1. Don’t you think that the big players like google, Microsoft, sun having superior technology cartelization will happen? This will have a negative impact overall.
Answer: We have already seen the joining of hands between Nokia and Microsoft. We believe that there will be an increase in such activities due to digital convergence.
But we don’t think that cartelization will happen because digital convergence is not only about the power of web but also about the inherent qualities which each product possesses. Digital convergence is about the blend of technologies from information, media, entertainment etc. So the big players like Microsoft will have to work together with the small players and come up with a product which has best of both. This can be a possibility but just one player sweeping it all over doesn’t look possible.
2. With IPv4 ending what will happen to the non- compatible systems? Won’t it lead to divergence? Won’t they be outdated?
Answer: Normally the incoming system has backwards compatibility and it supports to a limited extent the features of outgoing system. So, the websites etc which will be rolled out from new IP will support the older ones. At the device level i.e. will the old routers support the new IP addresses etc? From what Cisco, D-Link etc are doing, it looks that the new routers, modems being rolled out by them will support IPv6 and hence, we don’t see the shift of IPv4 to IPv6 as a challenge to digital convergence.
3. Convergence works on including more complexity to provide more services. How does this trade-off works against providing a simple interface?
Answer: Yes, we agree that convergence comes with a trade-off. Convergence adds to the existing complexity and users need to select a few from the many options available. However, a simple interface is not the solution. With the companies gaining experience in developing products based on convergence, we believe that the products will become more and more user friendly and people will get accustomed to such products.
4. How far is the convergence relevant and made adaptable for the older generation?
Answer: Convergence is relevant to all generations. The companies which are venturing into this field are currently on the upside of learning curve and very soon they will realize the importance of coming up with products which is user friendly and includes the tastes, preferences and styles of all the generations. So may be now, we have iPhone which might be a little difficult to use for the older generation but very soon it will become a part of the society and people will get used to it. For Ex: when mobiles were launched for the first time in India, older men and women find it difficult to use it but now we have the same lot not only making calls but also playing games on mobiles.
5. What economic forces are working to make digital convergence a reality?
Answer: With the current recession, end users are more inclined towards products, which are cheaper and offer more services. This has led to a new drive in the ICT sector companies to come with products, which offer a varied mix of quality services in cheaper prices. So, users new look at the way they spend money is definitely going to drive the digital convergence revolution further.
6. Getting all things in a same product, in case of theft that might pose a security issue. How to tackle that ?
Answer: This is very valid point. How about a device which is linked to you biometrically and even if someone steals it, no one can use it without your biometric verification? It is one such way to secure the data. Companies will definitely have other ways of making the products secure, as without security of the products, we cannot think about the success of digital convergence revolution.
7. What’s the next big thing digital convergence or divergence?
Answer: Digital Convergence. For more insights, please read our article http://dizitalconverzence.blogspot.com/2011/02/future-of-business-future-of-technology.html
8. Is there some threshold of convergence surely it cant go on forever? What will be the business impact and adaptation in this case?
Answer: Digital convergence will have the same impact or in fact, much heavier impact on the business as the evolution of internet had. Businesses will have to modify their processes to suit the emerging needs and conditions of the market. We will see a lot of merger, acquisitions and joint ventures amongst companies to overcome the problem of providing multiple varied services in one product. The threshold of digital convergence will be decided by the success and acceptance which the products based on digital convergence technology get.
9. Can convergence totally overcome divergence? Diverse cultures , SOA of different IT and ICT and business model? Where according to you do you see the future of ICT and digital convergence leading to on a global arena?
Answer: ICT is the backbone of digital convergence. All the convergence that we see today has been made possible only due to ICT. SOA can greatly enhance convergence as SOA makes the use of business logic simple and cost effective. With SOA, it is easier to amalgamate the various processes and it is easier to merge the existing systems into one entity. Now, will convergence totally overcome divergence is something that we will leave to time but we feel that 100% convergence is not possible as people will not like to have everything in one place, it will make things complex.
Friday, February 25, 2011
This is not an end, but a start to Digital convergence
Hi friends!this article is just an conclusion to our project,but this is actually the start of digital convergence.Digital convergence is the future.As mentioned in our previous posts,digital convergence is the way ahead because of the potential it brings.If an investment of 96 billion dollars is committed towards projects based on convergence in 1993-95,based on present growth rate and changing trends it is estimated that the revenue based on convergence will be in trillions of dollars in the coming years.Not only in terms of revenue,but digital convergence may lead to a massive re-organisation or redesigning of current business models.Experts predict this may lead to third revolution of industry.
Till now we have seen more success in horizontal integration (like Microsoft's integration of its softwares,Intel in silicon industry)than vertical integration(the same Microsoft is not successful in integrating its software and electronics-Microsoft mobile).One good exception is "Apple" which is a very good example of both horizontal and vertical integration.So in future we see more success in horizontal integration also.
