Current developments in Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and emerging challenges

Abstract

Current trends in the communications sector have shown a resilient increase in Voice over IP (VoIP) usage. Arguably, some of the developments in VoIP have been as a result of the cost factor in rival Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) as well as congestion in calls due to the
number of calls made in PSTNs. Availability of broadband access to the internet as well as development of User Equipment (UE). The study reviews the developments in VoIP and highlights the possible future of VoIP. Currently, the exponential growth in technology has led to the deployment of VoIP onto UE that can be used on-the-go. Equally, there have emerged security threats from the various protocols used in
VoIP, that include Real Time Protocol (RTP), H. 323, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) among others. Results show that challenges also come in the form of limitations by operators who charge extra for use VoIP in mobile devices and poor signal from devices used.