What is Voice-over-Ethernet?
The Voice-Over-Ethernet (VoE) technology provides a transparent interconnection of Private Branch Exchange (PBXs), Telecom Switches and T1/E1 based communication systems via LANs, MANs, and Optical Wireless networks. This solution provides a high-quality, cost effective method of transporting native voice traffic from Enterprise PBXs or Class 5 switches in Central Offices over the data network, thus saving the costs associated with duplicated networks for voice and data.
Who Uses Voice-over-Ethernet?
Both service providers and Enterprise customers can benefit from Voice-over-Ethernet technology. VoE allows carriers to offer a complete voice and data solution to multi-site Enterprise customers. These customers have both PBX’s aggregating their voice traffic and Ethernet switches controlling their data traffic. To carry both of these technologies from one facility to another, the carrier would traditionally use either two separate networks, or convert the Ethernet to frame-relay or T1/E1 traffic, which dramatically reduces the bandwidth. With VoE technology, the provider can use an Ethernet service delivery network, using Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) technology to interconnect the facilities, and Ethernet Circuit technology toguarantee priority and bandwidth for the voice traffic.
For the Enterprise, the same idea holds. For campus environments, the Enterprise administrator is constantly facing the challenge of moving both voice and data from one building to another. With VoE technology, a single network can be constructed that delivers both voice and data between the buildings while maintaining full priority and quality for the voice traffic. This can be done without modifying the telephony structure inside the building –existing PBXs are simply connected to the VoE system.
How is Voice-over-Ethernet Deployed?
MRV provides a module for the OptiSwitch™ family of switches that implements Voice-over-Ethernet technology. The EM2004-E1 module encapsulates full E1/T1 circuits, along with their framing and signaling bits, into IP packets, carried over the Ethernet network, which delivers a smooth convergence of voice and data traffic. The OptiSwitch solution supports the full range of QoS techniques required to enable unified Voice and data services to be provisioned over the Ethernet.
Any E1 or T1 signal can be passed across an Ethernet network using VoE technology. The most common example is to connect several PBX’s that are spread out across multiple locations. Instead of running a separate T1 or E1 connection (or leasing one from a provider), the OptiSwitch™ VoE module can be used to combine the voice traffic from the PBX onto the Ethernet backbone. With full QoS capabilities, there is no degradation of the voice quality. Additionally, the existing telephone network is untouched.
Carriers looking to make better use of fiber-optic cabling can also use VoE technology to interconnect Class-5 switches. Since the bandwidth of a T1/E1 connection is quite low, many dozens can be sent across a single Gigabit Ethernet connection. The OptiSwitch™ modular design allows from four to over ninety T1/E1 connections to be passed over a single Ethernet line.
Voice-over-Ethernet Links
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