home-Working with video-The advantage of Internet telephony over traditional telephony. Advantages of SIP phones compared to regular phones

The advantage of Internet telephony over traditional telephony. Advantages of SIP phones compared to regular phones

What is VoIP and IP telephony?

IP telephony, VOIP telephony, or SIP telephony - telephone and video communications via the Internet and other computer networks (for example, the network in your office). What is the difference between IP, VOIP and SIP? IP telephony (pronounced ip-telephony) is the common name for the technology telephone communication via the IP protocol (Internet Protocol - literally “internetwork protocol”). VoIP (pronounced voip, Voice over IP - literally "voice over Internet protocol") - a more private name for the technology, includes all options for transmitting voice and video over the network (including watching movies online, video surveillance, webinars, etc.). In essence, IP telephony and VoIP telephony are one and the same. When the technology was invented, various data transfer protocols began to be invented, the most popular and reliable of which was SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Let's summarize: IP telephony, or VoIP telephony, is a technology for telephone communication over computer networks, and SIP is a protocol that provides reliable operation this technology.

Advantages of IP telephony

IP telephony is convenient and easy to use, both in the office and at home. The advantages of IP telephony are obvious. At modern development technologies and data transfer rates, the quality of communication is comparable to traditional telephony and there are beneficial advantages:

  • You can connect both a direct landline number and a toll-free “8-800”
  • Low cost compared to traditional telephone communication
  • No geographic reference:
    • You can move to another address, while your phone number remains the same
    • You can receive calls on landline phone, being anywhere, for example on a business trip, at home or in the country
    • Employees working from home is not a problem - they will receive calls from the office phone while at home.
    • Large branch network - easy! All calls to the office are easily forwarded to any of your branches, offices, or stores.
    • The number of employees or the number of branches has increased - the issue of providing communications is resolved in minutes.
    • You can receive calls to a landline number in one city while in another, or even to a local number in any other country while in your own city.
  • Modern technologies for organizing a business: VoIP telephony is primarily a software solution, which means it can be easily changed to suit your needs; in addition, there are many ready-made solutions. Here are just a few of them:
    • Greeting and Voice Menu (IVR)
    • Waiting lines
    • Blacklists
    • Dialogue forms (behavior templates) for operators during a call
    • Assigning subscribers to specific operators
    • Formation of a customer base
    • Call scheduling
    • Integration with CRM systems and any databases
    • Telemarketing

What do you need to start using Voip telephony?

So what do we need:

1. Select a SIP provider and get a phone number
2. Select an office PBX:

  • Virtual (software) PBX on your office server. Both your office server and any computer connected to the Internet can be used as a server. Software office PBXs come in paid and free versions. Free virtual office PBXs, as a rule, require special knowledge, lengthy setup and maintenance. We have developed our own free PBX - . You can see the differences between the main free PBX software in ours.
  • A virtual office PBX on a remote server with access via the Internet is a paid service, usually paid for by subscription, the cost depends on the number of internal telephone numbers.
3. Buy the necessary equipment, if necessary.

let's consider simple diagram organizing an office PBX on your own server with installed virtual PBX Komunikator.

What additional equipment may be required?

It all depends on your goals and budget size. Various options are possible:

  • Use a regular traditional telephone. But in this case, you need to separately buy an analog adapter, or as it is also called (a device that converts a SIP signal for talking on a traditional telephone).
  • SIP phone is a telephone device ready to work with IP telephony. There are also such phones.
  • Smartphone, or Tablet PC in the operating room Android system, or iOS (IPhone and iPad) with the application installed.
  • Computer - any office computer with installed software (

IN Lately An increasing number of subscribers, both private and corporate, are trying to use VoIP telephony services. This is due to a number of technological advantages that IP telephony offers over conventional wired communications. When IP telephony technology has already been implemented in the office or as a home solution, any user is faced with the question of what is better to choose: a softphone or a hardware IP phone? We will try to give a number of tips and recommendations for choosing communication terminals, as well as determine the pros and cons of each of these solutions.

So, we will begin our research into the market for VoIP telephony devices directly from softphones. Softphone- this is actually a software product that allows the user to make calls over the Internet or through any IP network. The softphone does not require additional hardware solutions, with the possible exception of a computer headset or webcam for making video calls. Softphone software is typically developed based on the open communication protocols SIP or H.323. But there are certain companies that have developed their softphones based on specialized closed communication protocols, for example, such as Skype, ICQ or Mail.ru Agent.

