VoIP-4D Primer

This new resource for voice over the internet protocol (VoIP) technology, the "VoIP-4D Primer," is an effort to make telephone service through the internet available in developing regions. This 40-page guide is written for both technical and non-technical readers. Its focus is the use of a free and open source software tool called Asterisk, which makes free or low cost dependable telephony available to those that have internet access. The document presents the concepts for understanding traditional and internet based telephony.

For those interested in the more technical details, part two contains hands-on guidelines and configuration files. The examples and photo illustrations provide essential background to build your own low-cost telephony system.

Part three gives scenarios for building a rural computer-based VoIP network within a community, building connections between rural community VoIP networks, and helping clients reach and use a public telephone network (PSTN) through their VoIP access network.

This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the Acacia Initiative of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada.