Ережепова А.К. - магистрант, Костанайский Государственный Университет имени А.  Байтурсынова, г. Костанай.

Иванова И.В. – кандидат педагогических наук, старший преподаватель кафедры программного обеспечения, Костанайский Государственный Университет имени А.Байтурсынова, г.Костанай.

 

IP - telephony: principle of operation and its features

 

Under packet calls, you know the voice communication that takes place via the data transmission network, in particular through digital channels or the Internet. For this purpose, use special devices — voice gateways. In very short summary, IP network looks like this:
1 - the Central part is the server. It is associated with the telephone lines (which allows you to connect to any telephone handset), and with the "world wide web" (so it is possible to connect computer, tablet computer, netbook, notebook);
2 - incoming signal on the server is digitized, compressed, converted into data packets and sent to the recipient;
3 - reaching the recipient, the message is decoded and returned in original condition;
4 -  signal almost simultaneously enters the network and leaves her.
This conversation has no pauses and breaks.

 Unlike conventional analog method of communication, Internet telephony uses the maximum capacity of lines and requires no external PBX. And Internet access have now all the subscribers who need it, and it allows to reduce the costs of connection to the IP network. Thus, packet telephony is beneficial for the providers of communication services, and users. In addition, this technology allows to significantly improve the quality of communication. For such approval there are at least 3 reasons:
- telephone servers from year to year improving;
- owners of private networks (ISPs) control the network load and can change its parameters, diminishing -
- delay time when transmitting data;
- designed and implemented new, more relevant protocols.

How does it work? 

As mentioned above, the technology is completely different than in standard telephony, the principle of data transmission in which the analog signal (speech) is converted into a digital signal, is packaged into data packets, sent across the network and re-translated into sound.
     Feel the difference? Around the world traveling is not an analog signal, which requires a dedicated line, served by a large number of employees, and compact files, almost instantly moving around the world wide web.
     The lack of the need for cooperation with Telecom operators another region or country substantially reduces costs, allowing the companies offering IP connectivity, to attract customers very affordable prices.

The structure of the IP-network: physical and data link layers
See how IP telephony. Describing the system, it is necessary to consider all its levels, namely:
1. - physical;
2. channel;
3. network;
4. transport;
5. - level data.

On the physical level is the transfer of information units (bits). To do this use existing infrastructure: twisted copper wire (standard telephony), coaxial cables, fiber optics.

Data link layer plays the role of mediator between the physical and the network layers. There are switches to create the perfect collection of nodes in a computer network. At this level unfolds VLAN technology needed for building virtual networks. Voice VLAN has two useful qualities:
- it reduces the risk of interception and decoding of voice packets and thereby improves the security of the network;
technology improves the quality of communication because it allows you to assign voice packets heightened priority during transmission.

 How is packet telephony: network and transport levels

At this level there is routing, that is, selects the path that data will travel to a destination with a specific IP address. This is a network Protocol that gave its name to the technology.
Routers have built-in voice gateways that allow adapting analog phones to packet telephony. In addition, the gateway performs the following functions:
- provide user authorization;
- distribute IP address;
- ensure the safety of the compound;
- support voice mail and some other additional services;
- keep records of the traffic;
- support protocols N.323 and SIP.
The transport layer is implemented using three main protocols:
1. TCP. Provides guaranteed delivery of data;
2. UDP. Provides best-effort delivery (no confirmation prompts);
3. RTP. Provides the procedure for receiving packages. The Protocol recognizes the data type and assigns packets a timestamp that determine the order of admission.

The data layer: protocols
In packet telephony uses two protocols: N.323 and SIP. The first of them is older, stronger associated with traditional telephony and describes standards for coding analog data into any existing networks.
SIP more relevant and universal Protocol. It initiates, monitors and terminates the communications, the type of the data themselves does not matter. SIP connections occur through remote servers and work on the principle "request-response".
The main types of requests in SIP is:
- "invitation" — request for the establishment of a new communication session;
- "confirmation" — agreement for the session initiation or confirmation of receipt of data;
- "the end" — the end of the session.
- cancel — the termination of the processing of the request;
- registration — the transfer to the remote server information on the location of the subscriber;
- "options" — exchange of information on the characteristics of terminal equipment (SIP phones).
The algorithm is very simple communication between two subscribers can be described as follows:
1. the first user dials the number to the SIP phone;
2. the remote server gets the request "invitation";
3. the second subscriber picks up the phone. The server receives the command "confirm";
4. starts a communication session;
5. one of the interviewees puts it up on the server gets the command "end".

 The data layer: codecs
Codec is the program that "compresses" or "expands" the audio and video. In Internet telephony are used by many. For example:
1. 729. Codec for transmission of audio information, which is not with the data themselves, but only with the characteristics of the signal. Saves the basic parameters of the voice (tone, amplitude, etc.);
2. 711. Standard codec for voice transmission;
3. G. 723.1. The codec is used for audio transmissions at low flow. Greatly distorts speech;
4. H. 264. Codec for transmission of video data.

From application to finish — less than 5 minutes
We briefly looked at how organized IP telephony. Furnishing the telephone number of the analog network for Russians for a long time and forever turned into a real headache. Long queue. The long wait of installation. Questionable quality of services. The telephony online compared to all these simple utterly.
Often enough only to choose the provider to contact the consultant online to choose a tariff and then pay for services and rent rooms, to obtain access to the program with which your communication device will be connected to VoIP.
Since the filing of the application to access the communication services will be only a few minutes. Deep knowledge of PC's don't need that – most providers have prepared for users simple and convenient interface of management of services.
The most popular method of organization of IP-telephony is the use of PC, mobile devices, tablets, laptops – any equipment that has Internet access and an audio headset (PC – headset-MIC).