Mobile VoIP Challenges

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Mobile VoIP Challenges

iphone_main_overview20080609.jpgToday, Global IP Solutions (GIPS) announced the public availability of a whitepaper that highlights the challenges and opportunities critical for high quality when implementing mobile VoIP, called "Implementing VoIP for iPhones and Smartphones."

The paper can be found at http://gipscorp.com/products/gips_in_action.php, and addresses how developers can overcome problems inherent in mobile IP communications, such as packet loss and delay, jitter, acoustic echo and OS tuning.

Forget these challenges. You want to know the #1 challenge facing mobile VoIP? It's the wireless carriers or the operating system companies themselves (Apple, Microsoft) forcing cellphone manufacturers to offer "crippled" VoIP. What do I mean by crippled VoIP? I mean mobile phones such as the iPhone which can do VoIP but only over a WiFi data connection and not over 3G. As I wrote before, Apple will in fact BLOCK VoIP applications from running over the cellular data network. What in the bloody hell kind of half-ass crippling of VoIP is that? Apparently, Steve Jobs aims to protect their cell network buddy AT&T from having VoIP calls be "minute stealers" from the regular cell network.

Windows Mobile isn't much better. It does allow VoIP over 2.5G/3G, but often cripples access to the internal handset earpiece. You have to send the audio out the external speakerphone, which is not nearly as good quality. Often the external speaker is on the back of the phone and doesn't have nearly enough volume, so you're forced to flip the handset on your ear back-and-forth when speaking or listening.

In any event, it might br worthwhile to check out GIPS' whitepaper. Here's some more details:

Successful Mobile VoIP on iPhones and Smartphones Whitepaper available from Global IP Solutions
 
Emphasizes Issues that Must be Addressed to Create a Quality Mobile Experience

Global IP Solutions (Oslo Børs: GIPS), the leading provider of IP multimedia processing solutions, announced today the availability of a whitepaper that highlights the challenges and opportunities critical for high quality when implementing mobile VoIP, called "Implementing VoIP for iPhones and Smartphones," written by Roar Hagen, CTO at Global IP Solutions. 

The paper addresses how developers can overcome problems inherent in mobile IP communications, such as packet loss and delay, jitter, acoustic echo and OS tuning. It also explains how applications can be VoIP-enabled to take advantage of the unique capabilities of today's smart phones, like access to the internet.  To download the paper for free, visit www.gipscorp.com.

Apple Inc.'s iPhone 3G was the top-selling smartphone in the U.S. from June through August, capturing 24 percent of the market, according to market research firm NPD Group, a market research firm for the wireless industry. The total smartphone market is growing rapidly, with revenues reaching nearly $1.7 billion already this year, according to NPD Group.

"Smartphones and especially the iPhone present the most promising opportunity for growth of the mobile IP market, and an excellent platform for developing applications that create real-time VoIP.  However, mobile application developers, wireless service providers and handset manufacturers need to ensure the end user experience is first-class to ensure success in the market. GIPS audio processing expertise is recognized worldwide and ensures high-quality VoIP, even under adverse Wi-Fi conditions," said Roar Hagen, CTO, Global IP Solutions. 

Hagen continued, "These full featured devices have introduced ground breaking design and multimedia capabilities to the mobile world and their adoption rate has been staggering, even during this down economy. Application developers, wireless service providers and manufacturers can bring expert high quality voice and video applications to mobile devices in record time with GIPS' MediaEngines. This will allow both the enterprise and consumer mobile community to benefit from new IP communication capabilities on the road, such as VoIP calling, social networking and video conferencing as well as integrated multi-player chat."

GIPS is recognized for its media processing expertise for IP communications with the invention of the IETF standard iLBC.  With more than 800 million downloads globally on various platforms, GIPS continues to innovate by enabling VoIP on mobile devices, allowing accelerated time-to-market with cutting edge Mobile VoIP applications.  



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