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What is converged networks? | WhichVoIP

What is converged networks?

Voice, video and data traffic traditionally required separate networks. While data traveled over an IP connection, voice was sent over copper wire through a circuit-switched network of the phone company. Today, converged networks have become possible, so that multiple types of traffic can travel securely and without any degradation of quality, all over the same network.

The savings can be substantial. Converged networks is the key enabler of unified communications, which allows for multiple types of communications (voice, fax, email) to be managed through a common interface. Further, converged networks is a money-saver because it eliminates the need for multiple, concurrent networks. By encapsulating telephony inside IP and sending it through a separate data stream, the telephony can receive the priority it needs to maintain quality.

Voice takes priority in a converged network

Business VoIP - The driver of Unified Communications

Assigning priority to voice traffic is an essential part of converged networks. Because IP is by nature a lossy, "best effort" protocol, without assigning individual packets a priority level, packets would not necessarily arrive consecutively, and some would be lost and re-sent. With ordinary data traffic, this is acceptable, but this type of transmission would result in jittery voice quality. And so, the priority mechanisms that have been invented have made it possible for the quality of voice to reach equilibrium with traditional, circuit-switched telephony.

Quality of service must be considered from the beginning when creating converged networks, to allow for a high level of call quality. The built-in QoS (quality of service) mechanisms will allow you to assign priority to different types of data traffic. Further, when building converged networks, some legacy equipment in the LAN or WAN may need to be replaced. A guaranteed bandwidth level is also an essential component. Depending on need, it may be necessary to add bandwidth, or to negotiate a service level agreement with your provider.

Planning for voice capacity is also an extremely important element of converged networks. Since voice adds significant bandwidth, naturally more will be needed than if the network were being used for data only. Lastly, reliability, security and resiliency are all factors in implementing converged networks. Security is sometimes a concern, especially if sensitive phone calls are being made. That is because the voice calls are being transmitted over an IP network instead of a packet-switched network. In the old model, intercepting a phone call usually required physical access to the line; when transmitting over IP, it would be theoretically possible to eavesdrop on a phone call through a simple computer hack from any location. Those using converged networks and conducting highly sensitive phone calls may wish to use encryption.

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