Known by other names such as internet telephony, ip telephony and broadband, VOIP voice over internet protocol is unarguably one of the most widely used communication technology in the world today
VOIP refers to phone systems which transform voice into digital packets, enabling you to make calls through the internet using compatible mobile devices. Essentially reducing the need for landlines or cellular networks. This shift has revolutionized communication by offering greater flexibility, enhanced features, and significant cost savings compared to conventional telephony. From personal calls to enterprise communication systems, VoIP has become an integral part of modern communication infrastructure.
In this post we take a deep look at the history of VOIP, understanding its place in today’s world while taking a peek into what the future holds for VOIP.
Understanding the evolution of VOIP.
The conceptual beginning of VOIP dates to early ideas of digitizing and transmitting calls over data networks.
1880- 1975.
While a lot of folks are of the opinion that the creation of VOIP took place in the early 1990’s, the foundation can be traced back to 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell regarded as the father of telephony invented the telephone and was celebrated for telegraphing voice and other sounds. This invention however was preceded by the design and communication of the first telegraph and laying of the transatlantic cable in 1866.
AT&T later would invent the touch tone buttons seen on telephones allowing calls to be switched digitally. Laying the framework for what would be the basis for VOIP and synthesizer chips, Nippon Telegraph and telephone company synergized with Nagoya university in 1966 to propose a method of converting speech to digital products known as linear predictive coding ( LPC).
In 1969 The Advanced Research Project Agency ARPA which was an agency of the U.S Department of Defense would lay the groundwork for the internet as we know it today. Which by the way was a research project for remote computer access for communication between users regardless of location. The result was ARPANET which became a pioneer adopter of the Internet capable (IP) network communication suite.
In 1974 the first VOIP call was made over the ARPANET network. This landmark even took place at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington Massachusetts. With the audio at 2.4kbps the quality was definitely not as high definition as we have today.
However, it’s also worthy of note that in the 1980s Dr Marian Croak while at AT&T planned, developed and pioneered the technology behind VOIP phones systems and holds several related patents. Further advancements in VOIP telephony would take place for it to become the commercially successful communication option we have today.
1995- 2003
Moving on,
The early 1990s witnessed the massive adoption of the internet by businesses with various internet-based startups emerging to provide solutions to associated business needs, speak freely, a voice over IP solution was released in 1991. Soon after in 1995 vocaltec released the first VOIP internet phone, with this development volcatec is considered by many as the first VOIP telephony company due to its creation of the internet phone for the public.
The output, however, was slow and the quality poor but this was largely due to the existing internet bandwidth not being fast enough to handle high quality audio. This limited its success but set the pace for future advancement and adoption. At the turn of the century landlines became commonplace both in households and businesses.
In the early 2000s the invention of modern codecs such as the G.711, G.729, and Opus provided superior compression rates without sacrificing audio quality. Further upgrades in communication technology and the affordability of broadband internet led to the rise in adoption of VOIP telephony. Skype emerged as a game-changer, making free or low-cost calls accessible to the masses, bridging the gap between friends, family and businesses across the globe without breaking the bank.
Skype turned it up a notch when in 2005 they introduced video chat into their software, their most popular feature till date. Following Skype’s success, services like WhatsApp and Viber further popularized VoIP among consumers. These apps offered not just voice calls, but also messaging and video calls, all through an internet connection.
Present day.
VOIP has now become part of our everyday lives, as it’s now widely used to communicate with friends and loved ones far and near at a very affordable rate. Businesses now employ the technology to conduct meetings thereby reducing overhead costs and as a byproduct the demand for remote work has also witnessed a boom as employees can access communication tools from anywhere, supporting remote work and ensuring business continuity.
Unified Communications.
Now with unified communication (UC) which refers to the seamless integration of various communication services, VoIP is now being combined with video calls, instant messaging, email, and collaboration tools. Teams can now collaborate and work together in real-time, regardless of location. Features like presence information (indicating whether a person is available, busy, or offline) further enhance coordination, evaluation and performance..
The future of VOIP.
The widespread reliance of businesses on VOIP technology is a trend that is not fading away anytime Soon. The VoIP market is projected to reach $55 billion by 2027 from $30 billion in 2022, this surge is fueled by advancements in internet infrastructure, increasing demand for remote work solutions, and the continual push for cost-effective, high-quality communication options. Furthermore, the integration of VoIP with artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of things (IOT) is set to revolutionize customer service and call management.
By taking advantage of this rapid evolution, VoIP systems can help businesses improve customer interactions, streamline call handling processes, thereby boosting efficiency and overall productivity.
Conclusion.
The evolution of VoIP is a testament to the incredible advancements in communication technology. As the market continues to expand, driven by the increasing need for flexible, cost-effective communication solutions, it’s clear that VoIP will play a pivotal role in shaping our connected future. Whether for personal use or in business, embracing VoIP can lead to more efficient and seamless communication experiences.
future-proof your communication strategy, stay ahead of the curve in this rapidly evolving digital age by exploring VoIP solutions today.