A softphone is essentially a program that replaces your hardware IP phone on your computer. As we already wrote above, for the softphone to fully work, you need a telephone headset (in extreme cases, headphones and an external microphone). The advantages of a softphone are the following: firstly, it is an expanded interface that cannot be limited to a small phone screen. Secondly, this is a large phone book, which is physically impossible to implement on a hardware phone. Also, to the advantages of softphones, you can add the function of your online status, the ability to transfer text messages and faxes, video calls. Softphones come in both paid and free versions. The most common programs for IP telephony are 3CX, iSoftphone, Bria, ZoiPer, ShoreTel Sky Softphone, Octofon and others. It would seem that software clients for IP telephony are an ideal solution for any subscriber, but as with all purely software solutions, there are pitfalls. What disadvantages can we find in softphones?

I would also like to note the fact that, like any software, the softphone may “freeze”, “fail to boot”, “require updates via the Internet”, “give an error”, etc. Also, the quality of work of such programs directly depends on the power of your computer and optimal settings operating system. For example, if you are in this moment process video, work with graphic programs or you are performing other resource-intensive tasks, and suddenly they call you on a softphone, the quality of the connection may turn out to be simply terrible or unstable, the sound will periodically disappear. In the case of a home subscriber, you can “turn a blind eye” to these shortcomings, given the availability, simplicity and even sometimes freeness of such software solutions. If you are an office subscriber, then it is still optimal for you to use a hardware VoIP solution.

An IP phone is hardware device for communication between remote subscribers, which provides voice communication over the Internet or corporate local networks. Externally, devices for VoIP communications look like completely ordinary telephones. They have a handset, a dialing keyboard, an LCD display, and an interface for connecting to IP networks. This phone operates using SIP or H.323 protocols.

IP phones usually have the following functionality: voice mail, Speakerphone, auto redial, call transfer and forwarding options, call hold. A convenient telephone headset can also be purchased for such a device. An advanced IP device can also support a number of additional options, such as Various types call transfer (“blind” transfer, transfer with notification), turning on background music in call hold mode (music on hold) and conferences with several subscribers on the phone.

The main advantage of an IP phone over a softphone is that it is still an independent hardware device that operates autonomously and is not loaded as software on a computer. This means that even if your computer is not currently turned on, boots, does not work at all, or is reinstalling the operating system, you can still fully use VoIP communication 100%. Yes, to purchase an IP phone you need to allocate funds (and this main drawback IP devices), it is also possible to purchase a professional headset for operators, for example. But in the corporate sector, as well as in medium-sized or even small businesses, these investments will pay off. In business, relying on the reliability of software such as a softphone, especially free software, is extremely imprudent. Softphones were created primarily for the home user or for the very small business sector. Another factor worth noting is the security and confidentiality of your negotiations. After all, when using softphones, it is much easier for hackers to hack the program and intercept all your voice traffic than when using hardware IP phones.

problem information security special attention must be paid before selecting a communication device for IP telephony. For example, in reports of hacks or leaks confidential information or passwords, such well-known VoIP programs as Skype, as well as the ZoiPer softphone and other similar programs have been “lit up” more than once. The fact is that your information, for example passwords, is in such software solutions can be stored in a common database either on the servers of the softphone developer company or in the cloud. The company that developed this software product is responsible for its security, and in the event of a data leak to attackers, you will not be able to influence this negative process in any way. After all, you don’t know how securely the password database in this company is protected. If you use a hardware IP phone, detecting vulnerabilities, hacking and intercepting your conversations will require more resources and skills from hackers than for hacking computer program. Therefore, in case of special confidentiality of your conversations, we recommend using only IP phones from trusted and reliable manufacturers, preferably with support for the SRTP protocol (a protocol for encrypting voice traffic).

Internet telephony is gradually replacing traditional networks telephone communication, since it has a number of advantages and capabilities. One of the leading services in this industry is https://sipmaster.ru/ - it was he who shared the information with us for this article.