Recommendations for future ventures:
There is no perfect recipe for achieving success in future.As pointed in Harvard business review article companies should keep on trying creative combinations with complementary services.This year many smart products which are based on convergence are going to be launched in the market.Lg is going to launch a web enabled fridge which can do minor repairs on its own through web.We can also know the contents of the fridge from office and order the required vegetables from market.On more innovative product is Fragrance emitting television which can give you the breeze of a ocean if you are watching a beach scene on your TV.There are many such products going to be launched in the coming months.But, as mentioned in our article on threats of Digital convergence,convergence should be applied everywhere.Convergence along with customization which finally adds value to both end user and the industry is the way ahead.
CueCat Case Study: A Digital Convergence failure
Intoduction:
In the late 1990s, Dave Mathews of Digital Convergence Corporation(now-defunct) invented the CueCat. The CueCat was a product of convergence allowing both broadcast and print media to interact and converge with the Internet. With this remarkable new technology, print media, broadcast media, and consumer products act as a gateway to information on anything the customer desired to know. The owner company, DCC marketed it as “ It lets you navigate the web with pin-point accuracy, taking you exactly where you want to be on the web instantly. The CueCat device is like a global positioning system for the Internet”.
Functionality:
It is a cat-shaped handheld barcode reader, which connected to computers using the PS/2 keyboard port and later USB. The CueCat enabled a user to open a link to an Internet URL by scanning a barcode appearing in an article or catalog or on some other printed matter. In this way a user could be directed to a web page containing related information without having to enter a URL. In addition, TV broadcasters may use an audio tone in programs and/or commercials that when, attached to a computer (via an audio) will act as web address shortcut. The data format was proprietary, being scrambled so as not to be usable as plain text. However, the barcode itself is closely related to Code 128, and the scanner was also capable of reading EAN/UPC and other symbologies.
Commercialization:
Like all the breakthrough gadgets, the CueCat was commercialized on a big scale. In late 2000, advertisements containing CueCat barcodes briefly appeared in some high-circulation U.S. mass-market periodicals, notably Parade magazine, Forbes magazine and TIME magazine. For a time, RadioShack published catalogs containing these barcodes, and even distributed CueCat devices at no charge. CueCats were also bulk mailed (unsolicited) to certain mailing lists, such as subscribers of technology magazines, notably Wired magazine.
Commercial failure:
The CueCat concept was a commercial failure. Some believe that failure was due to implementation stumbles that alienated early adopters, but others say the device was ultimately of little use. Wrote once the Chicago Tribune, "You have to wonder about a business plan based on the notion that people want to interact with a soda can," while another newspaper quipped that the CueCat "fails to solve a problem which never existed."
Due to the weak obfuscation of the data, the software for decoding the CueCat's output quickly appeared on the Internet, followed by a plethora of unofficial applications. The CueCat device was controversial, initially due to privacy concerns. Each CueCat has a unique serial number, and users suspected that Digital Convergence could compile a database of all barcodes scanned by a given user and connect it to the user's name and address. For this reason, and because the demographic market targeted by Digital Convergence was unusually tech-savvy, numerous web sites arose detailing instructions for "declawing" the CueCat — blocking or encrypting the data it sent to Digital Convergence.
The company's response to these hacks was to assert that users did not own the devices and had no right to modify or reverse engineer them. Threats of legal action against the hackers swiftly brought on more controversy and criticism. The company's licensing agreement was changed several times, adding explicit restrictions, apparently in response to hacker activity. Hackers argued that the changes did not apply retroactively to devices that had been purchased under older versions of the license, and that the thousands of users who received unsolicited CueCats in the mail had not agreed to nor were legally bound by the license.
Security breach:
In September 2000, security watchdog website Securitywatch.com notified Digital Convergence of a security vulnerability on the Digital Convergence website that exposed private information about CueCat users. Digital Convergence immediately shut down that part of their website, and their investigation concluded that approximately 140,000 CueCat users who had registered their CueCat were exposed to a breach that revealed their name, email address, age range, gender and zip code. Digital Convergence responded to this security breach by sending an email to those affected by the incident claiming that it was correcting this problem and would be offering them a $10 gift certificate to Radio Shack. But the damage had already been done.
Conclusion:
The CueCat case showcased the vulnerability of convergence, when not controlled and supported properly. Winners in digital convergence need, not only a great business strategy, but also a plan to integrate business models and cultures. Integration should be rapid and thorough, addressing a range of issues including privacy, accelerating cost synergies, standardising accounting and financial systems as well as optimising product development portfolios, R&D and customer relationships. In particular, the research shows that cultural and personnel integration is a critical success factor.
