VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is the technology that allows you to turn any device with an internet connection into a phone. With VoIP, users can make calls from a computer, smartphone, tablet, VoIP phones, or almost any other mobile device. It works almost like a regular phone, but instead of telephone wiring, it uses an internet connection.
A VoIP service will convert a user’s voice from audio signals to digital data using codecs, then send that data through the internet. If another user is calling from a regular phone number, the signal is converted back to telephone signal before it reaches that user.
Both consumers and businesses use VoIP, in fact, almost everyone has used VoIP even without realizing it. Some VoIP phones look exactly like normal phones. If you have a phone at your desk in an office, it’s likely a VoIP phone. A VoIP phone could also be a softphone or software application installed on a computer offered by vendors like RingCentral, Maxtivia, Skype, and Google Voice. VoIP phones can also be USB phones, wireless iPhones, video phones, and conference phones.
VoIP also helps organizations unify communications. It consolidates communications technologies into one system, supporting audio, video, and text-based communication methods. This is particularly useful for businesses so teams don’t have to use multiple applications to communicate effectively.
VoIP boasts other benefits like additional capabilities like call recording, custom caller ID, and voicemail to email, lower prices than typical phone bills, support for remote work as employees can call into meetings and communicate in a variety of ways, and low international rates.
However, VoIP doesn’t require just any internet connection, but a fast internet connection and a high bandwidth too. The bandwidth must also be able to support concurrent VoIP calls plus other normal internet activity, especially important with large offices and multiple calls happening at once. VoIP phones also often lack common phone features like directory assistance and emergency services like 9-1-1, and services won’t work in the event of a power outage.
VoIP is sometimes used interchangeably with IP telephony, but there are some distinctions between them.
In conclusion, VoIP is an excellent choice for businesses and consumers who want to take advantage of low-cost calling, additional features, and flexible communication options. However, it’s important to ensure that you have a fast internet connection and enough bandwidth to support multiple calls and internet activity simultaneously.