Background to VoIP?
(Voice over Internet Protocol)
What is it?
Internet telephony or Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol)
is where you use your data channels - frequently broadband
connections - for voice communications.
Why?
VoIP is very cost-effective. There are two charges made
for traditional phone calls. First you pay for the exchange
line rental and secondly for the actual call. Compare this
with data charges. Normally you pay for Internet access at a
flat monthly rate irrespective of the time that you use.
Hence VoIP calls are effectively ‘free’.
Is this too good to be true?
There are a number of issues surrounding VoIP. Here we
will touch on two major ones:
- Quality of Service
One of the key issues is quality of service. Call
quality can vary dramatically. This is usually down to
the bandwidth available for voice calls. Voice calls
take up more bandwidth than data transfers and are more
susceptible to sampling problems. Hence calls where
words are truncated or missing are not uncommon.
Variations in service can also occur during the course
of the day as more and more people log onto data
services and less bandwidth is available for voice.
Sufficient bandwidth for all traffic is the key.
- Reliability
Data lines have never been as reliable as the
traditional telephone land line. With the increasing
availability and reliability of broadband this situation
is changing. However, many organizations do not want to
‘put all their eggs in one basket’ if both data and
voice communications are mission critical.
What do you need to get started?
- For Businesses
The key thing is to identify a system supplier who has
experience in setting up IP systems and sufficient
expertise to ‘size’ your ‘traffic’. There are a number
of manufacturers from Cisco to Avaya that are
particularly active in this arena.
- For the Home User
Ensure that your PC has sufficient memory, an
appropriate operating system and either a USB port or 2x
3.5mm sockets for a headset connection.
Are all PC headsets the same?
No, they certainly are not. Irrespective of which brand
of headset you are looking at, you need to consider
carefully what safety protection they offer. The old adage
that you ‘get what you pay for’ has never been more true.
How can a PC headset at £15.00 be the same as a headset
and USB adaptor at £100.00? The short answer is they are
not.
Let’s take a look at the background to PC headsets.
Traditionally a dedicated PC headset was intended for gaming
in a 'self-contained environment'. You, the user,
inter-reacted with your own PC. You were in control of the
environment and noise levels that you exposed yourself to.
This was never the case for telephony headsets that
traditionally had to be approved by BABT and went through
rigorous testing. Telephone headsets still are subject to
testing and CE approval and as such must comply with the
acoustic shock regulations. So what? You might say.
Manufacturers do not always advertise their safety
compliance but it is a very pertinent question to ask your
headset supplier. As a commercial organization you need to
be able to assess the risk of ill-equipping your staff and
be ready for the litigation if you make the wrong decision.
Here
at Communications Solutions UK we are ready to offer advice
on what is appropriate for you and your organisation’s
needs.
 The
Types of VoIP Phones
- Hardphones
Hardphones could be looked upon as an interim solution.
These are offered by manufacturers such as Cisco at the
moment. On the positive side they can use standard
telephony headsets with standard acoustic shock
protection, though you always need to check on ‘bottom
cords’ as these can vary from phone to phone.
- USB Softphone
Most manufacturers have at least a couple of USB adapter
options that you can use with a standard telephony
headset. This at least means that when you transition to
a VoIP solution you can use some of your existing
equipment. It also means that you continue to be
protected by the acoustic shock protection built into
these traditional telephony headsets.
Headset with USB or 3.5mm jack plugs?
- USB
USB headsets are designed to plug into your computer and
work with the sound card. This allows greater control
over the sound settings. This also allows for greater
customization for users, meaning greater comfort and
better sound quality. These headsets are normally MAC
compatible. These are normally more expensive than jack
plug variants due to the greater quality and
customization allowed.
- 3.5mm jack
plugs
The jack plugs are the base models, they plug straight
into the computer and could have an inline volume
control with possibly a mute control as well. The sound
quality is not normally is as good but that depends on
the quality of you sound card for USB. All PC’s have
3.5mm jack plugs however it is important that you check
there is a headphone port. MAC’s do not normally come
with this type of port and are therefore not compatible.
 Gaming
USB Headsets
How can you quickly identify a headset intended for
gaming rather than VoIP, despite what it might say about
Internet chat on the packaging?
There are some significant differences between dedicated
gaming headsets and USB adaptors with a traditional headset.
- There is usually no quick disconnect for ease of
use.
- There are no consumable items available such as
replacement ear cushions or microphone windscreens.
These are a ‘must’ in businesses where Health & Safety
should be an employer’s paramount concern
- The Gaming headset is not typically CE marked and
hence does not comply with any of the acoustic shock
legislation with one or two exceptions. This leaves
employers open to prosecution by staff alleging
instances of acoustic shock.
- Gaming headsets will normally state that they are
specifically designed for gaming!
Gaming headsets are primarily designed for individuals to
use at home. You need to make an informed decision whether
you are prepared to run the risk of acoustic shock.
Businesses should certainly never expose their staff.
However, it is worth noting that the Plantronics range of
DSP headsets offer NO acoustic shock protection despite
being advertised for internet telephony.
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