But before I talk about Internet telephony itself, especially for networkers, I recommend paying attention to the “virtual phone number” function (you can get them from sipmaster.ru) - for those who work on the Internet, it is a very convenient opportunity.

What opportunities does Internet telephony provide?

In the modern world, telephony must have not only high quality and reliability, but also have a range additional features, which simplify the communication process:

  1. Tracking the history of missed calls;
  2. Sending a voice message to the mailbox owner's email;
  3. Implementation of telephone communication in Wi-fi zones, instead of cellular communications;
  4. Intelligent routing of outgoing calls;
  5. Free calls between Internet users;
  6. Generating data on call duration;
  7. Ability to make calls from the website;
  8. Recording a telephone conversation and the ability to listen again;
  9. Conducting audio and video conferences;
  10. Notifying a specific group of people via speakerphone.

How to connect Internet telephony?

In order to take advantage of all the above-mentioned Internet telephony capabilities, you need to connect it to a device, these can be IP phones, VoIP gateways, video phones, computers or laptops. Then you need to check the device’s connection to the Internet with a data transfer speed of 1 Mbit/s. You can activate the service yourself or contact specialists who will provide all the necessary equipment and perform their work efficiently. In terms of time, connecting Internet telephony for the entire office can take from one hour to a couple of working days.

What is a virtual phone number used for?

Most often, a connection service is additionally ordered for the entire office. virtual number phone. It involves assigning a company a corporate landline number, which does not require purchase from an operator; it can also be disabled at any time without any problems. After completing the procedure for connecting a virtual phone number, the user has the opportunity to independently select and configure the forwarding structure.

In addition, the use of a virtual phone number is relevant in the following cases:

  • To register on social networks;
  • To receive incoming messages from banks and other notifications from clients or government agencies;
  • To register mailboxes.

The 21st century is the century of new technologies, high speeds, and a huge amount of information. Today, both in business and in everyday life, innovative solutions are required to optimize activities. One of these is IP telephony - a modern method of communication, which is currently actively replacing analog telephony. What are the advantages of such a means of organizing telephone networks and who needs it? Let's figure this out.

IP telephony: what it is and how the technology works

The development of Internet technologies provided the impetus for the emergence of IP telephony. In 1991, American researcher John Walker created the NetFone program, which made it possible to exchange voice messages over the Internet. This development, in fact, was the first VoIP phone. VoIP (Voice over IP) is a technology that allows you to “transmit voice over the Internet.” To connect analog telephone networks with Internet networks, special gateways are used that make it possible to turn regular telephones into VoIP devices. An alternative could be a computer, mobile phone or tablet connected to the Internet with special software installed on them. If desired, you can also purchase SIP phones.

IP telephony services are in demand both in the office and at home. This type of communication makes it possible to send messages by fax, organize online conferences, and forward calls. In addition, the use of IP telephony services can significantly reduce the cost of long-distance and international calls.

Advantages of Internet telephony

The first issue that worries potential IP telephony users is the quality of communication. An important advantage of the technology is that the sound quality does not depend on the distance at which the interlocutors are located, which cannot be said about analog telephony. When using Internet telephony, there is no noise, echo or other unpleasant effects.

The second important advantage of IP telephony is the low cost of communication compared to analogue. In particular, the cost of international and long-distance calls is much lower, and calls within corporate network free - regardless of the geographical location of the company's offices. As for the price of IP phones, it is quite comparable to the cost of analog devices. However, as we have already noted, these may be in favor of installing software on appropriate gadgets connected to the Internet.

Among others benefits Internet telephony notes:

  • opportunity quick start for business - almost instantaneous telephone installation of the office at low costs;
  • reduction of staff who were indispensable when using analog PBX;
  • employee mobility: no connection to a telephone, there is always the possibility quick setup forwarding to a mobile phone;
  • the ability to program and configure IP telephony remotely, without calling a specialist.

Let's consider possibilities provided by Internet telephony:

  • Integration. IP telephony can be integrated with other communication solutions, for example, with the 1C program, with the company’s website, with various Internet services and software.
  • Multichannel number, thanks to which the company’s clients do not have to wait for a long time for connection. This number will never be busy! In addition, IP telephony providers provide call center services at very attractive prices.
  • Voice menu(auto attendant) and smart forwarding.
  • Possibility of organization video communication, conducting video presentations.
  • Access to any statistical data as part of the use of telephone communications, control and quotas for off-duty calls and any calls from corporate numbers.
  • Voice mail, email fax, blacklist, reporting and much more.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU/ITU), in terms of telephone penetration, Russia is among the leading countries - in 6th place. And in terms of Internet penetration it ranks 71st. 55 out of 100 people use the Internet.

