VoIP based tele-medicine call center-issues, challenges and proposed solution

• Main Authors: Al Mamoon, Ishtiak, Islam, A. K. M. Muzahidul, Baharun, Sabariah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Penerbit UTM Press 2015
• Subjects: TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/55885/1/IshtiakAlMamoon2015_VoIPBasedTeleMedicineCallCenterIssues.pdf; http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/55885/; http://dx.doi.org/10.11113/jt.v74.3553

In recent years, medical call centers have started using IP telephony services to minimize the overhead telecom expenses. However, the advent of Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) technology has also created a major discontinuity in telecommunication sector due to illegal VoIP or gray calls, causing a great impact on the voice market. This brought few challenges to the countries' regulatory bodies. In this paper, we spell out one of the key challenges: in order to mitigate illegal VoIP calls, whether the regulatory body should allow IP telephony to be practiced for both domestic and international voice driven tele-medical consultation center operation combined or separately. We propose architecture and schemes for a medical call center. We also propose some guidelines and/or policies for both call center operator and the telecom regulatory authority. The proposed architecture and schemes are implemented in a pilot project basis in two phases and the test bed result is presented in this article.