, Husham Sharifi,
Marc S. Shuster, Marvin Sirbu, David Tennenhouse, Kanchana Wanichkorn, Jonathan
Weinberg.