Global IP Solutions

Global IP Solutions, commonly abbreviated as GIPS and formerly known as Global IP Sound, was a communications-technology company focused on the difficult engineering problems involved in carrying real-time voice and video across packet-switched IP networks. The company originated in Stockholm, Sweden, where it was founded in July 1999 by signal-processing specialists Roar Hagen, Bastiaan Kleijn, Espen Fjogstad, and Ivar T. Hognestad. Its founders identified a gap in early Voice over Internet Protocol technology: many systems had been designed with assumptions inherited from circuit-switched telephone networks, while IP networks introduced variable delay, jitter, packet loss, changing bandwidth, and other conditions that could degrade conversations and video sessions. GIPS developed software intended to compensate for those network conditions and to provide communications developers with reusable real-time media components. Rather than concentrating primarily on a consumer-facing communications service, the company generally supplied embedded software in the form of integrated voice and video processing engines. These packages combined multiple processing functions so that service providers, application developers, and equipment manufacturers could incorporate real-time communications into their own products. Relevant customers and target users included VoIP operators, IP-phone makers, gateway manufacturers, and suppliers of conferencing systems. The company became particularly associated with speech codecs and related media-processing technology. Its best-known technologies included iLBC, a narrowband speech codec designed to remain usable under packet loss, and iSAC, a wideband speech codec intended for higher-quality wideband voice communication. These technologies formed part of GIPS's broader effort to make IP-based conversations sound more natural and remain intelligible when network conditions were inconsistent. Its software portfolio also covered processing needed for voice and video communications, although the available reference material does not provide a complete product catalog or detailed customer list. In May 2010, Google acquired Global IP Solutions for a reported $68.2 million. The transaction ended GIPS's existence as an independent company and brought its real-time communications expertise into Google. The acquisition was strategically relevant to Google's work on browser-based communications and related media technologies. In June 2011, Google released WebRTC, a proposed standard and technology framework for plugin-free, peer-to-peer audiovisual communication between web browsers. GIPS technology contributed to that effort and helped connect the company's earlier embedded media-processing work with the emerging browser communications ecosystem. Global IP Solutions is therefore best understood as a B2B communications-software brand rather than a mass-market consumer brand. Its importance came from technology embedded in other services, devices, and platforms, especially codecs and processing engines that helped make real-time voice and video practical over IP networks. Following Google's acquisition, the standalone GIPS brand ceased to operate independently.

Global IP Solutions began in July 1999 under the name Global IP Sound. It was founded in Stockholm, Sweden, by signal-processing experts Roar Hagen, Bastiaan Kleijn, Espen Fjogstad, and Ivar T. Hognestad. The founders focused on a central weakness of early VoIP systems: technology designed for circuit-switched telephone networks did not adequately address the unpredictable conditions of IP networks. Delay, jitter, packet loss, and fluctuating bandwidth could all reduce voice quality and disrupt real-time communication. The company developed software intended to make IP-based voice and video more resilient. Its technology was generally delivered as embedded engines that combined real-time media-processing functions, enabling other companies to integrate communications capabilities into their own products. GIPS primarily served service providers, application developers, and manufacturers of IP phones, gateways, and voice or video conferencing systems. This made the company a behind-the-scenes infrastructure supplier rather than a consumer communications brand. GIPS became especially known for its speech codecs. The narrowband iLBC codec was designed for intelligible speech in environments where packet loss could occur, while the wideband iSAC codec supported higher-quality voice communication. These codecs represented the company's broader emphasis on adapting media processing to the realities of packet-switched networks. The available reference material does not document every product release, customer contract, or corporate leadership change during the company's independent period. In May 2010, Google acquired Global IP Solutions for $68.2 million, according to the cited reference. The acquisition ended the company's independent corporate life and transferred its technology and expertise to Google. The transaction became significant in the context of Google's later work on browser-based real-time communications. In June 2011, Google released WebRTC, a proposed standard and technology framework supporting plugin-free, peer-to-peer audiovisual communication between browsers. GIPS technology was used in that effort, extending the company's earlier work from embedded communications software into the web platform. After the acquisition, Global IP Solutions no longer operated as an independent company. Its historical significance rests on the role its codecs and media engines played in the development of practical VoIP and browser-based real-time communications.

• 2011

  GIPS technology contributes to WebRTC

  [1]Global IP Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Google released WebRTC in June 2011 as a proposed plugin-free browser communications framework incorporating technology developed by GIPS.

• 2010

  Google acquires Global IP Solutions

  [1]Global IP Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Google acquired the company in May 2010 for a reported $68.2 million, ending its independent corporate operation.

• 1999

  Global IP Sound is founded

  [1]Global IP Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Roar Hagen, Bastiaan Kleijn, Espen Fjogstad, and Ivar T. Hognestad founded the company in Stockholm, Sweden, initially under the name Global IP Sound.

An enterprise-focused provider of embedded real-time voice and video processing technology designed to improve communication quality across IP networks affected by delay, jitter, packet loss, and variable bandwidth.

• Narrowband speech codec

  iLBC

  iLBC was Global IP Solutions' best-known narrowband speech codec. It was designed for real-time voice communication over IP networks and aimed to preserve intelligibility when packet loss and other network impairments affected transmission. The codec formed part of GIPS's broader effort to adapt voice processing to packet-switched communications rather than the more predictable conditions of traditional circuit-switched telephony.

• Wideband speech codec

  iSAC

  iSAC was a wideband speech codec associated with Global IP Solutions. It was intended to support higher-quality voice communication over IP networks while accommodating changing network conditions. Alongside iLBC, it illustrated GIPS's focus on codecs and processing technologies that could make real-time Internet voice more robust and natural.

• Embedded real-time communications software

  GIPS voice and video engines

  GIPS generally supplied integrated software engines that packaged voice and video processing components for use by third-party communications products. These engines were aimed at service providers, application developers, and manufacturers of IP phones, gateways, and conferencing systems. Their purpose was to simplify integration while improving the handling of real-time media across IP networks.

• 2010

  Google acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Global IP Solutions had developed specialized codecs and embedded engines for real-time voice and video over IP networks. Google pursued the company as part of its broader interest in real-time communications technology.

  Action taken

  Google acquired Global IP Solutions in May 2010 for a reported $68.2 million.

  Aftermath

  The independent GIPS business ended, and its technology was incorporated into Google's communications work. GIPS technology later contributed to Google's WebRTC initiative.

  Reported acquisition price. $68.2 million (May 2010)

  Source

• 2011

  Google releases WebRTC with GIPS technology[1]Global IP Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Google released WebRTC in June 2011 as a proposed framework for plugin-free peer-to-peer audiovisual communication between browsers, incorporating technology associated with GIPS.

• 2010

  Google acquires Global IP Solutions[1]Global IP Solutionsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Google acquired Global IP Solutions in May 2010 for a reported $68.2 million, bringing the company's real-time voice and video processing technology into Google.

1. 1Global IP Solutionsen.wikipedia.org