VoIP is short for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it is a type of telephone service which delivers voice calls over the Internet. Simply put, it is a telephone service delivered over the web. To achieve this, the analog sound data is sent via modem to the IP address that will process it. When it comes time to convert the sound back to analog, the reverse process is initiated. This means that you now have telephone service via the web, just like a traditional home line phone used conventional cables.
VoIP Phone Service has a number of advantages which are not readily apparent to the beginner. VoIP does not take up much bandwidth; hence making it very suitable for small businesses or home use. It is also cheaper than the traditional phone system. But perhaps the biggest advantage VoIP has been the ability to route calls based on IP addresses rather than using the “local” or” Toll Free” calling plans. This is what is referred to as “SIP Trunking”.
There are a number of service providers offering VoIP services.
Most large corporations have their own dedicated lines but small business owners can opt to use alternate telecommunications carriers. Some of the most popular alternative telephone service providers include T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and others.
One of the main reasons many businesses are switching to VoIP Phone Service is the cost. Phone service through IP is much more affordable than a standard analog plan. This is because there is no need for the long-distance charges associated with analog phones, and there are no long-distance fees associated with using VoIP services. For residential users, a great benefit is that they only pay for minutes used, not the full amount used. In addition, many businesses use their VOIP phone service to make and receive free local calls.
One of the primary concerns that new users and businesses have is the lack of high-speed Internet access. Since many VoIP services will convert their PSTN calls into digital data, they have to be able to handle these higher-speed connections. This is where tax systems come in. A PBX system will allow you to interconnect your VOIP calls with your normal analog phone service also allows you to convert your non-riders into virtual PBX calls at much faster speeds.
One of the things that sets up VoIP services is the option of unlimited calling plans.
Several VoIP service providers offer unlimited calling plans for a monthly fee. These services offer the flexibility of making inexpensive long-distance calls, as well as international calls at significantly reduced rates. One of the unique features of many VoIP services is the ability to use the auto attendant which makes it easy to connect to your existing phone system when you are calling.
Businesses that want to keep their employees from being constantly connected to the company network need to purchase IP-BIN or Jitterbug phone cards. These or Jitterbug phone cards enable employees to use their personal computers to make local, STD, or toll-free calls to the company network. The auto-attendant feature of the tax system automatically routes these calls to the correct destination as the call comes in. For larger companies, who have more than one location, setting up a virtual pbx can allow them to manage all employees’ calls from their personal computers at the location. All calls made by employees will show up in real time in the office, eliminating missed calls and routing employees to the correct person. IP-BIN and Jitterbug phone cards are priced at less than two dollars per month, which is ideal for small business.
- When deciding how to upgrade to new technology, some companies prefer a hosted box over traditional IP-based telephony systems.
- Hosted PBX is similar to traditional IP-based telephony, with the exception that it is set up on a private network and does not need to maintain its own equipment.
- Hosted PBX offers the ability to reduce capital expenditures, while providing business with more features and capabilities.
- Hosted systems also tend to include additional services such as bandwidth monitoring and troubleshooting, which reduces operational costs for the provider.