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Posted by Robert Bonomi on July 30, 2006, 9:57 am
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>I am new to this group, but it seems to be the proper forum for my
>needs. I am a studio installer specializing in studios for Voice Over
>artists. Currently, the VO industry of promos relies almost
>exclusively on ISDN technology to transceive Mpeg codec data, using
>devices such as the Telos Zephyr. This has been the standard for
>almost ten years now, and everyone has been happy with the sound
>quality and reliability. HOWEVER, as I setup more new studios, getting
>ISDN service installed is becoming more and more difficult. Verizon
>has "grandfathered' current ISDN subscribers but will no longer setup
>new ISDN service in some areas. There is technology using IP
>available, but the idea of having to go through several switches
>reduces reliability considerably, especially with the number of users
>growing so rapidly. Is there a chance that there might be and ISDN 2.0
>in development? Or is there another existing technology that could
>considered as reliable as ISDN?
Well, in the U.S., ISDN is alive and well, while also being 'moribund, if
not fatally injured'. In other parts of the world, ISDN is the service of
choice.
Speaking only about the U.S.A. (and, to a degree, Canada) --
Single-line ISDN -- aka ISDN "BRI" (2B+D) -- *is*, for all practical purposes
dead.
Trunk-line ISDN -- aka ISDN 'PRI' (23B+D) -- is significantly different.
The 'alternate' technology is called "digital entrance" service. This
requires that there be a 'switch' on the customer premises, to handle
the digital line from the telco, and communicate with the user devices
(phone handsets, or their equivalent). "Digital entrance" comes in
several forms, 'ISDN PRI' being one of them. Also there is DS-0/DS-1,
with either D4 or 'extended super-frame' formatting. Some telcos are
even offering 'native' VoIP support.
Now, with the 'switch' playing traffic cop (and translator) on the telco
trunks, one can use 'whatever one damn well pleases as the protocol between
the phone set and the switch. A number of the larger swith manufacturers
use 'slightly bastardized' variants of ISDn for their hand-set comm.
Northern Telecom, for example, uses very ISDN-ish protocols for talking
to their handsets. I believe current versions of the switch software
allow use of other manufacturer devices 'behind' their switch.
ISDN BRI _is_ alive and well -- and flourishing -- in *this* environment.
Just not as a 'telco offering for 'basic' service.
So, what you'll need to do for the future is:
0) 'justify' a need for 23 or 24 phone lines. (or some multiple thereof)
1) get a PBX that accepts 'digital entrance' from the telco
2) make sure it 'speaks' standard ISDN on the 'phones' side.
3) continue to use your TELOS ZEPHYR (or equivalent) gear.
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