Success Story – Newcom International
Advanced communications infrastructures play a crucial role in the modern economy – businesses across the globe derive enormous commercial benefits from the ability to gain rapid access to key information, communicate easily with their major partners, and hence tailor their products to meet specific local needs. While this has brought significant economic benefits, it should also be stressed that the effects of the technological revolution of the last 20 years have been felt beyond the commercial world. Innovative new technologies have helped empower private citizens, who are now able to hold Governments, organisations and businesses to account through new technologies and innovations which enhance the transparency of decision-making processes. Against this backdrop it is clear that further developing Africa’s communications infrastructures is a goal very much in the continent’s long-term social and economic interests.
The catalyst for growth
Both the private and public sectors have responded by investing significant funds in development, and rates of mobile phone and Internet penetration have shown correspondingly high rates of growth, providing a clear illustration of the commercial opportunities that lie on the African continent. The knowledge that advanced communications networks can act as a catalyst to national economies in other key areas has provided further encouragement; however, while recent years have seen real development in the African telecommunications market, fundamental infrastructure still needs to be updated and improved if the continent is to enjoy the full benefits of a modern, reliable communications system. This is a process in which NewCom International, the Miami-based teleport operator which provides comprehensive engineering support to a wide range of clients across the continent, is playing a full part.
The second-fastest growing teleport operator in the world, NewCom has established a reputation for high-quality customer service and rapid delivery across a range of global markets, including Africa. To illustrate, the company has stepped into the role of primary service provider for governments and ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in both Gambia and Guinea, two fast-developing West African countries. Placing a premium on core attributes like reliability and efficiency, this is a highly responsible position, particularly for two countries which fully recognise the importance of innovative new technologies in today’s economic landscape. Demand for core communications services in both of these states has shown consistent growth over recent years, and it is essential that the underlying infrastructure be developed at the same time if it is to meet the needs of what is a rapidly expanding user base.
In this context the fact that Newcom’s core infrastructure business proposition of IP satellite connectivity in all its forms (from dedicated links right through to shared platforms) is always accompanied by added tools and applications takes on particular importance. This is further reinforced by the ability of these tools and applications to create new environments for further communications and collaboration. Examples such as videoconferencing and satellite-based collaboration to reach oil exploration stations in the middle of the world’s oceans; rural networks to facilitate distance learning; and security and surveillance systems over satellite for toll roads in regions with poor terrestrial infrastructure, are a key part of NewCom’s service offering. It is their ongoing development, and work to improve their reliability, that forms a key focus for the company.
Sharing expertise
This of course is a technically demanding goal, one that cannot be achieved without effective cooperation between partners and the broad-based sharing of expertise, particularly given the complexity of the communications marketplace. This is something of which NewCom is well aware, and to which it has responded accordingly. Working in conjunction with licensed telecommunications carriers, NewCom is providing both Internet access and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in Gambia and Guinea, two PPTs committed to providing an effective, reliable service to their citizens. This is work which will, in the process, give businesses, schools and governments a means to communicate through voice and data, further reinforcing the broad impact, relevance and potential of innovative new communications technologies. To help support the core infrastructure in these countries, the company is also donating some Internet and VoIP services to Gambia.
This commitment to sharing expertise and utilising the best equipment is translated into other areas of NewCom’s business as well, reflecting both the globalised nature of the communications marketplace, and also the company’s commitment to ensuring that all of its customers have access to the best solutions available. To illustrate, the company has joined forces with the world’s top telecom equipment manufacturers so as to provide its customers with a one-stop shop for both its new and used Satellite and Networking equipment needs, an approach which has the needs of NewCom’s clients very much at its heart. Today, companies looking to update their communications solutions are confronted with a bewildering range of options, making impartial, well-informed advice more valuable than ever before, particularly for the ever-increasing number of companies that depend on effective communications solutions.
NewCom has responded directly to this trend. The company helps to determine the best telecom equipment solution for its clients, and then works to get it to them in the fastest, most efficient manner possible. NewCom works with a broad range of top telecom equipment brand partners to provide its clients with a comprehensive, robust, effective solution – ranging from routers and switches right through to satellite modems and converters – capable of meeting their specific equipment needs. This is an approach which has already brought significant benefits to NewCom’s clients; the company’s work in Nigeria providing a particularly clear example. NewCom recently unveiled its new MCPC technology in the West African state, giving a Nigerian PTT a powerful new communications solution which it was able market to both major businesses and government departments. Unlike traditional Star-based satellite solutions that require communication with the company’s Miami-based satellite hub, MCPC/MESH uses a topology that enables primary businesses to communicate directly with remote locations through satellite links, without needing to transmit to the US satellite hub.
