Subject: [Iptel] IP telephony

From: "Knut Weberg" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2003 15:44:40 +0100

Dear Iptel,

I am CEO of Omnijet AS, a company that has developed a fully automated telephone based data collection system, and we are fully operational in Norway.  The basis of the system is an SQL server with soundfiles that are connected to a park of IVR machines. The system call respondents, ask them questions, and the respondents answer by pressing the buttons on their phones, or by talking normally into the phone. The response may be monitored from any given internet terminal. The system may call hundreds of respondents simultaneously (depending on how many IVR machines we are using).

For international utilisation of the system, we see two options. We can make a serverinstallation, similar to the one in Norway locally, at a local telecom operator with the necessary IVR park, and operate the system exactly as today. This implies a heavy financial commitment before the first call may be made.

IP telepony seems an opportunity worth to exploit a little further. I have problems finding a reliable source of information on the subject.

It is not easy to fully understand the implications such a structure would create. Would any at Iptel be able to tell us more about this, or maybe you know a link to someone with a deeper understanding of this than us ?

What concerns us most is:

Is it possible to set up a system so our IVR machines could send hundreds of simultaneous calls internationally, that will end up on private, regular telephones anywhere in the world by IP ?

If so, does the system connect to a telecom operator's server that route the calls out on the regular telephone net locally ? If so, does this require roaming agreements with each of these local telecom operators to make it work ? If not so, are we billed by our local telecom operator in Norway for the local calls in, lets say New York, even after the signal har been transmitted interncontinentally by IP ?

I have heard rumors that the sound quality har been dramatically improved, and that the difference between IP and regular routing are irrelevant. Can anyone supply some updated information on this issue ?

What kind of hardware is necessary for such a system ? 

Med vennlig hilsen / Kind regards
Knut Weberg - E-mail: [email-masked]
CEO
Mobile: +47-90 85 84 33 
Omnijet AS - E-mail: [email-masked]
Phone: +47-22 56 16 26
Parkveien 33, N-0258 Oslo 

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