What equipment is needed to organize IP telephony in the office and at home?

As we noted earlier, to organize IP telephony in an office or at home, you first need to have an Internet connection. Moreover, the data transfer rate must be at least 512 Kbps in both directions. In this case you can use analog phone . To do this, you need to connect a special adapter (IP gateway) to it, thanks to which regular phone will turn into a device that works via the Internet. IP gateways are single-channel (for home and small offices) and multi-channel (for large companies).

You can organize IP telephony by purchasing a telephone SIP device (manufactured by AddPac, Cisco, D-Link, QTECH, RAD Data Communications).

And the third method is the so-called soft IP phone, which is special software (for example, YouMagic), installed on a computer, tablet, smartphone.

Thus, Internet telephony can be carried out as follows:

  1. "Phone-phone". Analog telephones connected to an IP gateway transmit voice signals, which are converted into compressed data packets when transferred to the Network. These packets are sent over the Internet to the destination and are decoded back into analog voice signals at the output. In this case, a full-duplex conversation occurs (when both interlocutors can talk at the same time).
  2. "Computer-phone". Those wishing to organize IP telephony can purchase special software from the provider, with the help of which it will be possible to make calls. This software can be installed on any device connected to the Internet - smartphone, tablet, computer. It does not matter what device the interlocutor uses - analog, SIP or mobile phone.
  3. "WEB-phone". This way you can make calls directly from your browser. For example, a business owner can organize calls on his website using a special script called click2Dial. In order to call the operator, the client only needs to click on a special button on the website.

IP telephony providers: who is who

Global telecommunications companies are currently massively abandoning outdated classical telephony, trying to interest users in modern convenient Internet telephony technologies. Analog telephony are gradually being forced out of the market, but the number of implemented and used analogue telephony systems is still significant. Nevertheless, the number of landline telephones in Russia is steadily declining: 40.1 million in 2008 versus 36.6 million in 2013. At the end of 2015, the total volume of analogue telephone services amounted to 221.7 billion rubles, and mobile communications- 644.9 billion rubles. For comparison: in 2014, the volume of the IP telephony market in Russia was around 17.1 billion rubles. In general, there are currently about 30 million IP telephony users in Russia.

In Russia, the first companies providing voice communication services over the IP protocol appeared about 20 years ago. Currently, the IP telephony market has more than 500 licensed participants. The turnover of IP services in Russia per year is more than $65,000,000. Of this, more than half of the market is long-distance and international communication services. Among the leaders are the companies Interregional TransitTelecom (MTT), Rostelecom, TTK.

Analysts believe that growth factors for the Internet telephony market in Russia remain the increase in the number of fixed and mobile internet access, increased activity of IP providers and continued high tariffs for long-distance communications.

When choosing an IP telephony provider, experts recommend paying attention to the following factors:

  • Safety. The operator has a reliable mechanism to prevent telephone fraud.
  • The operator has its own telecommunications network.
  • Competitive price. Compare rates different operators and select the most acceptable ones: for businesses, it is not recommended to choose too low call rates, since large operators offer VoIP resellers lower quality communications at a lower price.
  • Check whether this operator can organize the “transfer” of existing analog numbers.

Tariffs: price matters

The cost of connecting to IP telephony will depend on the chosen type of communication organization. Thus, purchasing an IP gateway will cost 4,000–15,000 rubles. The purchase of a SIP device will cost a similar amount: 4,000–10,000 rubles. Plus, you need to take into account the cost of accessing the Network and maintaining equipment. The provider you contact for help connecting equipment or setting up a service will only charge you for directly outgoing calls.

The advantages of IP telephony are especially clearly visible in the example of long-distance and international tariffs. Let's look at average prices. So, calling from Moscow to St. Petersburg will cost 60 kopecks per minute, to Yekaterinburg? 61 kopecks/min., to Irkutsk – 1 rub./min., to Vladivostok – 1.5 rub./min.

