IP telephony expert insists PSTN will survive

The PSTN is not about to be killed off by Internet telephony, nor will regulation be a thorn in the side of IP-based telecoms services. That's according to voice over IP pioneer Jeff Pulver, who was speaking in London on Thursday at an event organised as a precursor to the Voice Europe 98 conference.

Pulver, who runs the Internet consulting firm Pulver.com, said analysts and the media have over-hyped IP telephony, which sends voice as packets of information over data networks. He said IP telephony is a "done deal" - warning vendors not embracing the technology that they will soon be out on a limb - but insisted: "the PSTN is not dead."

The industry guru painted a picture of IP being used on some routes, but certain carriers, especially in developing countries, still using traditional telecoms networks.

He also said established telecoms equipment manufacturers - including Ericsson, Lucent, Nortel and Siemens, - are not about to be left behind by datacomms companies and next generation suppliers such as VocalTec.