These attributes make the MPCP/MESH technology ideal for multiple-location facilities in foreign countries, which themselves often need to network between a main facility and remote locations within that region. This is a technology with enormous potential; however, NewCom remains mindful of the fact that the rapidly evolving nature of the communications marketplace means that its services needs to be continually refined and updated if the company is to continue to meet the needs of its clients. Since being launched in 2004, NewCom has systematically focused its efforts on helping its customers build their IP infrastructure over satellite, which the company sees as being both the most efficient alternative for inaccessible or remote locations and also the natural option for companies aiming to achieve business continuity during disaster recovery scenarios. These are both enormously important considerations in the African communications market, a rapidly evolving market in which NewCom aims to build and maintain a strong presence in the years ahead.
The catalyst for growth
Both the private and public sectors have responded by investing significant funds in development, and rates of mobile phone and Internet penetration have shown correspondingly high rates of growth, providing a clear illustration of the commercial opportunities that lie on the African continent. The knowledge that advanced communications networks can act as a catalyst to national economies in other key areas has provided further encouragement; however, while recent years have seen real development in the African telecommunications market, fundamental infrastructure still needs to be updated and improved if the continent is to enjoy the full benefits of a modern, reliable communications system. This is a process in which NewCom International, the Miami-based teleport operator which provides comprehensive engineering support to a wide range of clients across the continent, is playing a full part.
The second-fastest growing teleport operator in the world, NewCom has established a reputation for high-quality customer service and rapid delivery across a range of global markets, including Africa. To illustrate, the company has stepped into the role of primary service provider for governments and ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in both Gambia and Guinea, two fast-developing West African countries. Placing a premium on core attributes like reliability and efficiency, this is a highly responsible position, particularly for two countries which fully recognise the importance of innovative new technologies in today’s economic landscape. Demand for core communications services in both of these states has shown consistent growth over recent years, and it is essential that the underlying infrastructure be developed at the same time if it is to meet the needs of what is a rapidly expanding user base.
In this context the fact that Newcom’s core infrastructure business proposition of IP satellite connectivity in all its forms (from dedicated links right through to shared platforms) is always accompanied by added tools and applications takes on particular importance. This is further reinforced by the ability of these tools and applications to create new environments for further communications and collaboration. Examples such as videoconferencing and satellite-based collaboration to reach oil exploration stations in the middle of the world’s oceans; rural networks to facilitate distance learning; and security and surveillance systems over satellite for toll roads in regions with poor terrestrial infrastructure, are a key part of NewCom’s service offering. It is their ongoing development, and work to improve their reliability, that forms a key focus for the company.
Sharing expertise
This of course is a technically demanding goal, one that cannot be achieved without effective cooperation between partners and the broad-based sharing of expertise, particularly given the complexity of the communications marketplace. This is something of which NewCom is well aware, and to which it has responded accordingly. Working in conjunction with licensed telecommunications carriers, NewCom is providing both Internet access and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in Gambia and Guinea, two PPTs committed to providing an effective, reliable service to their citizens. This is work which will, in the process, give businesses, schools and governments a means to communicate through voice and data, further reinforcing the broad impact, relevance and potential of innovative new communications technologies. To help support the core infrastructure in these countries, the company is also donating some Internet and VoIP services to Gambia.
This commitment to sharing expertise and utilising the best equipment is translated into other areas of NewCom’s business as well, reflecting both the globalised nature of the communications marketplace, and also the company’s commitment to ensuring that all of its customers have access to the best solutions available. To illustrate, the company has joined forces with the world’s top telecom equipment manufacturers so as to provide its customers with a one-stop shop for both its new and used Satellite and Networking equipment needs, an approach which has the needs of NewCom’s clients very much at its heart. Today, companies looking to update their communications solutions are confronted with a bewildering range of options, making impartial, well-informed advice more valuable than ever before, particularly for the ever-increasing number of companies that depend on effective communications solutions.
NewCom has responded directly to this trend. The company helps to determine the best telecom equipment solution for its clients, and then works to get it to them in the fastest, most efficient manner possible. NewCom works with a broad range of top telecom equipment brand partners to provide its clients with a comprehensive, robust, effective solution – ranging from routers and switches right through to satellite modems and converters – capable of meeting their specific equipment needs. This is an approach which has already brought significant benefits to NewCom’s clients; the company’s work in Nigeria providing a particularly clear example. NewCom recently unveiled its new MCPC technology in the West African state, giving a Nigerian PTT a powerful new communications solution which it was able market to both major businesses and government departments. Unlike traditional Star-based satellite solutions that require communication with the company’s Miami-based satellite hub, MCPC/MESH uses a topology that enables primary businesses to communicate directly with remote locations through satellite links, without needing to transmit to the US satellite hub.
