November/December 2001

IP: The Future Of Voice Messaging

BY RALPH HAYON

It is curious that when most speak about Voice over IP (VoIP), or the ability to conduct telephone calls over the Internet or a broadband connection, little thought or attention is given to voice messaging. To many, voice messaging equals legacy voice mail, the place that unanswered calls are routed to be politely greeted by an automated system and where the caller is given the ability to leave a voice message.

So how does voice messaging fit in the world of IP telephony? Many legacy providers simply address this by interconnecting their current systems with PSTN media gateways. But is this IP voice messaging? Hardly. In a pure IP world, voice messaging endpoints are packetized from both a media and signaling perspective; that is, they need to look like a SIP or H.323 telephone device with the exception that they have been automated in software. Additionally, they should be URL or HTTP based, so that voice messages may be easily accessed via Internet technologies. This enables functions like unified messaging to be simple and standard, rather than costly and complicated like todays legacy voice messaging solutions.

With legacy voice messaging systems, digital signal processors (DSPs) integrated into real-time hardware platforms are a key component of an effective voice messaging system. This hardware is critical, in that it allows voice signals to be converted into packets that can be stored on computer-oriented devices, such as hard disks, allowing computers to serve as the foundation of modern voice messaging systems. But these types of systems are overkill in a VoIP world, since all voice is in packet format to begin with. In a fully standards-based voice packet world, there is no need for expensive real-time hardware in a voice messaging system. Voice messaging just becomes another software application.

IP VOICE MESSAGING= PURE SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS + STANDARDS
With Internet telephony, voice messaging becomes a pure software application. Voice traffic from IP telephones is already in packet format, and voice traffic from the PSTN is converted to packets by media gateways. This eliminates the need to have a voice messaging system with dedicated hardware for the sole purpose of converting voice signals to packets. It also simplifies the system architecture of voice messaging systems in that hardware and software no longer have to be closely linked and located, allowing voice messaging servers to be simply deployed where needed using standard computing platforms.

This introduces some standards for voice messaging systems. One of most notorious problems with voice-mail systems is the lack of agreed upon standards. As a result, each vendor implements a proprietary solution. In the world of IP telephony, where packet voice encoding standards such as G.711, G.729, G.723.1, and others have been specified and implemented, and where signaling standards such as SIP and H.323 are defined, any voice messaging system not making full use of these standards will be doomed to fail over the long term.

A STANDARD VOICE MESSAGING ENDPOINT
So what we are talking about are IP voice messaging systems that know how to provide voice messaging endpoints that appear as SIP or H.323 IP telephones. They may be signaled as if they were SIP or H.323 endpoints, and can accept and send Real Time Protocol (RTP) packets. Typically when they send RTP packets they are not the live voice of a user, but instead prompts or greetings for live users, or the actual voice messages that have been stored for a user. In a traditional legacy system this would be accomplished through ports that would be connected to the system. But in a new world based on IP telephony, the idea of ports needs to shift to users and endpoints.

Another area of implied but not mandated standards deals with how voice messages are saved and retrieved from the system. In a telecom world defined by the Internet, it is expected that IP voice messages would be URL accessible via HTTP, and more than likely available in a popular and standard format, such as a .WAV file. It is also expected that advanced IP voice messaging systems would incorporate application servers and software development kits (SDKs) that would allow third parties to easily incorporate the IP voice messaging systems into applications they wish to develop.

Another attractive feature of a pure IP-based voice messaging system is scalability especially the ability to easily and cost effectively grow small systems into large ones. Since the need for specialized real-time hardware is eliminated (the need to convert voice into packets has been removed), small systems can be constructed with fully standard, lower-cost computing platforms, and may be easily scaled with additional computing platforms or by making use of higher performance computers. Failover and redundancy also become simplified since standard computing platforms and products are used without the need for specialized plug-in cards. More promising voice messaging alternatives involve Linux-based systems that not only allow standard computing platforms to be used (from tower to rackmounted units), but eliminate excessive operating system license fees found with many NT-based legacy systems.

HOSTED IP VOICE MESSAGING
Another exciting area now possible is hosted IP voice messaging. These high- capacity, scalable, and redundant solutions are ideal when delivering IP Centrex or hosted telephony, since they allow voice messaging services to be deployed with more features at lower costs and with improved network architectures than possible with legacy voice messaging systems. With these alternative systems, Web-based access to voice messages and the ability to selectively retrieve specific voice messages are highly valued, in addition to the fact that voice messaging capabilities can be easily located in the service providers network when needed.

