VoIP Standards for Rich Interoperability

Potential benefits of VoIP, such as enhanced audio quality and conveying additional media (see benefits below), can only be fully achieved if VoIP calls remain IP calls end-to-end, rather than traversing gateways to the PSTN. But today, VoIP is typically deployed only in a portion of the end-to-end path.
Three places where VoIP is commonly deployed are:
Within an enterprise: IP phones that connect to an IP PBX
As the "last mile" replacement for traditional trunks, delivering phone service over data connections, including DSL and cable broadband
Within the network core for long-haul traffic
As an example, a call from one enterprise to another often originates on an IP phone/PBX system, traverses through two PSTN gateways and terminates on the destination IP PBX/phone system. The gateways add costs and latency, and most importantly, impede realization of key VoIP benefits. Clearly, an end-to-end IP interconnection, also known as direct IP peering, would be preferable. Interoperability is a prerequisite for this.

The world is rapidly converging on the SIP protocol. Today's SIP devices are typically interoperable to the level of establishing a call, but richer features such as conferencing or using other media types, are more challenging.

SIP has many advantages, including simplicity and extensibility. However, its extensibility has also led to a low-level of interoperability: the SIP protocol can be, and has been, extended in various incompatible ways. For a rich-level of interoperability to be achieved, consensus throughout the industry is needed to implement baseline features in a consistent way.

Intel is now actively working with industry standards organizations and forums, such as the IETF, IEEE and SIP Forum, to drive the standards and rich interoperability required to achieve the full potential of VoIP. Intel has a history of providing industry standards leadership and working with other major technology companies for such notable standards efforts as Ethernet and PCI. Standards provide businesses with more flexibility, more vendor choice, more affordable solutions, and a lower total cost of ownership. With the commitment of Intel and other industry leaders, standards-based platforms and applications will become more readily available, simplifying VoIP integration and enabling improved business communications and collaboration.