The transition to IP telephony significantly reduces costs for international communications. If we talk about the CIS countries, a call to Belarus will cost 45.43 rubles/min, to Kazakhstan – 1.2 rubles/min. The cost of a call in the USA fluctuates around one and a half rubles per minute of conversation on average. At similar rates you can call to Europe: Germany - 0.7 rub./min., France - 0.8 rub./min., Italy - 0.4 rub./min. A call to China will cost 1 ruble per minute.

Thus, using IP telephony services, you have the opportunity to make a phone call without accessing city telephone networks or cellular communications, while using advanced functionality, as well as reducing communication costs.

What is IP telephony?

The Internet fundamentally changes our understanding of both telephony and methods of communication. IP telephony is a technology that brings together the advantages of telephony and the Internet. Until recently, circuit-switched networks (phone networks) and packet-switched networks (IP networks) existed almost independently of each other and were used for different purposes. Telephone networks were used only for voice transmission, and IP networks were used for data transmission. IP telephony technology connects these networks through a device called a gateway.

Gateway is a device that includes telephone lines on one side and an IP network (for example, the Internet) on the other side. The gateway serves as an interface between the user's device transmitting sound (phone, computer, etc.) and the Internet; it ensures the reception and conversion of data into a form convenient for sending over the Network (and reverse conversion).

During a conversation, voice signals are converted into compressed data packets. These data packets are then sent over the Internet to the other party. When the data packets reach the destination, they are decoded into the original voice signals.

How it all began?

Internet telephony uses the Internet to send audio messages between two or more computer users in real time. The very first Internet telephony software product that allows you to send voice messages over the network, VocalTec Internet Phone, was introduced by the Israeli company VocalTec in early 1995. First time user personal computer, equipped sound card, a microphone and having an Internet connection, was able to conduct voice conversations with another similar user, no matter how far they were from each other. Majority software products from the same series, which appeared later, allow users to speak into a microphone and hear the interlocutor’s response through the speakers.

Before I was born, new opportunity attracted worldwide attention. The technology has steadily improved and has very quickly reached the point where voice communication is easily possible and continues to evolve further. Many companies presented similar programs. At the same time, in many systems, along with the ability to exchange voice messages, the ability to correspond, send files during a conversation, exchange graphic images and video images has been added.

Types of communication via IP network

Computer - computer . This is the earliest and simplest method of IP telephony. To organize traffic transmission, the user purchases the necessary equipment and software, and also pays the provider for the operation of the communication channel. The advantage of this option is maximum cost savings. Disadvantage: minimal connection quality.
Telephone - telephone . The subscriber does not need any special equipment, just a regular telephone. Voice traffic is transmitted over an IP network, usually in a separate, expensive section. The devices that organize interaction are gateways, connected, on the one hand, to the public telephone network, and on the other, to the IP network. Voice communication in this mode, compared to the computer-to-computer option, is more expensive, but its quality is much higher and it is more convenient to use. The quality of communication is comparable to that of normal telephone conversation, because The company uses dedicated communication channels. In order to use this service, you need to call the provider servicing the gateway, enter the code and number of the called subscriber from the telephone set and talk in the same way as with regular telephone communication. All necessary call routing operations will be performed by the gateway.

Computer - phone . The end user does not require any additional equipment. It is enough to have a telephone with touch-tone dialing capabilities on hand. This is necessary so that, having reached the operator, you can enter your code in tone mode, and then the subscriber’s actions are no different from the usual. Most modern telephones, including payphones and Cell phones, this function is provided. If for some reason there is no such telephone, then a beeper can handle the dialing function or, in extreme cases, special program, which can be downloaded from the Internet.

Web phone . Another new service is a call from a Web site, which allows you to make a call by selecting a link to the name of the called subscriber from the Internet page or simply dialing the subscriber's telephone number. This decision is aimed primarily at expanding opportunities ecommerce. WEB-phone allows Internet users to talk directly, for example, with a sales representative or a specialist technical support the company he is interested in. Establishing a telephone connection occurs in the usual, familiar way of dialing a number or by simply clicking on a link, which is, for example, the name of a company, the name of the called subscriber, etc. on the Internet page. In this case, the user does not need a second telephone line or interruption of the Internet; he only needs to download a small client software, which can usually be found on the same Web page, and which is installed automatically. On the other hand, a Web phone allows company representatives to answer questions, demonstrate Web pages, and transmit necessary information, thereby improving the quality of services provided.

