How Does VoIP Work and What Is VoIP?
We’re changing the way we make phone calls. In fact, things have already changed in a number of instances. For example, several service providers are already using a technology known as Voice Over IP, or VOIP for short, to make long-distance calls. If you’ve never heard of VOIP before, the information in this article will transform the way you think about long-distance phone calls and how all phone calls will be made in the future. VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a means of converting analogue audio impulses into digital data that can be sent over the internet.
You might be wondering how this is useful. Think about it for a few moments. If analogue signals can be converted to digital data, VOIP can transform a basic internet connection into a technique for making phone calls anywhere in the globe for almost no cost (save for your internet service price), allowing you to completely avoid the phone companies.
Voice over IP (VOIP) has the potential to dramatically transform how phone networks work around the world. Many VOIP service providers have been operating for a long and are continuing to expand. Now, the world’s biggest telecoms companies are waking up to the limitless potential of this new technology, establishing VOIP call centres throughout the globe and promoting the sale of Voice Over IP phone systems.
Making a phone call
A call can be made in one of three ways with VOIP phone systems:
ATA (gateway) – Using an ATA (analogue telephone adapter), often known as a gateway, is the simplest way to make a VOIP phone call. You can use your existing normal analogue phones with these devices. To make VOIP calls, just insert your conventional handset into the ATA (gateway), then connect the ATA to your computer or internet connection. An ATA converts the analogue signal from your traditional phone into a digital signal that may be sent over the internet. Some ATAs (gateways) provide additional software that may be installed on a host computer and used to appropriately configure it for VOIP.
IP Phones – These phones have the same appearance as regular phones. Instead of the typical RJ 11 connectors, they have an RJ 45 Ethernet connector. These phones are equipped with all of the essential software and hardware to conduct VOIP calls. They connect directly to your router, allowing you to enter the world of Voice Over IP quickly and affordably.
Using VOIP technology from a computer to a computer is the simplest method. There are a number of firms that provide low-cost software for this form of VOIP. Even for long distance calls, your internet service provider’s monthly fee is usually the sole payment you have to pay. A microphone, speakers, a good sound card, and a fast internet connection are all you need.
It’s likely that you’ve previously made a VOIP call without realising it. Thousands of long-distance calls are already routed through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway thanks to VOIP. At the opposite end, this is received by a gateway, VoiP Hosting which is then routed to another local circuit switch. VOIP phone systems are being installed by an increasing number of businesses, and the technology will continue to evolve until it reaches every business and family on the planet.
Many VOIP services also let you check your voicemail online or attach messages to e-mails delivered to your PC or PDA. Because package and service rates vary widely, it’s best to verify with VOIP phone system vendors and service operators to see exactly what features they offer.
A simplified VOIP phone system network has a slew of other cost-cutting advantages. A VOIP phone system means network administrators just have to worry about one network instead of two. The phone system’s portability is also substantially simplified. This is due to the fact that most VOIP phone systems have a web interface that can be handled by the network administrator. The MAC (move, add, change) process has been simplified, and you will no longer need to contact your system/service provider for each MAC. All of this translates to decreased long-term expenditures for your business.
Because many offices, no matter where they are in the world, are seamlessly connected, they can share many of the services VOIP has to offer, such as:
- There is only one receptionist
- Services for auto attendants
- System for voice mail
Choosing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system
If you’ve concluded that a VOIP phone system is the best option for your business, the next step is to figure out which of your existing phone systems you can keep. The financial reductions that can be realised by utilising current digital technology are enormous. With simple hardware and software updates, many digital phone systems can be IP enabled.
When looking at different systems, make sure you know which functions are included as standard and which are optional cost additions. You should also be certain of exactly what the system includes. Many providers claim to have everything you need, yet standard components differ from one to the other. When addressing possible providers, make sure you’re comparing equivalent systems.