Cisco Hoot and Holler over IP

The voice multicasting feature on Cisco 2600 and 3600 series routers uses Cisco Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to create a permanently connected point-to-multipoint hoot and holler network over an IP connection.

This appendix describes the Cisco hoot and holler over IP feature and contains the following sections:

•Hoot and Holler over IP Overview, page 825

•Cisco Hoot and Holler over IP Overview, page 827

•Configuration Tasks, page 835

•Configuration Examples, page 843

To identify the hardware platform or software image information associated with a feature in this appendix, use the Feature Navigator on Cisco.com to search for information about the feature or refer to the softsware release notes for a specific release. For more information, see the “Identifrying Supported Platforms” section in the “Using Cisco IOS Software” chapter.

Hoot and Holler over IP Overview

Four-wire ear and mouth (E&M), E1/T1, Foreign Exchange Office (FXO), and Foreign Exchange Station (FXS) configurations provide continuous VoIP connections across a packet network using the connection-trunk mechanism. By using the inherent point-to-multipoint connectivity of IP multicast (IPmc), the routers can take several inbound voice streams from the traditional hoot devices and forward the packetized voice over the IP network to all parties within a defined hoot and holler group.

Hoot and holler networks provide “always on” multiuser conferences without requiring that users dial into a conference. These networks came into being more than 40 years ago when local concentrations of small specialized businesses with common, time-critical informational interests began to install their own phone wires, speakers (called “squawk boxes”), and microphones between their businesses to ask each other about parts that customers needed. These networks functioned as crude, do-it-yourself, business-to-business intercom systems.

Hoot and holler broadcast audio network systems have since evolved into the specialized leased-line networks used by financial and brokerage firms to trade stocks and currency futures and the accompanying time-critical information such as market updates and morning reports.

Users of various forms of hoot and holler networks now include brokerages, news agencies, publishers, weather bureaus, transportation providers, power plant operators, manufacturers, collectibles dealers, talent agencies, and nationwide salvage yard organizations.

Cisco IOS Voice, Video, and Fax Configuration Guide