Where to find VoIP tutorials and reference books?

[Matrix]

Hi, Do you guys know any good site or reference books for Voice over IP? Yung technical hindi yung pang management. Thanks sa inputs!

[silver_corolla]

The value added of VoIP
(IT Matters, Claro Parlade)

Although the technology for VoIP is readily available and VoIP itself is easy and inexpensive to deploy, the obvious demand for it has not exactly been driving entrepreneurial activity because of legal rather than profitability concerns.




It has been months since I last wrote for this column. In truth, I was at a point where I did not know whether to continue with it: time is becoming an increasingly precious resource and balancing my law firm responsibilities with the demands of my projects at the Cyberspace Policy Center for Asia-Pacific (CPCAP) is getting difficult.

CPCAP's online dispute resolution service, PH-ODR, was launched late last year and I had been busy with the Cebu launch (last January) and the upcoming Davao launch.

In addition, based upon the activity we have observed in PH-ODR during the first few months, it seems that there is a demand for government services ODR.

And then, the eRulemaking facility that we developed for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), which will allow the NTC to conduct online public consultations, is also set for launch later this month.

What this means is that we may be able to "test-drive" this facility on an extremely significant matter -- "voice over internet protocol" or "VoIP" or simply "internet telephony."

That I am writing again after a relatively long hiatus is an indication of how important I consider VoIP. I had actually written about internet telephony several times before. But now, it can no longer be argued that the issue is academic.

The NTC has posted in its website its draft rules on VoIP ("Draft Rules") and it finally draws a line in the sand. Sec. 1 of the Draft Rules provides:

Sec.1. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) shall be classified as a Value-Added Service within the contemplation of RA 7925, otherwise known as the Public Telecommunication Act.
Such declaration goes right into the heart of the dispute that has been brewing the past several years.

Although the technology for VoIP is readily available and VoIP itself is easy and inexpensive to deploy, the obvious demand for it has not exactly been driving entrepreneurial activity because of legal rather than profitability concerns.

The threat of litigation hangs above anyone (other than the telcos) who dares to offer it to the public because of the contention that VoIP is a telecommunications service that is reserved for entities possessing the requisite legislative franchise.

Thus, while it is difficult to argue against the value of VoIP, whether to a consumer who wants to be able to keep in touch with relatives abroad without breaking the bank, or to businesses which need to keep communication costs down, the legal uncertainty and the risk it brings may be just as difficult to overlook.

RA 7925 broadly defines telecommunications as:

"any process which enables a telecommunications entity to relay and receive voice, data, electronic messages, written or printed matter, fixed or moving pictures, words, music or visible or audible signals or any control signals of any design and for any purpose, by wire, radio or other electromagnetic, spectral, optical or technological means" (Art. 1, Sec. 3).
Only public telecommunications entities duly enfranchised by Congress may offer telecommunications services to the public for compensation (Art. 16).

On the other hand, no Congressional franchise is required for companies that offer "value-added services", defined in the implementing rules and regulations of RA 7925 as "a service which adds a feature or value not ordinarily provided by a public telecommunications entity such as format, media conversion, encryption, enhanced security features, computer processing and the like."

By declaring VoIP as a "value-added service", the Draft Rules open the field for new players, rather than just the existing telcos, to offer VoIP to the public for compensation, requiring only registration with the NTC as a VoIP provider (Sec. 3, Draft Rules).

But what about the contention that any process to "relay and receive voice", regardless of the underlying technology, is defined by law as a telecommunications service that can only be offered by companies that have been granted Congressional franchises to be public telecommunications entities?

Out the window, it seems. But before proponents of "unregulated" VoIP can celebrate, let me point out that the Draft Rules are precisely just draft rules -- there is plenty of opportunity for anyone to disagree, and a lot of room for discussion.

A public hearing is scheduled on May 3 to allow stakeholders, including the public, to convey their opinions about the issue.

The subject of debate should go beyond the interpretation of RA 7925 and whether or not the Draft Rules, as presently worded, violate rather than implement the spirit of RA 7925.

Is it proper to treat all VoIP services similarly, regardless of the device used for the VoIP call, that is, PC to PC, PC to phone or phone to PC, or phone to phone?
If the Draft Rules embody a regulatory future that is consistent with the way things ought to be, is it necessarily the proper step towards that future?
Exactly what kind of regulatory future is appropriate in an information society?
These are not easy questions, but whatever answer is translated into policy will certainly and significantly affect businesses and ordinary citizens alike.

I strongly urge everyone to participate in the public hearing. And if you want more information about the NTC eRulemaking facility that is soon to be launched, you may send me an e-mail at cparlade*cpcap.org.

[nicolodeon]

Hi, Do you guys know any good site or reference books for Voice over IP? Yung technical hindi yung pang management. Thanks sa inputs!

What would you like to know?

[WeaponX]

Oo nga. What do you want know? Anyway, try this:

http://www.iec.org/online/tutorials/int_tele/

or try mo kaya sa www.cisco.com

You may also try asking pareng Google.