Apple VoIP
Why does'nt Apple add VoIP to Airport Express ?
It is so simple...
1- Add 2 phone plugs to Airport Express
2- Connect one of the connectors to your phone.
3- Connect the other to the telephone wall plug in your wall.
Configure the Airport Express with.
1- Your real phone number ex +34 33 2343445
2- Preferences regarding calls.
The Airport express uploads your real phone number to a central database ( .Mac for example) via the internet.
- When you want to place a call lift your plain old phone and dial.
The Airport express intercepts the numbers dialed, check to see if the number dialed is registered in .MAc and if it is then it dials through the internet using SIP/H.264/iChat since it is sure that the dialed party also has Apple VoIP.
When the other party Airport Express senses a incoming VOIP call to it's number it rings the plain old phone or routes it to iChat.
- If the other party does not have Apple VoIP , it dials through the POTS line.
On your Mac you use iChat to answer or place calls to POTS in the same manner.
Problem resolved. Am I missing something here ??????
It is so simple...
1- Add 2 phone plugs to Airport Express
2- Connect one of the connectors to your phone.
3- Connect the other to the telephone wall plug in your wall.
Configure the Airport Express with.
1- Your real phone number ex +34 33 2343445
2- Preferences regarding calls.
The Airport express uploads your real phone number to a central database ( .Mac for example) via the internet.
- When you want to place a call lift your plain old phone and dial.
The Airport express intercepts the numbers dialed, check to see if the number dialed is registered in .MAc and if it is then it dials through the internet using SIP/H.264/iChat since it is sure that the dialed party also has Apple VoIP.
When the other party Airport Express senses a incoming VOIP call to it's number it rings the plain old phone or routes it to iChat.
- If the other party does not have Apple VoIP , it dials through the POTS line.
On your Mac you use iChat to answer or place calls to POTS in the same manner.
Problem resolved. Am I missing something here ??????
Comments
Man I've been waiting for the "right" mix of Telephony products for a long time. VoIP seems like a step in the right direction.
Originally posted by nsousansousa
Am I missing something here ??????
Not at all. I have suspected for some months now that Apple will be the first to deliver this service. It will be amazingly cool, and might even be coming soon. (I know nothing but what I read on the internet)
As a regular mac, it plays your iTunes over your stereo, but is also capable of multichannel sound. The only missing/too expensive tech is the integration of an integrated HDTV h264 PVR solution so that it can record HDTV in the background and can still answer a full screen iChat multiple user session.
One device capable of replacing your phone, your stereo, your video-recorder, man, I'm drooling and rambling at the same time... have to get back to work... hate fridays...
One problem - I thought I'd be able to cancel my £10 monthly telephone subscription (with Telewest) as well. When I called they said if I cancelled the phone, my cable TV package would increase by £10. Cheaky fkers.
vonage
Originally posted by dutch pear
Great Idea, although I am still convinced that for VOIP solutions to be a succes, they need to work without your computer running.
Originally posted by garyp
Not at all. I have suspected for some months now that Apple will be the first to deliver this service. It will be amazingly cool, and might even be coming soon. ...
Huh? You can buy such a service today, from Broadvoice, Vonage and several other companies. I have been using such a device since late last year.
It would be nice to add the additional circuitry to the Airport Express, or the regular Airport hub for that matter. But it's no big deal; I use a Sipura 3000 and a cordless phone.
A better device for Apple to offer would be a phone which uses 802.11g so you could carry it around and make VOIP calls. It could work GSM cellular if you were out of WiFi range. I think some people are already working on such a phone, however.
Originally posted by dutch pear
Great Idea, although I am still convinced that for VOIP solutions to be a succes, they need to work without your computer running.
Well, most VOIP solutions already do this...but here are some other speed bumps for VOIP to overcome (for consumers):
1. Reliability of broadband lines relative to POTS lines. I almost NEVER...and I mean NEVER fail to get a dial tone with my POTS lines. I hear no end of reliability issues with broadband lines.
2. Power...the VOIP router requires it. Your phone gets it from Ma Bell. The problem is sorta solvable through batteries in the router...but what happens when you forget to replace them and then the power goes down. No show stopper...but a "speed bump".
3. Access throughout the house. Most homes are wired for phone to many rooms. Broadband (and your router) are limited to a single entry point. Cordless phone address this problem...but tnow we're back to the power issue again. When I have a power outage my cordless (base station) is out.
