[Asterisk-Dev] Codec license for Asterisk

[James Courtier-Dutton]

ops at infoserve.net wrote:
> Hi List,
> 
> I noticed someone in this list asked how many G.729 codec license he should purchase for his Asterisk box. I am new to VoIP and Asterisk. Why do we need to buy codec licenses for th Asterisk? I thought codecs are built into the SIP phones. If a call is made from one SIP phone to another SIP phone, shouldn't the codecs inside those two phones take care of things. The only situation I can think of needing codec license is when a call is make from a SIP phone through Asterisk to the PSTN network. In that case the Asterisk box wil handle the codec functions. Am I correct?
> 
> Also, if I need to buy the G.729 license who and where can I buy them?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Oliver Shaw
> 

You need the codec licenses if you are using the codec in Asterisk.
e.g. Channels coming in from a T1/E1 and needing to be converted from 
PCM to G.729 in order to get to a SIP phone. You don't HAVE to use 
G.729, so you don't HAVE to get a G.729 license. You could use GSM 
instead. If you are just doing SIP to SIP G.729, and Asterisk is not 
doing any codec conversions, then you don't need a G.729 license.

Cheers
James