These attributes make the MPCP/MESH technology ideal for multiple-location facilities in foreign countries, which themselves often need to network between a main facility and remote locations within that region. This is a technology with enormous potential; however, NewCom remains mindful of the fact that the rapidly evolving nature of the communications marketplace means that its services needs to be continually refined and updated if the company is to continue to meet the needs of its clients. Since being launched in 2004, NewCom has systematically focused its efforts on helping its customers build their IP infrastructure over satellite, which the company sees as being both the most efficient alternative for inaccessible or remote locations and also the natural option for companies aiming to achieve business continuity during disaster recovery scenarios. These are both enormously important considerations in the African communications market, a rapidly evolving market in which NewCom aims to build and maintain a strong presence in the years ahead.
What really happens when you make an internet phone call?
Whenever you make an internet phone call, your voice goes through several processes:
When you talk into the receiver of your phone an analog voice signal is sent to your internet VoIP phone adapter better known as an ATA (analog telephone adapter). The adapter then converts your analog voice signal into a digital voice signal through a process call Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC) to prepare for transmission across the internet.
The next step in preparing your voice for an internet phone call is to compress the digital bits created by the ADC conversion into a standard format. An Internet phone provider uses a codec, which stands for coder-decoder, in order to compress the digital audio signal into packets of data. This process is essential for internet phone service to work properly. The G.729A is the most commonly used codec among internet phone providers for transmitting your voice across the internet. Some other commonly used codecs and their sampling rates are:
Codec Definition Standard Sampling Rate Uses
PCM Pulse Code Modulation ITU-T G.711 64Kbps Standard Telephone Line
CS-ACELP conjugate-structure algebraic-code-excited linear prediction ITU-T G.729 and G.729a 8Kbps Internet Phone Service
ACELP algebraic-code-excited linear prediction ITU-T G.723.1 5.3Kbps True Voice
ADPCM Adaptive differential PCM ITU-T G.726 40Kbps Variation of PCM
After your voice is compressed into data it is then encapsulated inside of IP packets before being routed across the internet. The challenge forinternet phone service is knowing where to route these “voice packets”. A device known as known as a soft switch is used to ensure these “voice packets” are routed to the proper destination. The soft switches act as a big database that maps a static phone number to a dynamic IP address to ensure you are able to make and receive calls across the internet. Without soft switches internet phone service wouldn’t be possible.
In order for someone to actually connect to you on the other end of an internet phone call, everything between you and the person on the other end must work together smoothly. Your voice is transmitted by using several protocols. Protocols define ways in which codecs connect to each other and with the internet. Internet phone service typically uses UDP (user datagram protocol) for transmission in combination with several other protocols. H.323 is the most widely used protocol for voice transmission however it wasn’t designed with internet phone service in mind. As you can see in the table below, H.323 is quite a large suite of protocols that was originally developed for video conferencing but has evolved and is widely used for tons of different applications.
H.323 Protocol Suite
Video Audio Data Transport
H.261 H.263 G.711 G.722 G.723.1 G.728 G.729 T.122 T.124 T.125 T.126 T.127 H.225 H.235 H.245 H.450.1 H.450.2 H.450.3 RTP X.224.0
Since H.323 wasn’t thinking of transmitting voice for internet VoIP phone calls, several other protocols have been developed that are smaller and more streamlined specifically for internet phone service. SIP or session initiation protocol was created for setting up, creating, and terminating an internet VoIP phone call. MGCP or media gateway control protocol is another protocol that is used with internet calls and was developed mainly to control features like call waiting. For an in-depth explanation of how these protocols work visit: VoIP Protocols
Finally, your IP packet arrives at the proper destination, it goes through the reverse process as described above so the person at the other end is able to hear your voice. Everything takes place in real time so any missing packets or delays are so small they are virtually undetectable by the human ear.
The the technical internet phone service diagram below provides a high level overview of how your voice travels across the internet to reach it's destination and connect to the other end.

The dotted line represents the path of your voice as it travels to its destination. The call coming from your internet VoIP phone first travels through your internet service provider "ISP" before passing to your internet phone provider's network. Depending on who you are calling will determine whether or not your call is routed to the cellular network or to the traditional public switched telephone network "PSTN". The person on the other end then hears a ring and you are connected. This process simply happens in reverse when somone is calling you.
When you talk into the receiver of your phone an analog voice signal is sent to your internet VoIP phone adapter better known as an ATA (analog telephone adapter). The adapter then converts your analog voice signal into a digital voice signal through a process call Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC) to prepare for transmission across the internet.
The next step in preparing your voice for an internet phone call is to compress the digital bits created by the ADC conversion into a standard format. An Internet phone provider uses a codec, which stands for coder-decoder, in order to compress the digital audio signal into packets of data. This process is essential for internet phone service to work properly. The G.729A is the most commonly used codec among internet phone providers for transmitting your voice across the internet. Some other commonly used codecs and their sampling rates are:
Codec Definition Standard Sampling Rate Uses
PCM Pulse Code Modulation ITU-T G.711 64Kbps Standard Telephone Line
CS-ACELP conjugate-structure algebraic-code-excited linear prediction ITU-T G.729 and G.729a 8Kbps Internet Phone Service
ACELP algebraic-code-excited linear prediction ITU-T G.723.1 5.3Kbps True Voice
ADPCM Adaptive differential PCM ITU-T G.726 40Kbps Variation of PCM
After your voice is compressed into data it is then encapsulated inside of IP packets before being routed across the internet. The challenge forinternet phone service is knowing where to route these “voice packets”. A device known as known as a soft switch is used to ensure these “voice packets” are routed to the proper destination. The soft switches act as a big database that maps a static phone number to a dynamic IP address to ensure you are able to make and receive calls across the internet. Without soft switches internet phone service wouldn’t be possible.
In order for someone to actually connect to you on the other end of an internet phone call, everything between you and the person on the other end must work together smoothly. Your voice is transmitted by using several protocols. Protocols define ways in which codecs connect to each other and with the internet. Internet phone service typically uses UDP (user datagram protocol) for transmission in combination with several other protocols. H.323 is the most widely used protocol for voice transmission however it wasn’t designed with internet phone service in mind. As you can see in the table below, H.323 is quite a large suite of protocols that was originally developed for video conferencing but has evolved and is widely used for tons of different applications.
H.323 Protocol Suite
Video Audio Data Transport
H.261 H.263 G.711 G.722 G.723.1 G.728 G.729 T.122 T.124 T.125 T.126 T.127 H.225 H.235 H.245 H.450.1 H.450.2 H.450.3 RTP X.224.0
Since H.323 wasn’t thinking of transmitting voice for internet VoIP phone calls, several other protocols have been developed that are smaller and more streamlined specifically for internet phone service. SIP or session initiation protocol was created for setting up, creating, and terminating an internet VoIP phone call. MGCP or media gateway control protocol is another protocol that is used with internet calls and was developed mainly to control features like call waiting. For an in-depth explanation of how these protocols work visit: VoIP Protocols
Finally, your IP packet arrives at the proper destination, it goes through the reverse process as described above so the person at the other end is able to hear your voice. Everything takes place in real time so any missing packets or delays are so small they are virtually undetectable by the human ear.
The the technical internet phone service diagram below provides a high level overview of how your voice travels across the internet to reach it's destination and connect to the other end.

The dotted line represents the path of your voice as it travels to its destination. The call coming from your internet VoIP phone first travels through your internet service provider "ISP" before passing to your internet phone provider's network. Depending on who you are calling will determine whether or not your call is routed to the cellular network or to the traditional public switched telephone network "PSTN". The person on the other end then hears a ring and you are connected. This process simply happens in reverse when somone is calling you.
Working Of A VoIP
There are three different ways in which a VoIP works.
ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptor)
The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter.
This device allows one to connect a standard phone to the computer and the internet connection for using VoIP.
What the ATA device does is that it takes the analog signal from the phone and converts it into digital data. This digital data can then be transmitted over the internet.
Some service providers give ATA’s free with their service.
IP Phones
These are specialized phones, which look like normal phones and come with handset, cradle, and buttons.
IP phones do not have the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. Instead, they come with an RJ-45 Ethernet connector.
This phone is connected directly into the router. IP phones have all the hardware and software that are necessary to handle the IP call.
PC-To-PC
This is the easiest way to use VoIP. It is also very inexpensive.
The basic requirements are software, a microphone, speakers, a sound card, and a fast internet connection.
How It Works
The basic principle in which the VoIP works is known as ‘packet switching’.
In VoIP, the file is cut down to half for greater efficiency. This can be done because only half the connection is in use at any given time. In addition, the ‘silent intervals’ are removed and so the files are made even smaller.
Next, instead of sending a continuous stream of bytes, in VoIP, the bytes are sent only in packets.
These bytes are routed through a chaotic network, instead of a dedicated line. The entire process is known as packet switching.
In packet switching, the connection is opened for only a brief instant, just the time required to send a small ‘packet’ of data, from one system to another.
How The Packet Switching System Works?
The computer from which data is sent chops the data into small packets. It also fixes an address on each one detailing the network device where to send them.
Each packet contains a payload. This payload can be anything from e-mails, music file to voice (noise).
The packets are then sent to a router, which is nearby to the sending computer. The router then sends the packet to another router that is near the recipient computer. The packets are then sent form router to router until the receiving computer gets the packets.
The computer then resembles the data to their original form using the instructions contained in the packets. All the packets traverse different paths to get to the computer.
This makes VoIP efficient, fast, and very inexpensive.
ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptor)
The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter.
This device allows one to connect a standard phone to the computer and the internet connection for using VoIP.
What the ATA device does is that it takes the analog signal from the phone and converts it into digital data. This digital data can then be transmitted over the internet.
