A VoIP phone system is essentially a software/hardware setup which converts analog voice signals into digital ones using an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The VoIP phones to connect with each other via the IP network, and not the traditional analog circuit networks. These phones have the capacity to transmit sound and data in real time over the Internet, instead of just receiving them. There are numerous VoIP service providers offering both standard lines and specialty lines. Major service providers like AT&T and Verizon offer residential VoIP services, which are meant especially for use by end-users. Professional organizations and corporate environments also find advantages in using a VoIP phone system, as it allows employees to use their office phones while on the road, saving time and expense.
The basic components of a voip phone system include a gateway appliance, a translator, and a converter. The gateways, which are usually classified as private or public, serve as connectors between the internal network and the Internet. A private gateway requires the user to connect their personal computer to the gateway through one of the many ethernet connections available. Public and external gateways are usually open to the public and allow anybody to connect even if their computers are on the network, whereas a private one needs to be secured before usage.
One of the more basic features of a voip phone system includes the ability to make and receive phone calls. Some of the more advanced systems also provide conference calling and video conferencing features. The basic features also include the capacity to transmit and receive email. A basic feature of most of these systems is the implementation of a centralized dialer which forwards all calls to extensions and various extensions based on the IP address. This feature reduces or eliminates the use of manual handling of multiple forwarded calls.
Another useful feature of a voip phone system includes the use of the so-called virtual PABX service. With a PBX service, incoming calls are directed to the appropriate extension. Instead of having the calls directed to an extension by the normal public switched telephone system, a PBX has a PBX that handles each call in a separate way. This way, the overhead associated with conventional PBX lines is reduced, and it is much less expensive to implement.
The voip phone system uses existing tax systems, and therefore there are several advantages to switching over to this new technology. The first advantage is that switching over to a voip service provider means you will no longer need to make phone calls from your present business phones. All outgoing calls can now be made from either a laptop or a desktop PC, and the call details can be transmitted over the internet using any web enabled computer.
In addition to this, because you will no longer have to use your conventional phone lines, this new technology offers numerous other advantages. Traditional telephone service is limited to fixed telephone lines, and it is also limited to certain lengths of lines. With a voip phone system, you can place anywhere from two to twelve phone lines on an internet line, which will enable you to extend your service to your clients at any time you wish. You will no longer need to pay additional phone lines for extra lines.
For example, you can place two different lines to reach a client with a VoIP telephony service and a traditional landline. The landline connection will enable calls to be made to the incoming lines at no additional cost, whereas the internet connection will charge a high monthly fee for calls made outside the range of the low bandwidth and high-speed internet connections provided by the voip phone system. VoIP also offers additional features that are not available with other systems, such as voicemail, call forwarding, and caller ID. It is a much more cost effective solution for business telephony than conventional telephony, as well as being much more convenient.
By utilizing an apt system and signing up for an office plan with a major provider, you can save over half off the cost of your voip-based phone system in a twelve month period. This means that you can have all the benefits of traditional phone services, without having to pay full price for this service. You can set up the voip phone system yourself with the included software or ask your IT staff to install it for you.
