[mdlug] What is the Best Bundeled Service Internet/Phone/Cable(With a static IP)

[Joseph C. Bender]

Steve Goodhall wrote:
> ... This
> struck me as a bizarre way to make the connection given that the house has
> pluggable access points on the basement wall.  My take is that they do these
> installations on the cheap by piggybacking on the cable modem rather than
> installing a separate phone gateway.  Does anybody know if this is common
> practice with other IP phone providers?
>
	There's nothing bizarre about it whatsoever.  As long as you isolate 
the house phone wiring from the original line from the phone company, 
you can plug a VOIP gateway in anywhere on the house's phone wiring. 
Assuming you had a combination of coax, phone jack and appropriate 
network wiring anywhere in the house, the modem can go at that point.

	As for the integrated vs separate gateway issue, an integrated device 
is standard practice for a cable company to provide voice service.  You 
get better QoS control that way (VOIP via dedicated DOCSIS slots rather 
than straight VOIP over ATA/gateway box).  And the cost, generally 
speaking, is higher than it would be to provide a separate box, the 
Arris (and other brand) modems are actually more expensive than a 
standard modem + gateway would be.

	In terms of other IP phone providers, it depends on if they're also 
providing the physical loop.  For example, in the case of the phone 
company I resell for, we provide a T1-based data/voice product that 
comes with a gateway that terminates the T1 and hands off an ethernet 
port to the customer data side, and either up to 12 analog "POTS" ports 
or a T1 PRI port if they want to connect their phone system to the 
gateway via ISDN PRI.  Voice transport is done via SIP, and QoS is 
handled by the gateway box that's provided.  It works out great for 
customers that tend to need more voice than data, and is quite 
economical for both parties.



-- 
Joseph Bender
Bendorius Consulting
P: 248-434-5580
F: 248-434-5581
jcbender at bendorius com