Some service providers give ATA’s free with their service.
IP Phones
These are specialized phones, which look like normal phones and come with handset, cradle, and buttons.
IP phones do not have the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. Instead, they come with an RJ-45 Ethernet connector.
This phone is connected directly into the router. IP phones have all the hardware and software that are necessary to handle the IP call.
PC-To-PC
This is the easiest way to use VoIP. It is also very inexpensive.
The basic requirements are software, a microphone, speakers, a sound card, and a fast internet connection.
How It Works
The basic principle in which the VoIP works is known as ‘packet switching’.
In VoIP, the file is cut down to half for greater efficiency. This can be done because only half the connection is in use at any given time. In addition, the ‘silent intervals’ are removed and so the files are made even smaller.
Next, instead of sending a continuous stream of bytes, in VoIP, the bytes are sent only in packets.
These bytes are routed through a chaotic network, instead of a dedicated line. The entire process is known as packet switching.
In packet switching, the connection is opened for only a brief instant, just the time required to send a small ‘packet’ of data, from one system to another.
How The Packet Switching System Works?
The computer from which data is sent chops the data into small packets. It also fixes an address on each one detailing the network device where to send them.
Each packet contains a payload. This payload can be anything from e-mails, music file to voice (noise).
The packets are then sent to a router, which is nearby to the sending computer. The router then sends the packet to another router that is near the recipient computer. The packets are then sent form router to router until the receiving computer gets the packets.
The computer then resembles the data to their original form using the instructions contained in the packets. All the packets traverse different paths to get to the computer.
This makes VoIP efficient, fast, and very inexpensive.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Future of Business & The Future of Technology is Digital Convergence
Imagine! A company...
More strongly positioned than Microsoft!
More profitable than Exxon Mobile!
Richer than the Royal Bank of Scotland!
Further reaching than the Google!
Yes, a MegaCorp. Greater than all these giants combined. Could the existence of an awe-inspiring company be possible? Yes it can -> The Digital Industry.
The digital industry supplies and manages the key machinery, infrastructure and intelligence for the businesses in this world. As such the digital technology not only serves as the body and central nervous system for the industry but most importantly as its brain. The DI functions as a giant operating system for greater industry, business and even for the public and Govt sector.
In the near future the DI fully converges and asserts itself as the industry’s Central command element, the value of technology will arise immensely and the digital sector will succeed in energy and finances of the world’s largest, wealthiest and most influential industrial sector. In consider of this, herein lies the monumental opportunity. If DI itself had a central command element and the company was able to manage this key component, not only this company would be positioned to lead the digital sector, but by commanding the operating system of the operating system, it could theoretically lead all the greater industries. It would become the world’s greatest company.
Convergence or Divergence?
Convergence wins for a consumer when it makes life simpler and cheaper, but often it makes life more complicated. For example, we now have multiple features with diverse functionalities on our handset or our laptops, but exactly how many of these are really used or say, understood by us. Leave alone their usage, many of them are so complex in nature and follow such protocols that they are hard to remember, this limits their purpose of invention. The future will see many many products of similar breeds, with complex and multiple functionalities. But honestly, we at the bottom of the pyramid of consumers never would opt for a “web-enabled fridge”. The issue is, sometime we go “stock-raising-technology-Mad”, and in the process, we lose touch in what would actually make individual lives simpler and better at the right price.
All this is being said in this context, so that a clear line could be drawn between the products that need to be converged or diverged. Digital convergence should be managed proficiently to make the most of it without making a mess of this boon in our hands.
The Phases of Digital convergence technology:
During the Digital Convergence Phase 1, convergence" existed in many consumers' minds, at that time contents were bulky, with delivery delays, flickering texts and cumbersome navigation. Yet with all the applications of convergence - from microwaves, that bank to Internet appliances that do your laundry, lock your doors and turn on your sprinklers - you would think that we had finally reached convergence nirvana with all of our needs fully realized.
Making the case for digital convergence is similar to communicating the need for high-speed Internet access in the late 1990s, when consumers' limited understanding of the benefits of high-speed technology hampered its wide-scale adoption. In the 1990s, consumers bought only the bandwidth they needed to support their Internet usage at the time.
The popularity of television encouraged an experiment with convergence in the mid-1970s in Columbus, Ohio. There, Warner Amex introduced an interactive television service named QUBE. It was a costly failure. People weren't ready to interact with the folks behind the broadcast. The success of the VCR, a passive machine, reinforced that finding. By the late 1980s, the rapid adoption of communication devices such as pager, fax machine and cell phone made us far more willing to interact with devices in general.
