106999356917751354

VoIP experimentation

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the latest thing for medium-to-large size companies. It offers the ability to carry voice traffic between corporate sites over the data networks which have generally been paid-for already. To one degree or another, it will also allow a mobile company employee – a sales rep, for instance – to use an Internet connection to hook up with the company’s voice systems. The rep can then literally carry his desk with him, phone and all.

So here I am in the broadband wasteland of northern Ohio and I’m using a dial-up connection to a local ISP. The best connect I can get here is 36.6K and I can now assure you that, along with the overhead of a VPN client connection, that ain’t enough to carry reliable, usable-quality voice traffic. Not even close.

Damn I miss my broadband!