VoIP Phone Overview (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
1/5/2010
A Voice over IP (VoIP) phone is a device that provides normal telephony functionality, like placing and receiving calls, but uses an IP network connection for connectivity instead of a traditional phone network.
Because VoIP phone voice traffic is carried over the same IP network that exists in many locations, enterprises (and consumers) only require a single data connection, reducing installation and maintenance expenses.
In addition, because VoIP phones are nodes on an IP network just like any other node, they can provide a range of services that are difficult or expensive to provide on a traditional phone network, like seamless integration with schedule and contact information on an enterprise server.
Windows Embedded CE includes a wide range of functionality to build VoIP phones. This functionality includes the following:
- Core components that enable cost-effective, rapid development of a broad variety of VoIP devices
- A highly flexible and customizable solution
- An extensible platform that provides for the inclusion of value-added applications and services
- A full-featured user interface to provide phone functionality
- Access to all of the other features provided by Windows Embedded CE, including the .NET Compact Framework
For a step-by-step guide to learning and using the VoIP functionality in Windows Embedded CE, see How to Develop a VoIP Phone.
Documentation Roadmap
VoIP phone information exists in two primary locations in the Windows Embedded CE documentation. The following table shows these locations.
Location | Description |
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Provides general information about building a VoIP phone using Windows Embedded CE, including step-by-step instructions for using the VoIP functionality in How to Develop a VoIP Phone. |
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Includes documentation for all Windows Embedded CE functionality, organized by Catalog item. The most relevant Catalog items for Windows Embedded CE VoIP functionality, in general order of usefulness to a typical VoIP phone developer, are: |