[asterisk-biz] How Realistic is Hosted VoIP for SMBs?

[GlobalOfficePhone]

Greg:

Thanks for your thoughts. I am familiar with SIP signalling and media stream
separation in SIP and I agree with you that the media can be sent directly
between two SIP endpoints. This would work if the PBX was local and the PBX
and the endpoints were behind the same NAT.

However, as I understand it,  when the endpoints are behind a different NAT
then the hosted PBX (which most are in case of SMBs), then SIP and Asterisk
doesn't allow direct endpoint-to-endpoint connection and the media stream
must pass through the Asterisk server. Unless, of course, the hosted PBX is
using some other tricks.

As per your last comment, my only point is that if endpoint-to-endpoint
media stream is not possible, then the situation described would require
much higher WAN bandwidth.

Jim Cole: As to your comment, I am assuming a SIP system for this
discussion.

Thanks.

On 10/29/06, Greg Boehnlein <damin at nacs.net> wrote:
>
> On Sun, 29 Oct 2006, GlobalOfficePhone wrote:
>
> > Recently there has been an upsurge in articles about the benefits of
> hosted
> > VoIP for SMBs accompanied by a similar upsurge in providers who offer
> such
> > services.
> >
> > While I understand most of the benefits highlighted, especially if the
> SMB
> > is geographically dispersed; I can't seem to resolve one nagging dilemma
> in
> > my head:
> >
> > Calls between local extensions situated within a physical location (a
> > cubicle across the hall) must traverse over WAN. Isn't this very
> > inefficient? And, doesn't it require a much higher WAN bandwidth, which
> is
> > usually limited and expensive - very expensive in some countries?
>
> SIP handsets, properly configured, will send the media directly between
> the two end-points. I.E. only the call setup and signalling will go to the
> hosted server, but the phones will send the audio stream between
> themselves on the same LAN.
>
> > So, for a 20-user SMB with all its users located in a single office, all
> > extension-to-extension (local) calls must go out on a WAN and come back
> to
> > the office. This will require a much higher scarce WAN bandwidth and not
> use
> > the abundant LAN bandwidth!
>
> No.
>
> > Would hosted VoIP be a better choice such an SMB?
>
> Depends on the customer, it's needs. Every solution is different.
>
> > I would appreciate your thoughts on this issue to help sleep well :)
>
> You might want to read up on how SIP works. Singalling is done on one
> port, while media is handled as a separate transaction using RTP.
>
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
>
> --
>     Vice President of N2Net, a New Age Consulting Service, Inc. Company
>          http://www.n2net.net Where everything clicks into place!
>                              KP-216-121-ST
>
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