Description PathBuilder S200 voice access switches include cost-saving WAN optimization features for both voice and data. These features minimize required bandwidth while ensuring high-level voice quality, eliminating costly separate voice tie lines and long-distance toll charges. By integrating voice and data, companies save as much as 40 percent on network operating costs. In addition to voice, fax transport over a private/packet public network significantly reduces corporate telecommunications costs. The switches operate on public/ private network links at speeds between 19.2 Kbps and T1/E1, employing state-of-the-art standards-based voice encoding technology. Features include Voice Activity Detection (VAD) to eliminate bandwidth use while transmitting silence in conversations, echo cancellation to counter distortion from hybrid echoes, and smoothing buffers to compensate for variable packet delays. Voice connections range from static mappings between PBXs, key systems, and phones at different geographic sites or, by enabling switching, the whole WAN network is used as a giant voice switch, routing calls optimally to reduce corporate long-distance charges world-wide. The concept of the Network as PBX involves the same transparent delivery of data-only systems, which connect any phone user to any other while bypassing high PSTN charges whenever possible. The PathBuilder S200 series voice access switches work with the PathBuilder S300, S600, and S700 products to provide voice switching over ATM networks from multiple IMA T1/E1s right up to OC-3c. Extensively tested, the switches are interoperable with PBXs, key systems, telephones, and PSTN switches from vendors world-wide. In addition, they offer a full suite of application software, and easy setup, configuration, and monitoring using 3Coms graphical Transcend network management tools. The PathBuilder S200 switchs VoIP support, when used in conjunction with applications like Microsoft NetMeeting, allows network designers to provide personal computers with the functionality of a telephone for converged voice and data right down to the workstation. VoIP works by converting standard phone voice signals into IP packets that are sent locally over Ethernet networks or globally by connecting to an Internet service provider (ISP). The 3Com PathBuilder S200 voice product provides the gateway capability needed to bridge non-IP compatible phones, PBXs, key systems, and PSTNs to the next generation of Ethernet-attached PC phone users. The switch is fully interoperable with other H.323-compliant platforms, providing the ability to deploy a host of IP-telephony applications while preserving recent investment in VoIP access devices. Coupled with 3Coms virtual private networking technology, the world of converged voice/data VPNs provides new options to companies using the Internet to connect their users.
