VoIP is a telecommunications service that allows you to make phone calls using data packets. It’s often used by companies who need a cost-effective way to communicate with their employees or customers and by people who want the convenience of using their home phones from anywhere in the world.
What Is VoIP?
VoIP is the shortened form of Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a service that allows you to make phone calls over the internet. In contrast, if you use your mobile phone or landline to call someone else’s cell phone or home number, that is a service known as PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network.
The difference between these two services lies in where they route their data traffic:
PSTN – through traditional telephone lines
VoIP – through data packets over the internet, which means that it is possible to make phone calls from anywhere in the world where you have an internet connection.
How Does VoIP System Work?
To send a phone call via a data packet, a VoIP service must first create the circuit. This is achieved by creating a virtual interface between you and your recipient – just as if there was an invisible wire which connected both of you. Once this connection has been made, it can be used to send voice data over the internet using IP packets rather than traditional telephone lines.
A VoIP converts analog signals into digital signals. Because of this, it can be compressed to reduce the amount of data sent over the connection and save bandwidth on your Internet provider’s network.
How Is A VoIP Different From A Traditional Phone System?
In addition to the structural differences between a traditional phone system and VoIP, there are also different functions that they can perform.
Cost: a traditional telephony service typically costs more for businesses because it requires expensive equipment such as multi-line phones, PBX systems, etc. In contrast, VoIP services can be used on a single computer and require multiple phone lines.
Features: some VoIP services such as Skype can perform functions that aren’t possible with traditional phone systems, such as providing video conferencing or instant messaging. This flexibility can be significant for businesses that need to communicate more than just voice information over the internet.
PTSN uses circuit switching to send data packets, which means it is impossible to make phone calls over the internet when you are offline. For example, if your laptop were disconnected from the internet, you would be unable to receive incoming PSTN telephone calls even though there may still be battery power remaining on your device.
VoIP uses packet switching to send data, making it possible to make phone calls while offline. This feature can be vital for people who frequently travel or work in remote areas without internet access.
Another difference between these two services lies with security: PTSN uses encryption to protect the privacy of conversations during transit over public networks. VoIP, on the other hand, doesn’t encrypt the packets of data itself, which means that your discussions are vulnerable to interception.
Advantages Of Using VoIP For Businesses
With the rapid development of information technology, people expect broadband to connect their homes and offices with the outside world.
The traditional public telephony network cannot meet these requirements due to its low bandwidth capacity, which leads to poor voice quality that fails in the era of the internet.
The VoIP technology is a new approach that has been widely used in recent years to solve this problem, which solves the problems of traditional public telephony networks and provides more features for users and enterprises.
1. Lower cost
In the traditional telephony network, each device (PBX telephone sets and PBX stations) has a dedicated line. In contrast, VoIP technology equipment such as IP phones can be implemented in existing computers or terminals- both of which are cheaper than its counterpart.
2. Real-time delivery guarantee
Because packets transmitted over the internet are not guaranteed to be delivered in sequence, VoIP technology avoids this problem by placing packets into a particular queue and ensuring that they are transmitted according to priority.
3. Higher scalability and flexibility
This means it can adapt quickly as requirements change and integrate with existing computer network systems. Flexibility means it can be easily expanded at lower costs.
4. Portability
The VoIP technology can be used on any computer or terminal with an internet connection, which means that users can use their desktop phones when they work in the office and take them home so long as there is a broadband Internet connection.
Disadvantages Of Using VoIP For Businesses
Although it has many advantages, VoIP technology is not perfect.
1. VoIP users are often required to purchase new equipment such as IP phones and need more configuration work to get everything running correctly.
2. Security: there is no encryption of packets transmitted over the internet means that there’s a risk that someone could listen to phone calls or record data if they wanted to.
3. In addition, VoIP technology is still relatively new, and few people have personal experience using it. This lack of knowledge can make businesses reluctant to adopt this technique for internal communications even though the benefits could be enormous.
4. Power outages are another issue that VoIP users have to deal with. If your company’s broadband connection fails, you will not receive incoming PSTN telephone calls even though there may still be battery power remaining on your device.
5. Slow internet service would also affect the quality of VoIP calls, as packets dropped during transmission will cause delay or even interruption.
Frequently Asked Questions About VoIP
How is VoIP technology different from PSTN?
A: The main difference between these two services lies with security. PTSN uses encryption to protect the privacy of conversations during transit over public networks. On the other hand, VoIP doesn’t encrypt packets of data itself, which means that your discussions are vulnerable to interception when using this service.
How can I make a VoIP phone call?
A: You need to install software that supports Voice Over IP, then plug your internet connection into the computer you wish to use. This will allow users in different locations to talk via voice over an existing network connection without having to pay long-distance charges or even dial each other’s number.
What are some of the most popular VoIP providers?
A: Some major companies that offer Voice Over IP services include Skype, Vonage, and Comcast. You can also find several accessible options online, which you could use to make calls over your computer’s speakers or microphone via an internet connection.
Why is VoIP so cheap?
A: VoIP services are low-cost because they don’t require dedicated telephone lines or equipment, which means that the service provider doesn’t have to pay for many infrastructural costs.
What is Voice Over Internet Protocol?
A: This technology allows audio data packets sent out over an internet connection to be converted into sound. It is also known as VoIP, which stands for “Voice Over Internet Protocol.”
Is there a VoIP backup if your internet connection goes down?
A: If your broadband goes down, you will not be able to make or receive calls until it comes back online.
What is the difference between VoIP and an internet phone?
A: A VoIP telephone can connect directly with other devices that use this same technology and connect through an existing network connection via Ethernet cable or WiFi.