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Article ID: 56249
Last modified date: Mon Jan 29 17:32 2007

This article details the technology behind EarthLink's new Home Phone Service.

How Line Powered Voice Works

Traditionally, aDSL service has been run on the same phone line as voice service. Voice occupies a low frequency range (300 -3400 hertz), whereas the aDSL signal runs at much higher frequencies (25khz - 1.1mhz). These seperate frequencies are split off at the local telephone company's Central Office (CO), with voice signals being routed to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and aDSL signals going to a Digital Subcriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM). In this situation, the local telco always stays in control of the voice portion of the service.

With the release of new DSLAM technology, both voice and aDSL frequencies may be routed to the same device. This allows EarthLink to remain in control of both services, effectively bypassing the local telco. The voice traffic is routed to EarthLink's Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) network while data packets are routed out to the internet through normal channels.

Equipment configuration at the home remains the same as with traditional phone lines. Just plug a phone into a phone jack and a dial tone should be present. After the signal hits the special DSLAM at the Central Office, it is converted into digital IP traffic which is routed to EarthLink's VOIP network. At this point, depending on who is being called, the traffic either stays on the VOIP network or is transferred to the PSTN to complete the call.

For more information on how the VOIP network itself works, please see KB Article 28841.

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