Paul E. Jones

I work for Cisco as an Architect in the area of voice and video communication. Among other things, I've worked on videoconferencing and VoIP protocols like AMS/H.325, H.323, and SIP, as well as instant messaging protocols like XMPP and SIMPLE. I previously served as the editor of Recommendation ITU-T H.323 and currently serve as vice-chair of ITU-T SG16, Chair of WP1/16 (multimedia systems), and chair of the group working on H.323 and AMS/H.325.

For those not familiar with AMS (Advanced Multimedia System, aka H.325), the idea is to separate the traditional "terminal" logic from the application logic. Through this logical separation, it's possible to allow a "phone" to not just be a phone, but a device that coordinates communication sessions between any number of different devices and applications. Imagine using the phone to place a voice call while in a hotel and receive video on a display panel hanging on a wall or receiving a file on your laptop while talking on the mobile handset. That's what you can do with AMS, and every component can be delivered by a different developer. Unlike traditional, monolithic systems or systems held together with proprietary glue, AMS defines standard interfaces between applications so that anyone can deliver any kind of new application that a user can immediately use. It's a really cool concept that could revolutionize the voice/video/collaboration industry.

The work I do has not been limited to IP Multimedia Communications (IPMC), though. I also work on web-based technologies, including REST, SOAP, and XML. Perhaps what best characterizes the type of work I do is that it is usually related to enabling communication between different applications, whether those are on the same or different physical device.

I previously worked in the healthcare industry developing a patient admission system, medical billing system, patient scheduling system, etc. I have also dabbled with encryption, hashing algorithms, security, and cloud storage, producing such things as AES Crypt, Pug, Single Pass, an implementation of SHA-1, an implementation of OpenID, and a cloud-based file storage system called Hive. I also enjoy desktop publishing, web design, computer graphics, and computer algorithms. There are far more technology areas that interest me than I would ever have time to fully explore.

I also co-founded Packetizer, which is a place where people with similar interests can go to share information related to information technologies. It has proven to be an excellent vehicle through which we can share up-to-date information on various standards, provide development tips, etc. Packetizer also provides email list services in support of various industry initiatives and standards.

I have engaged in work in a number of standards organizations and supporting organizations, including the ITU, IETF, ETSI, IMTC, H.323 Forum, SIP Forum, TIA, and ATIS.

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak at a number of industry events, including ones sponsored by the IMTC, UpperSide, VON, FCC, TDI, H.323 Forum, ViDe, and the ITU. I have had articles published or been interviewed for articles in numerous publications, including Internet Telephony, CPMNet Asia, ComputerWorld China, ComputerWorld Hong Kong, Telecom Asia, Voice and Data, and Light Reading.

I enjoy taking walks through cities in various countries I visit. So far, I've had the opportunity to visit Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Belgium, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, and Switzerland. I've met a world full of great people and have seen a lot of interesting places. The world is so full of interesting people and cultures, but I have also observed that people are very similar no matter where you go in the world. I am constantly amazed at how similar we all are in our hopes, dreams, and ideals. Perhaps one day the artificial curtain that seems to divide us will disappear.