Advantages and disadvantages of IP telephony

The main advantage of IP Telephony is the lower cost of long-distance and international calls compared to traditional telephony.
Another advantage is convenience. Some people, a growing number of whom, simply find it more convenient to make calls from a computer than to use a landline phone. It is possible that in the future, IP telephony will completely replace wired telephony, just as CDs replaced magnetic cassettes, and were subsequently replaced by MP3 players.

The main limiting factor to the large-scale implementation of IP telephony is the lack of mechanisms in the IP protocol to ensure guaranteed quality of services, which makes it not yet the most reliable transport for transmitting voice traffic. The IP protocol itself does not guarantee the delivery of packets, nor the time of their delivery, which causes problems such as “ragged voice” and simply failures in conversation. Today, these problems are being solved: standardization organizations are developing new protocols, manufacturers are releasing new equipment.
Another problem that manufacturers of Internet telephony systems have to solve is the lack of a unified standard for programs that provide communication. Currently, communication over an IP network is only possible if the same systems are used on both sides of the connection being established. For example, a VocalTec Internet Phone user cannot call a FreeTel user and vice versa. This problem arose because the very first Internet telephony programs used proprietary protocols to communicate with each other.

Video communication in computer networks

Not long ago, video calling was a thing large corporations and science fiction films. Digital video cameras were too expensive, and communication speeds left much to be desired. Now the situation has changed, but even today video communication is a kind of luxury item, which does not detract from the convenience of this progressive type of interactive communication.
There are many programs for organizing video communication or video chat on the Internet, the most popular include the following:
*Skype
*ooVoo
* ICQ
* Mail.ru Agent
* Trillian
*Windows Live Messenger
*Yahoo! Messenger and others.

How to establish a video call?

The most important condition necessary for the implementation of video communication is the availability of an Internet access channel with sufficient bandwidth. The fact is that during a video communication session, not only voice data is transmitted, but also a video stream. Of course, before being sent to the Network, the transmitted information is compressed using special algorithms that provide multiple compression, however, despite this, the bandwidth requirements still remain quite high. It is usually believed that to ensure high-quality voice communication via the Internet, the “width” of the Internet access channel must be at least 64 Kbit/s; to ensure high-quality video communication, this figure will be at least twice as large.

Software issues
In addition to broadband Internet access, special software will be required to organize video communication. Such software can be an IM messenger like ICQ, Google Talk or any other aforementioned program that has a built-in video chat function. Unfortunately, the listed tools are incompatible with each other - an ICQ user will not be able to communicate with a Skype user. Basically, ordinary Windows user XP can use the NetMeeting program included with this operating system.
It should also be noted that despite the large selection of programs for organizing video communication or video chat, not all of them are suitable for working in local network, since in order to work they need a server and an Internet access channel. They were developed to organize communication with remote points, and not to work in a local computer network. Firstly, not all networks have access to the Internet, and secondly, video communication via remote server will create a fairly large flow of Internet traffic, and it is usually paid. In general, it is strange to contact a server located thousands of kilometers away in order to contact a neighbor behind the wall.
Of course, there are specialized packages and even hardware solutions for organizing video conferencing on a LAN, but their cost is too high for the average user and they are aimed primarily at companies.

Hardware

To organize a video call you need:
*
* Sound card
* Microphone

The most popular means of “capturing” images transmitted over the Internet is a web camera. In addition to webcams, there are other tools for organizing video communication - videophones. The videophone is quite independent device, which does not require connection to a computer. Such a gadget is connected to the TV using composite connectors; connection to the Internet is usually carried out using an Ethernet interface. You can “call” from a videophone either to the owner of a compatible videophone or to a computer with a webcam and installed Windows program NetMeeting.
However, videophones are quite exotic devices, aimed mainly at the corporate sector (this fact is reflected primarily in their price); Therefore, traditional webcams are of greatest interest to us.