As the IP telephony industry progresses, so will IP voice messaging. While some may press and even demand that legacy voice messaging systems be used and incorporated with emerging IP telephone-based systems, it is becoming clear that IP-based voice messaging systems are not just valid alternatives but the future of voice messaging, just as VoIP is the future of telephony. A true VoIP-based voice messaging system with SIP and/or H.323 endpoints is more flexible, has lower costs, and can be more easily customized by third parties. And with a sharp focus on how technology can help our national security, IP voice messaging allows for the deployment of decentralized voice messaging that is significantly less vulnerable to attacks or strikes, and which helps assure that vital services will be available in times of need.

Ralph Hayon is president and CEO of congruency, Inc., and contributes a regular column, The Edge to Communications ASPTM. congruency is a provider of hosted VoIP infrastructure software and products that enable the creation and delivery of enhanced services and end-to-end telecommunications over next-generation broadband networks. The companys CNS 3200 Enhanced Hosted Communications Platform provides the backbone of a companys managed telephony solution. Contact congruency at www.congruency.com.

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BY VYTAS KISIELIUS

Companies that value timely and more personalized sales transactions and customer service are using two-way interactive alerting to push information and interaction to multiple communication devices. With more information available, and rising expectations for customer service, customers expect that they will be able to get urgent and time-sensitive information through the communications channels that are most convenient for them any telephone, cell phone, pager, PDA, e-mail, or fax.

Missed opportunities can occur if information and news are delivered only via the Internet because consumers are not online 24/7 to visit a company Web site or check their e-mail. Alerting works offline and online customers choose which information is important to them and various ways they can be reached. Some people want alerts sent as voice messages to regular phones, or as e-mail to a PC, but increasingly alerts are being delivered to cell phones, pagers, and PDAs.

Since interactive alerting delivers near real-time interaction with customers, suppliers, partners, and employees, businesses have a new tool for generating sales, or building brand loyalty. Alerting is most productive when you get a prospect to immediately react to the alert to complete a transaction, confirm a purchase, connect for more information, or request a connection to a live person for assistance.

A company saves money using alerts by only having to dedicate a customer service representative to speak with customers who request or need that type of interaction. For example, call centers may notice that staffing during peak calling volumes is often for information that can be handled as alerts. Alerts can offer notification service and personalized ability for processing transactions with the option to connect immediately to a representative if needed. One popular alerting application is used by credit card providers who want to send notices about credit-limit notification, use verification to protect against fraud, and provide special offers.

Alerting can make the difference in gaining new sales because they reach the right prospect at exactly the right time. Consider the convenience of getting a phone call alert reminding you that its your mothers birthday tomorrow, with the option to connect to a local florist. Imagine wanting to go to a football game, but you are not a season ticket holder. You could sign up for a program that alerted you whenever tickets became available (for example when a season ticket holder turns in tickets) and you would be able to purchase those tickets immediately.

Another alerting application is marketing products and services through promotional advertising to mobile devices. Consumers can be motivated to make an immediate purchase when they get requested, personalized special offers to their mobile phones while shopping at a mall, or in close proximity to specific retailers.

Wireless content provider ZagMe uses an opt-in, location-based system with alerting technology to send cell phones a variety of short message service (SMS) alerts for special retail deals and giveaways while shoppers are at two of the largest shopping malls in the UK. Consumers initially have to opt-in with their profile information (demographics, purchasing details, and communications preferences) and opt-in again when they want to get promotional alerts while shopping. Approximately 100,000 people have registered to use the mobile retail alerting service and the average retail transaction generated by each alert coupon is between $15 and $75. Retail offers have generated up to a 20-percent redemption rate per mobile alert (high when compared with the typical one- to three-percent response rates for direct marketing).

Alerting is most effective when prospects and customers can choose how, when, and why they are contacted, and are offered the option to immediately make a purchase, indicate a selection, or opt-in for further information using the same communications device. For example, travelers benefit when they can get flight delay alerts delivered to their cell phones that include information about alternative flights that can be re-booked immediately by interacting with the alert.

Creating two-way dialog through alerts enables companies to combine sales and service initiatives that increase revenue, generate highly targeted inbound traffic, and enhance the customer relationship. Sending two-way interactive alerts can eliminate routine, non-revenue generating customer calls made to contact centers. Alerting can also reduce the need for outbound calling from company representatives. Companies and consumers get more benefits from alerts when they are actionable its not just the alert thats important, its the ability to immediately interact with the notification.

Vytas Kisielius is president of Adeptra, Inc. Adeptra provides a managed service to deliver unique two-way alerts that notify a companys customers of time-critical events, with built-in response options that let them resolve the situation immediately, on any device, no matter where they are. For more information, visit Adeptras Web site at www.adeptra.com.

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