by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is an innovative communication system and technique for the transmission of voice communications, usually through the Internet, over broadband internet connections. This enables people to talk to each other using their broadband Internet connections wherever they are, even if they are on the other side of the world. VoIP is commonly used as a means of international phone communication, but it can also be used in applications such as computer voice, video conferencing, or online gaming. The key features of VoIP are its low cost and high bandwidth, which allow for for unlimited calls between computers and broadband Internet connections.
The advantages of using a VoIP service include:
enabling people to make long distance calls at low rates and in large amounts, eliminating the need for a landline telephone with long distance, and being able to use data as a substitute for conventional phone service. Some VoIP providers offer VoIP bundled with other services, such as Internet access. However, there are many users who opt to use VoIP independent of any other services. These subscribers are able to enjoy VoIP services without having to subscribe to additional plans. Some mobile VoIP phone users are interested in subscribing to a data plan to enable them to make local and long distance calls for free. The subscription fees for these plans are usually quite cheap, depending on the calling destinations.
One of the major advantages of VoIP service providers is that the subscriber need not have extensive technical knowledge on network protocols. A VoIP phone service provider handles all the network operations for you, including security and managing the traffic for you, so that you don’t need to be bothered about anything. A VoIP service provider provides hardware necessary for making and receiving calls, providing an interface for you to communicate with the clients, and managing the data packets. The hardware that is used in a VoIP phone system is composed of a microphone, speaker, and a speaker phone or headset, and a high-speed Internet connection for the client. It is also possible to integrate VoIP software with the telephone system to enable the communication features on the telephone system to be integrated with the VoIP software. All the major telephone operating companies provide VoIP service, and many small businesses are considering VoIP as a replacement for traditional phone systems.
VoIP phones use the IP network of the internet protocol to transmit voice data rather than the regular phone networks.
The voice transmitted over the internet protocol has the characteristics of a fax, but over the internet, voice can be converted to data before it is transmitted. This process is called IP phoning and is useful for making telephone calls while on the go. VoIP also allows you to make local calls from anywhere in the world, as long as the receiver of the call possesses an internet protocol address.
VoIP phones can also connect with video conferencing applications that use the same standard internet protocol to transmit voice calls over. Video conferencing is a type of interactive telemedicine that allows people who have a computer with video capabilities to communicate with each other. With the help of VoIP technology, a businessperson can conduct a video conference that includes not only his employees but also clients, suppliers, and even visitors to the conference who have the capability of connecting to the internet. The video conferencing service, in turn, will allow all participants to be connected to the internet and view the conference on their televisions.
To utilize the benefits of VoIP phone services, it is necessary for an individual to possess an internet-ready computer with an operating system that supports VoIP. VoIP works well with PCs running Windows and Mac, although it may also work with Linux computers. However, it cannot be used with the Macintosh Apple Macintosh computers because the Mac operating system does not support VoIP. VoIP works with all types of communication devices, including cordless telephone headsets, mobile phones, IP telephones, fax machines, and other communication devices that are designed to make use of the internet. VoIP also works with cable or satellite television systems.
VoIP phone service operates through a service provider who carries out the voice data packets that comprise the voice feed so that they reach their destination. In order for people to make use of the services, the users need to subscribe with a voip provider which, in turn, gives them access to a gateway through which the voice data packets are transmitted across the network. This voice data is then converted into digital packets and forwarded to the receiver’s computer system through the Internet connection.
VoIP phones do not require any hardware to be attached to a telephone system in order to work; therefore, there is no requirement to buy extra hardware such as an extra phone line.
- Instead, users simply need to have an active VoIP account which is linked to a router or modem that accepts the IP packets forwarding the calls through the network.
- VoIP phones also have the feature wherein they can be configured to make use of either VoIP internet protocol (IPc) or analog voice signals.
- For more information regarding VoIP phones, the only thing one needs to do is to contact a VoIP provider.
