[VoiceOps] VoIP traffic survey

[Frank Bulk]

I've been asked to address some of the technical matters of the VoIP at a
regulatory-oriented meeting, but not being a consultant my knowledge and
experience aren't as broad as they should be.

One of the concerns by RLECs related to AT&T (and Verizon's) de-regulation
initiative is compensation for origination and termination of traffic.
Today many non-pricecap rural carriers are paid by IXCs both for any traffic
originated or terminated from the network.  Most, if not all, of that
compensated traffic, is originated as TDM.  The concern is that if the rural
carriers move to IP that they won't be paid (hardly) anything for
origination or termination.  Discussions are being held to use ETS (Ethernet
Transport Service) and other NECA-type approach to facilitate a way for
RLECs to bill for originating and terminating traffic in an IP-world.  These
private connections, with QoS support, would allow for both capacity and
perhaps volume-type billing.  But it's been my experience that much of the
VoIP long-distance traffic flows over the Internet, not over private
Ethernet circuits.

My question to this group, which is very IP heavy and therefore much ahead
of the curve in terms of IP-oriented telco operations, is how much traffic
flows over public (i.e. Internet) circuits versus private (point-to-point to
another carrier or VoIP exchange) circuits, and also how that compares
inbound versus outbound.  

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6PRCGWM

Any additional commentary on this forum would be help.

Regards,

Frank