Voice over Internet Protocol: There's no hype in the skype program

Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta, vmahmud@yahoo.com

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has always been an impressive tool for users of the World Wide Web.

Instead of expensive overseas telephone calls, people can utilize the Internet to talk to far-flung friends across borders or collaborate with colleagues in corporate regional offices.

Originally, these applications were cumbersome and required tremendous bandwidth, in some cases necessitating leased lines similar to those used for traditional professional videoconferencing.

Now, the technology has matured, as shown by the rising popularity of the VoIP program, Skype (see www.skype.com). Calling itself "free internet telephony that just works", this is the latest communications application that allows users to easily talk to each other armed with a simple PC and Internet connection.

After downloading the free program and registering at Skype.com, one can contact other registered users within the network. Skype also allows for online file transfers and instant messaging during voice chatting.

What's more, you can also connect to up to four other people at the same time with the conferencing feature.

Tested calls from Adelaide to Singapore, Montreal and Jakarta proved impressive, with the software providing crystal-clear voice quality.

Granted, the higher the bandwidth, the better the reception, and Skype offers better-than-average signals on dial-up connections.

Interestingly enough, calls to notebooks connected via a CDMA wireless connection (such as Indosat's StarOne) were pretty comprehensible, albeit with some minor delays.

The software is processor- and bandwidth-intensive so it is advisable that other programs are closed prior to connecting. In addition, it would be a good idea to use earphones instead of loudspeakers, as there could be some echoed audio feedback.

Headsets are recommended, although tests with laptops and their small built-in microphones provided sufficient audio clarity.

Perhaps one of the reasons for Skype's excellent results lies in its technology. Using decentralized Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks, the application uses multiple dynamic Internet connection paths to provide the best sound quality, powered by a software solution from Global IP Sound (www.globalipsound.com).

To add additional security, all Skype conversations are encrypted. There is also a feature called Skype Out, which allows users to call to regular telephone and cellphone numbers around the world for a small fee.

At the moment, there are many free and commercial VoIP products online, with Yahoo Instant Messenger being one of the most popular.

However, Skype's ease of use and premium features is making it the current darling of the Internet. It also offers cross- platform connectivity, available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and even Pocket PC users, allowing them to communicate with each other, irrespective of their operating system choices.

The company has stated that it is interested in expanding its application platform to mobile phone systems, with Palm, Symbian and Windows Smartphone devices being possibilities.

Thus, anyone with a WiFi gadget and an Internet connection can make free phone calls.

Skype currently has 13 million users worldwide and its numbers are growing daily.

This new technology is perhaps the next stage of the telecommunications revolution. The business world is full of stories of how former commercial titans were suddenly overthrown by new pretenders.

The old giants were complacent in their corporate culture and revenue models, allowing leaner and more efficient new companies to storm the market with new technologies and lower cost bases.

Current businesses or monopoly holders should not rely on past models or restrictive legislature for future revenue.

They must either get with the times or be considered irrelevant.