This book provides a comprehensive and practical overview of the technology behind Internet Telephony (IP), providing essential information to Network Engineers, Designers, and Managers who need to understand the protocols. Furthermore, the author explores the issues involved in the migration of existing telephony infrastructure to an IP - based real time communication service. Assuming a working knowledge of IP and networking, it addresses the technical aspects of real-time applications over IP. Drawing on his extensive research and practical development experience in VoIP from its earliest stages, the author provides an accessible reference to all the relevant standards and cutting-edge techniques in a single resource.

Key Features:

• Updated with a chapter on SIP and the IMS infrastructure
• Covers ALL the major VoIP protocols ? SIP, H323 and MGCP
• Includes a large section on practical deployment issues gleaned from the authors? own experience
• Chapter on the rationale for IP telephony and description of the technical and business drivers for transitioning to all IP networks

This book will be a valuable guide for professional network engineers, designers and managers, decision makers and project managers overseeing VoIP implementations, market analysts, and consultants. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students undertaking data/voice/multimedia communications courses will also find this book of interest.

Olivier Hersent founded NetCentrex, a leading provider of VoIP infrastructure for service providers, then became CTO of Comverse after the acquisition of NetCentrex. He now manages Actility, provider of IMS based M2M and smartgrid infrastructure and applications.