Exploring WebRTC technology for enhanced real-time services

Abstract

WebRTC is a standard technology which allows real-time communications between browsers, without installing additional plugins. In this way, for each device (computers, smart phones, etc.) with an installed browser, it is possible to perform peer-to-peer real-time communications natively, for instance, video and voice calls, chatting or instant messaging, file sharing and screen sharing. This recent technology has grown exponentially both in implemented solutions and in browsers compatibility. WebRTC is therefore an evolutionary technology with a strong growth, where more solutions Over-The-Top (OTT) could appear and where the telecommunications operators could invest creating their own service solutions. Facing the lack of standards regarding the communication between WebRTC endpoints, this paper studies in depth the WebRTC technology in order to identify its potential and to assess in which way it could impact on the telecommunications world. This paper also presents a framework that helps developing WebRTC applications and services at a higher level. As proof-of-concept a WebRTC client is developed to allow testing the services implemented in the framework.