Few industries have had as much impact on our day-to-day lives as telecommunications, revolutionizing the way we communicate several times over in just the last two decades. First, cell phones enabled true mobility by connecting phone numbers to people rather than locations. Then the Internet and high-speed broadband connectivity allowed people to find information about anything, right from their own homes. Now, voice over IP (VoIP) is bringing voice and data together, giving way to a whole new era in telephony called voice over broadband (VoBB). VoBB is often defined simply as voice services offered over broadband Internet connections. While this is true, the implications of VoBB for residential subscribers, enterprises and carriers extend far beyond just putting telephony services over data lines. The integration of telephony and the Internet is enabling the future of communications and blurring the differences between voice and data messaging. This commingling of communications creates a new world of revenue-generating services that are highly advanced as well as easy to use and access. VoBB is a critical step in increasing the capabilities, effectiveness and accessibility of today's communications systems. This paper provides comprehensive overview of VoBB, including information on enabling market dynamics, the role of broadband access, different types of VoBB and their benefits to carriers, consumers and enterprises.
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