Who Sets the Standards for VoIP?
March 22, 2005 By Mark A. Miller Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks combine the best of voice and data communications networking technologies. But that combination also creates some challenges, as the industry attempts to meld the best of circuit switching (from the voice side) and packet switching (from the data side) into single technology. Perhaps the biggest challenge for network managers comes in the area of multivendor interoperability the concept that allows hardware and software from different vendors to be integrated into a cohesive system. But since vendors typically approach each other from a competitive, rather than collaborative point of view, some neutral parties are required to referee these interactions. Enter the standards bodies, internationally recognized groups whose purpose is to define and document implementation rules, called standards. Networking standards are typically developed by a committee, which is made up of interested parties, including invento
