Video Comes to SIP

By Alice Straight, TMCnet Web Editor

Video is the next frontier for SIP – at least according to Steve Johnson (News - Alert) at Ingate.

“We’re beginning to use SIP protocol for something more than voice,” he said during a recent telephone interview.

SIP video allows users to initiate a video session on an ad hoc basis – the only equipment a user needs is a laptop and a camera.

“You don’t need anybody to intervene to accomplish this,” Johnson said. And everything runs just like any other application that interacts with the Internet.

Ingate has already had a few clients who have utilized the technology.

For two clients video over SIP has allowed them to quickly utilize video service on the fly.

For one client, Omnitor, who works with the deaf and hard of hearing population, it allows signing interpreters when needed.

It allows signers to come online quickly and it eliminates the delays associated with certain types of interpreter services.

The other client, Librestream, works with manufacturers of equipment and machinery and has a system which allows field support of their products. So whether it’s an oilrig or manufacturing plant, the field support person can hold a videoconference with the designer or engineer to get help diagnose and repair the problem.

“It allows for real time interaction between person on the ground trying to repair and the person who designed and built it,” Johnson said.

He acknowledges that SIP isn’t without it’s problems – for it to work the infrastructure has to be there.

Ingate’s software bypasses the problems with traditional firewalls and network address translation traversal issues and creates organizational controls over how SIP is used and by whom, Johnson said.

Ingate also recently announced that it entered into an agreement with Dialogic (News - Alert) Corporation which will allow Dialogic to incorporate its award-winning SIP trunking software module into a new enterprise border element designed to connect virtually any SIP trunk with almost any PBX (News - Alert). The partnership will facilitate seamless SIP trunk deployments in legacy TDM and hybrid PBX environments, as well as new SIP-based PBX systems.