Table of Contents:

Definition and Overview

1. Introduction

2. Voice over Packet Architecture

3. Why Voice over IP?

4. Why Voice over ATM?

5. Design Considerations for Voice over Packet

6. Elements of a Next-Generation Switching Platform

7. Switching Platform/Media Gateway

8. Signaling Gateway

9. The Softswitch/Media Gateway Controller

10. Application Server (AS) and Services

11. Conclusion

Self-Test

Glossary

PDF of this tutorial

Adding voice to packet networks requires an understanding of how to deal with system level challenges such as interoperability, call control and signaling, voice encoding, delay, echo, reliability, density, and performance of all the elements that make up the next-generation switching platform.