VoIP Can take many different forms (Score 1)

The VoIP that many of us are used to runs over the regular internet, and is subject to all the QoS and performance issues that entails. There are other options to VoIP besides hijacking your broadband connection - options that are especially important considering how many people still can't (or don't want to) get broadband service. For a large-scale, carrier grade deployment of VoIP to be successful, it must provide the voice quality, reliability, and security of the existing network. This is most easily accomplished by creating a PRIVATE IP network similar to the circuit switched network in use today. The difference is that the circuit-switching guts of the network are replaced with packet-based infrastructure. What this means for the network is that the current system of circuit-based loop carrier systems (with T1 or SONET backhaul), and digital circuit switches, are replaced with VoIP loop carrier systems (with GigE backhaul), and soft switches. The POTS interface to the customer is unchanged - they still draw power from the network. This type of transformation is no different from the conversion from analog to digital switches that took place in the 70's, 80's and 90's.