In Digital Convergence Phase 2, as we embraced e-mail, streaming media, internet broadcasts, online shopping, instant messaging, internet phone calls (VOIP – Voice over IP) technologies and the latest of all the Media Centers and we discovered what the Internet had to offer, these devices took on one or more functions of the others. Faxes could be sent and received via the computer; radio could be heard via the Internet; and wireless phones could be used to receive text data and browse the internet. People realized that interacting with content could be convenient as well as entertaining. The Internet was now training us to take control.
Beyond the rather generic and multiply defined e-commerce and e-business, typical topics are enterprise-wide opportunities to use technology in enterprise resource planning, supply-chain management, and customer relationship management. Some great books by professors, executives, and consultants have also explored the impact of technology on large organizations. These usually focus on technology-facilitated business and organizational concepts such as human capital, the networked organization
FUTURE
With gaming companies' heads in the right place, the market is ripe for innovation. For gamers, the advantage of connecting gaming consoles to the Internet is the ability to extend the gaming community indefinitely: Gamers can compete against other users across the world. Through instant messaging, they can share game secrets, learn to access levels they couldn't get to on their own and trash-talk with their opponents.
For entertainment buffs, convergence is transforming common devices such as DVDs and TVs into home entertainment centers, with interactive technology enabling manufacturers to set apart their products on competition-laden store shelves. The evolution of features such as digital photo viewing capabilities allow users to view their family photos on their big-screen TVs using their DVD players, and even create personal slide shows. Audio enhancements let consumers connect their MP3s to DVD players or rip songs from CDs.
We're seeing digital convergence redefined in the consumer electronics market today - just as we've seen with the cell phone adding on relevant features such as text messaging, and the automobile now coming equipped with a global positioning system and even TVs for passengers.
At the same time, adding Internet connectivity can make these added features even richer. With Internet-enhanced DVD players, consumers have the ability to access extra Web-embedded content on DVDs. In addition, consumers with interactive TVs and DVDs will be able to watch coming attractions, be among the first people to see new trailers and be invited to sneak previews in their areas.
They will spend time in virtual theaters, watching films with movie fans all over the world, and join online events or chats. It will even be possible to chat with actors, directors and special effects artists during the movie. With the use of a remote control, consumers can download screenplays, buy opening-day tickets to new movies and purchase advanced copies of DVD movies.
As these pieces - simplicity, creative applications and innovative technology - come together, digital convergence will migrate from a Jetson-era notion to a consumer-driven necessity.
Digital convergence for business
It can be thought of enabling "any content, anytime, anywhere through any device." This may already sound like a cliché, but this concept has necessitated a fundamental re-drawing of how players—from content providers to distributors to retailers to technology companies—execute on the capabilities and alliances they need to compete and win
All along, we've had traditional members of that chain, but now we also have newer members. Players like Facebook, Google and MySpace that simply didn't exist 10 years ago are not only driving convergence, but further pushing boundaries by enabling and offering consumers new types of media and forms of distribution. User-generated content from blogs through RSS feeds are an example of the massive expansion of interactive media, which has underpinned the transformation of the value chain into a two-way exchange between consumers and content creators.
"Old media" will be around for many years to come, without changing much. However, the expansion of flavors and models of media interaction will further evolve. That means we're experiencing both digital convergence andemergence.
Digital convergence also means the transition of traditional media distribution channels into emerging and new channels. For example, on some online sites, consumers can request a title. Instead of following the model of delivering a pre-manufactured item via the traditional value chain, the content creator can manufacture it in real time—perhaps customize it to the consumer's request—and have it delivered .(as in case of DELL Computers).
This kind of convergence has actually been going on for quite a while. New revenue streams are evolving as this convergence grows and develops, whether those streams are from advertising or more customized ways of packaging content, as in the previous example.
Companies need to figure out how to leverage branding—whether that's the brand of the title or of the provider—and how to connect with the consumers interested in that brand. Building communities around the brand can include online communities where consumers discuss the brand or share thoughts and ideas with each other. The entertainment and media industries are moving to a direct-to-consumer model in terms of how they provide content and how consumers experience the content. Then consumers discuss—thus further market the content—by word of mouth.
Increasingly, online market share will become blurred into maximizing market share across all the channels and platforms of consumption. Start with the "three-screen experience" of TV, PC and mobile for media consumption and then see how every stakeholder group in the value chain—whether they be content providers, advertisers or distributors—has a huge amount to gain and lose by offering consumers different models and means of consumption. Apple's ecosystem across the iPod, iTV and now the iPhone is a great example of a company trying to enable this three-screen experience and reap the benefits of aggregated market share that this provides.
Finally, digital convergence enables this kind of direct-to-consumer marketing by eliminating the restraints of physical market space. If there isn't room on the shelf of a retailer for content, that doesn't mean it can't be marketed. By being available online, even limited-appeal content can still be available for consumers, create its own revenue stream, and at the same time help build loyalty from those consumers who will then turn to the online retailer for other content
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