4. Cost...as an additional cost to your broadband line VOIP isn't bad...but you have to look at the total cost of the solution. "Well I am going to have broadband anyway." Okay fine. Many people may not. Secondly...the monthly cost for VOIP doesn't appear to be much less than my base rate ($25) from Qwest. The difference is in the taxes and fees slapped on top ($13-$14)...as the ILECs lobby and the governments look for more $...two things will happen...the ILECs will get some breaks on the taxes, and the VOIP providers will be required to "belly up to the bar"...reducing the cost delta.
5. 911
6. Complexity. VOIP is largely being sold on the numerous set of (from what I can tell, useless) features that I can barely imagine using myself (as a technically proficient person). I cannot imagine most average people wanting or using these features. I mean...it's a damn PHONE. I have voice-mail and caller ID. That's about all I need.
7. Consumers are going to wireless in droves.
Originally posted by cubist
Huh? You can buy such a service today, from Broadvoice, Vonage and several other companies. I have been using such a device since late last year.
It would be nice to add the additional circuitry to the Airport Express, or the regular Airport hub for that matter. But it's no big deal; I use a Sipura 3000 and a cordless phone.
A better device for Apple to offer would be a phone which uses 802.11g so you could carry it around and make VOIP calls. It could work GSM cellular if you were out of WiFi range. I think some people are already working on such a phone, however.
That is what I meant. An Apple VOIP world phone. The world in your pocket. And it just works.
more importantly, phones are distracting enough, as is, without dealing with a picture to talk to--think automobiles and increased factors of safety (FS) thanks in part to the need to look at the person you are blabbing to about dribble 99% of the time.
Meanwhile, more accidents, more deaths.
Video phones will get regulated to be only house based for quite a long time.
We have enough issues with cellphones let alone add a video interface to the mix.
Originally posted by nsousansousa
Ha! That's basically it. I want to buy one!
Originally posted by mdriftmeyer
no offense but that mockup structurally would be as fragile as glass.
more importantly, phones are distracting enough, as is, without dealing with a picture to talk to--think automobiles and increased factors of safety (FS) thanks in part to the need to look at the person you are blabbing to about dribble 99% of the time.
Meanwhile, more accidents, more deaths.
Video phones will get regulated to be only house based for quite a long time.
We have enough issues with cellphones let alone add a video interface to the mix.
Your points are correct except that this is NOT a cell phone.
It's a WiFi in doors phone. use it in range with your Airport Express.
Originally posted by European guy
It's coming !!!
Looks good, if not quite a convincing network diagram (MAc?)
The new itunes phone. Maybe they could add ichat. With ichat type thing on it and bluetooth, you could have ot so when your at home, your nice bluetootch airport bas-station picks it up, then any calls you make go through bluetooth and voip rather than over your normal mobile network. Your land line also plugs into your airport base and so any calls made to your house, when you are at home get put through to your mobile aswell. Also when you are out, any calls to your home phone could be forwarded to your mobile by the base station aswell.
So basically when your at home, your calls go voip, when your not they dont, and if someone phones when your not home, your airport base tell the signal to redirect to your mobile.
stu
Originally posted by stustanley
ok, so lets go a but deeper.
The new itunes phone. Maybe they could add ichat. With ichat type thing on it and bluetooth, you could have ot so when your at home, your nice bluetootch airport bas-station picks it up, then any calls you make go through bluetooth and voip rather than over your normal mobile network. Your land line also plugs into your airport base and so any calls made to your house, when you are at home get put through to your mobile aswell. Also when you are out, any calls to your home phone could be forwarded to your mobile by the base station aswell.
So basically when your at home, your calls go voip, when your not they dont, and if someone phones when your not home, your airport base tell the signal to redirect to your mobile.
stu
Good idea, but this is strickly 802.n thing.
You see, with Bluetooth, you would have to be very near the base to make it efective.
And this is POTS only . No pissing off the cellular operators , yet !!! ;-)
Also the Mac would act as a :
- Voice-mail machine with address book integration and Caller ID.
- Video Mail machine when you call a POTS line with no video BUT with a Apple VoiP Airport System in place ;-))) How cool would that be ?
Like iTunes express, except VoIP with video. You get adapters that plug in via scart plugs into any screen, TV, computer etc. Wireless base station has H.264 decoding and encoding chip in it.
Take a phone call, have a headset or a conventional looking wireless phone so you can still do normal phone calls. The phone has a button on it for video, you have your iSight on top of your screen of choice. It sends the video wirelessly to the base station which sends the video to the caller. You get the video form the caller streamed to your screen of choice wirelessly.
Now that's how I would like to take phone calls. Watching TV, friend calls, you switch to video, switch back when you're done, simple.
Check out Gizmo !
Originally posted by European guy
What iChat would be if it was done right. Check out Gizmo !
Looks good, do you have tihs service? How good is the quality?