A reputable VoIP service can be a wonderful addition to your home or office. All you need to do is plug your IP phone in and you are good to go. They are digital phones that leverage your reliable high-speed internet to give you better connectivity than you would otherwise get. VoIP provided by Intouchcomms essentially converts your regular phone calls into actual data that is transmitted over the internet. For it, you can use ethernet cords or just use your WiFi connection. It can result in savings over traditional phone services. It also has a lot of other advantages that are worth knowing about.
What’s the Difference Between VoIP and Landline Phones?
One of the primary differences between a VoIP phone and a landline is the fact that it’s transmitted over the internet. With a landline phone, the phone is hardwired and it’s connected using copper wires. A VoIP phone can effectively make and receive phone calls wherever there is an internet connection and it’s not physically bound to a specific location.
A traditional phone line uses hardwired analog lines to relay the voice signals. Therefore, if you want to make calls, you’d need to have wiring specifically installed.
How Does VoIP Work?
Voice over IP essentially converts your voice into a digital file that is then compressed and sent over directly through the internet. The provider you sign-up with sets up the call for you. The majority of people that go with VoIP over a traditional landline telephone do so because it costs less. Not only is there limited initial capital required, but it’s also much cheaper when it comes to using the phone line especially if you are making a lot of traditional long-distance phone calls.
VoIP essentially uses internet protocols to transmit the data. This is an essential building block of the internet itself. It’s one of the most innovative things to happen to the telecommunications industry in a long time.
As mentioned previously, the voice calls are recorded and sent in little data packets. These packets are easily sent through the internet to wherever you are calling. They can be sent so fast, that they arrive at their destination in a matter of seconds. Therefore, it’s a very reliable and much more affordable way to call someone long distance. They ultimately travel from your phone and the provider.
A VoIP system effectively handles the logistics between the phones you are calling. It also delivers a lot of useful features including call forwarding, voicemail, call recording, and many more.
Here is exactly how VoIP systems work in (4) easy steps:
- Your phone connects directly to your router or switches either through WiFi or ethernet.
- Whenever you dial the phone number you are calling, your Internet Provider will relay to your VoIP service provider that it needs to call the phone.
- The VoIP service provider establishes the call and starts to exchange the little compressed voice data pockets between both you and the other party.
- Your VoIP service provider will convert all of the digital signals it’s getting back so you can hear what is being said by the other party not using VoIP.
- VoIP will bypass the telephone company entirely.
You will always have access to using VoIP when you have access to the internet. You do need to have a reliable and speedy internet connection if you want it to work well.
While you used to need to have rather expensive and proprietary equipment to install and use VoIP, that’s no longer the case. Nowadays, you can use VoIP easily and much more affordable. One of the reasons is that VoIP was built with open standards like Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). This makes it possible to transmit from VoIP services to various traditional phone hardware and systems.
Cloud-based PBXs are effectively responsible for various features that you get with these systems. Some features they are responsible for include call routing, conferencing, and voicemail. They almost act as a full phone service company that you can control.
You can take advantage of it as long as you have a reliable and fast internet connection.
Some Benefits of VoIP
Lower Cost
A lot of consumers and business owners alike have seen how much switching to a VoIP system can save. This is especially true if you are doing a lot of long-distance calling.
Better Quality
VoIP offers much better voice quality if you have reliable and fast internet. The quality cannot be matched with standard telephone communication systems. You can enjoy crystal clear audio.
More Features
One of the more underrated aspects of VoIP is the features you get. It offers you so many features that you couldn’t even dream of having with standard communication systems. You essentially get access to a lot of features that you would normally need to pay a lot of money for. These features tend to come free with a basic VoIP plan. Some features include call queues, auto attendants, and even call recording.
