[clug] broadband ISPs in Canberra

[Kim Holburn]

On 2004 Sep 25, , at 9:51 AM, Simon Haddon wrote:
>> On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 11:52:02 +1000 Martin Pool <mbp at sourcefrog.net> 
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> (For example: why don't Transact use VoIP to do free national and
>>> cheap international calls?  I would have thought it'd be technically
>>> feasible, and it would be at least a small differentiator from 
>>> regular
>>> telcos. But no.)
>>
>> Because their telephony wants to be *much* more reliable than the 
>> other
>> bits of their network ...
>
> There is truth in that.  But there is more to the picture than what you
> think.  My understanding is
> 1.  The most data they deal with on a daily basis is telephony data of 
> which
>     there are millions of switches happening daily.

A tiny fraction of data traffic.  What year was it that internet 
traffic exceeded telephony in Australia?  Quite a while ago and we had 
a very small percentage of internet users.

>     Yes even with their
>     relatively small customer base.  I would like to see the computer
>     hardware requied to do that in VoIP and the bandwidth as well
> 2.  There are alot of telephony services that would be harder to 
> implement
>     unless they brought the telephony switch that they have.

Not really, there are VOIP exchanges, there are even OS VOIP exchanges 
(asterix (sp?)).  A VOIP exchange can easily do much more than a 
dedicated POTS system.

> 3.  Pure telephony line is more reliable and there are large legal 
> issues
>     at stake.  ie:  I know if an ISP that can offer VoIP but only as
>     a second phone due to legal issues about being a home primary line
>     and offering a reliable service.
> 4.  VoIP suffers when the bandwidth is being chocked by other services.

Not if it's correctly set up.

> I had to write the data extraction programs for the telephony control 
> data
> and I have a little understanding of the complexities involved.  I can
> undestand why they have a dedicated switch.  These things are very
> complicated.  Easy if you want a simple line with no extras.  Extras
> include diversions, phone range blocking, operator restrictions, 
> hunting,
> pabx, priviledges, etc.

I have heard it said that 60% or more of the equipment in a telephone 
exchange is for billing.  If you can handle all that and more in 
software it cuts the cost considerably.  Now if you took away telephone 
traffic charges how much more simple does that make the system?


-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Manager, Canberra Research Laboratory
National Information and Communication Technology Australia
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