Audio Over IP

Streaming audio over IP (AoIP) networks is being increasingly used by broadcasting companies, among others, to provide high-quality audio feeds over distance across an IP network such as the Internet. The application is also known as audio contribution over IP in reference to the programming contributions made by field reporters and remote events. Audio quality and delay (on duplex transmissions) are key issues for contribution links.

In the past these links have made widespread use of ISDN services but these are becoming increasingly difficult or expensive to obtain in some parts of Europe and are being phased out in others. Many proprietary systems came into existence for transporting high quality audio over IP based on TCP, UDP or RTP. An interoperable standard for audio over IP using RTP now exists.

Within a single building or music venue, audio over Ethernet (AoE) is more likely to be used instead, avoiding audio data compression and IP encapsulation.