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Telephony

Updated Jan 16, 2019 ·

Overview​

Telephony refers to the technology that allows for voice communication over distances. It includes traditional landline systems, mobile networks, and modern digital methods like VoIP.

  • Traditional telephony used circuit-switched networks/
  • Evolved from analog to digital, now including mobile networks.
  • Features include voicemail, conferencing, and call forwarding.
  • Integration with digital and mobile systems.

VOIP​

VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) enables voice communication over data networks, replacing traditional phone lines by leveraging internet protocols.

  • Carries voice communication over data networks
  • Converts voice from analog to digital form
  • Transmits signals using the Internet Protocol

VOIP Devices​

VoIP devices enable voice communication over IP networks, replacing traditional telephone hardware.

  • VoIP phones

    • Look similar to traditional phones but connect directly to data networks.
    • Convert voice into data packets for transmission over IP.

  • Softphones

    • Software-based solutions that enable VoIP calls on computers or mobile devices.

  • Analog Telephone Adapters (ATAs)

    • Allow traditional analog phones to connect to VoIP networks.

VOIP Security​

Ensuring the security of VoIP communications is essential to preventing eavesdropping and unauthorized access.

  • Encryption

    • Protects VoIP traffic by scrambling the data to prevent unauthorized access.
    • Can impact voice quality due to increased processing requirements.

  • VLAN segmentation

    • Separates VoIP traffic from other network traffic using Virtual LANs (VLANs).
    • Helps protect voice communication and improves network performance.

  • Firewalls and intrusion detection

    • Firewalls block unauthorized access to the VoIP network.
    • Intrusion detection systems (IDS) monitor for suspicious activity and security threats.

How VoiP VLAN Segmentation looks like: