Any IP Network Can Be Used With RoIP Technology
/There is nothing new about Voice over IP, the technology was originally developed back in 1973 but not commercially embraced until the year 2000 when companies like Cisco, 3Com and Lucent Technologies began making hardware to allow for the digitization of analog voice and data into packets. Early adopters were using the public internet to transport these data packets although the clarity and integrity of these voice packets were often of a poor quality that consumers were willing to pay for. Today all the major IP Telephony players like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T have invested heavily in building out IP networks and have engineered high quality digital switching solutions that has revolutionized the way we communicate. Businesses, municipalities and government institutions of all sizes have built public and private network gateways to the internet and these access points can be found virtually everywhere. Radio over IP takes advantage of these IP gateways.
How do RoIP works?
Much like VoIP technology, RoIP digitizes and transmits radio signals from one IP address to another by converting analog voice and data signals into data packets but it uses slightly different engineering methodologies.
Traditional analog radio sends voice data using transmission towers or copper lines using a specific frequency along the radio spectrums of VF, VHF & UHF. There is a need for an expensive hardware infrastructure to send and receive these signals.
Today, radio over IP is delivered as digital packets via existing internet pathways using an existing infrastructure, we just need access to those networks. Wi-Fi, LAN and WAN networks provide that access but there still needs to be a bridge. These radio IP gateways as we call them is the bridge you need to gain access. This IP gateway often requires a vocoder to convert analog signals to digital packets and seek out local and wide area networks that we can use to gain access to the internet. This page here explains what is radio over IP in greater detail.
What are the benefits of RoIP?
It is cost-effective
Most organizations that rely of two way radio communications have invested in analog hardware and have been using that equipment successfully for years. Upgrading to digital mobile radio solutions throughout the organization can get too expensive to undertake all at once. Radio over IP solutions deployed by a legitimate communications systems provider in PA can configure radio IP gateways and vocoders for 4 and 8 units at a time at a fraction of the cost to purchase new radio hardware. This solution can be rolled out in increments rather than an all in one solution. The IP networks used for transport already exist so there is no new investment required for the transportation of signals and power requirements for radio signal transport are minimal.
Enhanced interoperability and flexibility
RoIP allows for enhanced interoperability and flexibility with SIP phones, VoIP phones and cellular networks since it has the ability to connect various information systems or applications in a coordinated manner, Your provider of radio communications hardware should be able to pre-program your radio control system for the different platforms that your users will be interacting with. Each organization is different in how they will employ radio over IP. Using a radio over IP interface that is customized to your specific needs will help your organization leverage improved radio communication technologies more cost effectively.