Interesting People mailing list archives
Skype, SIP, VOIP, and the PSTN
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 13:33:56 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: h_bray () globe com Date: September 21, 2005 12:45:34 PM EDT To: dave () farber net Subject: Re: [IP] Skype, SIP, VOIP, and the PSTNNice to see people actually discussing technology here...:-) [NO COMMENT djf]
Question for all--I'm researching the issue of VOIP security. How easily
can these systems be hacked? Anybody know of any good research on this issue? Thanks. Hiawatha Bray David Farber <dave () farber net>To
09/21/2005 11:44 Ip Ip <ip () v2 listbox com>AM cc
Subject Please respond to [IP] Skype, SIP, VOIP, and the PSTN
dave () farber net Begin forwarded message: From: Date: September 21, 2005 11:34:17 AM EDT To: David Farber <dave () farber net> Subject: Skype, SIP, VOIP, and the PSTN ********** **If you decide to post this on IP, please make it anonymous. **I work closely with many SIP vendors and they may be sensitive **to a view that is not completely optimistic. ********** A point was asserted on the IP list that Skype might be displaced by implementations based on the open protocol SIP. Much as I might want that to be the case, as a practical matter I have substantial doubts. My skepticism isn't based on mere theory - I sit here writing this from a box that is surrounded by SIP devices and I work with SIP implementations daily. SIP is a protocol that is top-heavy and baroque. It almost makes one yearn for the relative simplicity and elegance of ISO/OSI. It's pretty easy to build a simple SIP device. But there is a large distance between merely working and commercial quality SIP. SIP implementors have a long and expensive road to follow to get really robust implementations. But what is more important is this: SIP providers are going to burn a lot of operational cash every day isolating and fixing customer problems that arise out of the complexity of SIP. Skype and other proprietary VOIP protocols could win over SIP because they may cost less to build and, more importantly, may cost less to operate. Because of the potential operational cost overhead of SIP it is an open question whether SIP can be a viable contender in a VOIP marketplace in which customers expect to pay next to nothing and can instantly switch to another product based on an different protocol. I doubt that users really care whether their phone call is set-up or carried using a proprietary protocol or not. And there may be life yet in the PSTN. VOIP may have the potential (largely undemnstrated to date) to to give better sound fidelity, but VOIP's end-to-end delay imposes considerable stress on human users who are trying to engage in a fruitful conversation. (VOIP should be avoided for dangerously stressful situations such as suicide hotlines.) In addition the PSTN has been refined over decades so that its pathology is understood. The PSTN is filled with mechanisms and tools to facilitate fast and inexpensive detection and repair of faults. ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as bray () globe com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ipArchives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting- people/
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- Skype, SIP, VOIP, and the PSTN David Farber (Sep 21)
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