When purchasing a webcam, you should pay attention to the version of the USB interface used. USB interface 1.1 will provide video capture with parameters of 640 x 480 pixels at 15 frames per second. USB 2.0, featuring more throughput, will allow you to get 30 or more frames per second.
There is no point in focusing on the quantitative parameters of web cameras - almost all of them have a resolution of 640 x 480 (remember that a resolution of 320 x 240 is sufficient for video conferencing), as well as a built-in microphone.

It is not expensive
Using video communication is completely free, so those who want to use video communication will not have to spend money on purchasing this service; Only broadband Internet access will be subject to payment.
One-time costs will consist of the purchase of a webcam or videophone.
Owners of some laptop models will not have to spend any money at all - many of them are equipped with built-in web cameras.

Advantages and disadvantages of video communication

Among the advantages of computer video communication, we can mention the relatively low cost of operation compared to other communication systems existing today, their versatility, and comparative ease of use. During work, video communication (video conference) subscribers in general case see images of their interlocutor and their own on their monitor screens, which is necessary for visual control established connection. The image is dynamically updated at a speed of up to 15-25 frames/s, depending on the speed (bandwidth) of the communication channel and the channel load. Participants for negotiations use miniature video cameras and microphones with fairly good characteristics.
Speech is digitized for transmission over a communication channel.
The main advantages of computer video communication are the ability to collaborate with documents and integrated information (text, graphics, images received from video cameras, as well as remote launch software applications on the interlocutor’s computer).
Thanks to video communication, the implementation of full-fledged remote offices is becoming more relevant than ever. Video communication with offices for meetings, operational briefings, and conversations with individual employees will be in great demand. It often happens that an important fifteen-minute meeting requires many hours of standing in traffic jams. Video communication solves these problems, saving money and allowing you to spend your working time as efficiently as possible. What can we say about the situation when it is necessary to organize a meeting of people from different parts of our vast country - then only savings on transportation costs can almost instantly recoup the costs of conducting a video communication session.
In addition to traditional business applications, such as quick meetings, support for telecomputers (homeworkers and mobile users), distance learning and personnel certification, video communication can be effectively used in many other situations. For example, when recruiting personnel (recruitment agencies, remote job interviews, etc.); remote medical and other consultations with experts; assessment of various types of damage and destruction (insurance companies); monitoring in case emergency situations and natural disasters; interaction between scientists when conducting scientific research, etc.
By and large, video communication is necessary wherever efficiency is required in analyzing the situation and making decisions, as well as joint work in the mode remote access. This is an indispensable tool in the work of companies with an extensive network of branches. Modern video communication tools provide opportunities for collaboration with data and various applications, including signing documents, and existing cryptographic protection tools allow you to maintain the confidentiality of the content of video communication sessions.

Video communication itself has no disadvantages as such. However, disadvantages arise as a result of using certain means for organizing video communication:
* high requirements for communication channel capacity;
* low quality Images;
* poor synchronization of image and sound;
* large transmission delay, long reaction time when ordering to view a recording;
* difficulty of maintenance and others.

Skype

Let's consider one of the most popular programs for organizing audio and video communication in computer networks- Skype.

Skype was founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis.

Skype is a free proprietary software that provides free encrypted voice communication over the Internet between computers (VoIP), as well as paid services for communication with subscribers of the regular telephone network.

It is possible to organize a conference call (up to 25 subscribers, including the initiator), transfer text messages and files, as well as video communication (currently, when using a standard client - up to two subscribers, and when using plug-ins from third-party manufacturers, their number is limited only by bandwidth channel ability).

Services provided by Skype

Paid services
SkypeOut
SkypeOut allows you to make outgoing calls to landlines and mobile phones in most countries around the world. Payment is per minute.
Calls within Russia
Calls to toll free numbers(such as +1 800 in the USA) are free, and even users who have not paid for the SkypeOut service can use them.

SkypeIn
Allows you to receive phone calls from users of traditional telephone networks. In this case, the participant receives a telephone number. All incoming calls to this number will be sent to account Skype, and with a positive SkypeOut account, calls can be forwarded to any phone number. As a bonus to phone number Skype provides a free answering machine for the entire time you use the number.

Skype Voicemail
An answering machine that allows you to record incoming messages when the user is offline.

Free services
SkypeCast
Voice chats - allow you to communicate with a large number of Skype users at the same time, create rooms for communication based on interests. SkypeCast has been discontinued since September 1, 2008.

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