An introduction to Voice Over IP (VoIP)

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a new technology that enables users to make voice or telephone calls through a broadband connection as opposed to the traditional phone line. VoIP services can vary as some of them only allow the user to call people on the same service, but you will also find many VoIP services that allow users to call telephone numbers across the world.

This technology has revolutionized the way people communicate and has been a major boost to businesses.

How VoIP works?

In order for the calls to be successful, VoIP uses signals through a digital network, which routes communication across the internet or intranet. A signal is received through the VoIP system then coded to conform to internet protocols. This process uses two coding standards namely Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and H.323.

The H.323 platform was developed some years ago and was purposed for video conferencing through ISDN telephone lines. It is considered outdated and requires more overhead costs, lacks modern features, and might not allow the flexibility you would enjoy with SIP.

On the other hand, SIP includes an end-to-end server/client session signaling protocol, which is less complicated. Its programming is easier and it provides all the features that are required to enable VoIP communications to go through smoothly. It is a more reliable solution for voice communication. However, with the development of VoIP, there are few technical issues that have to be addressed including security, which is threatened by wiretapping and other vulnerabilities.

Security may not be an issue if you are a small business with no sensitive data transferred over calls, but major players have to invest in additional features to prevent data leaking. The first step to security is ensuring a sound IP network connection.  

Accessibility

One of the reasons VoIP has become a major breakthrough is the fact it can be implemented much easily. You don’t need special equipment to use the service. As long as you have a PC and a webcam, you can use VoIP to communicate over calls, which include video calls.

You can find different VoIP services that provide low rates and free services for client-to-client calling. The technology relies on existing infrastructure and does not demand additional costs to set up functionality. This is the kind of technology used by Skype and other video calling services out there. Most of them have mobile apps that you can use on your smartphone to make calls for free.

Businesses can boost accessibility by combining the power of VoIP and intranet. Intranet refers to a private network that aids in internal communication, wherein employees can securely collaborate, store, and process business-related information. 

Integrating VoIP and intranet can help improve employee productivity, morale, and performance. Customer service representatives can serve clients better because of a centralized source of information that doesn’t require accessing multiple tools to answer queries. Moreover, some companies use the social media features of modern intranets for employee engagement.

The VoIP trend

This is a relatively new technology that has managed to attain widespread acceptance and application. Although there’s still more improvement to come, it has been instrumental in supporting businesses and enterprises that require to make calls to clients without spending a lot. It is poised to replace the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). To help you understand how it could be beneficial to both businesses and individuals, below are some of its advantages that you could tap into.

Advantages of VoIP

VoIP was introduced to offer access to voice communication, but it has grown and you can now do video calls over the internet. It is accessible across the world and you can easily reach users at any time of the day for free or for a small fee.

If you are wondering how VoIP can benefit small business owners, there are many things the technology allows businesses to enjoy. Below are some of those benefits:

Save money

If you are using the old phone line, each minute you speak costs money. You pay to use the service and when you don’t have the money you cannot communicate.

However, VoIP takes away this cost as you need the internet to connect with users, and international calls are free unlike in case of a packet switched telephone network. This allows you to make business calls without the worry of additional overhead.

More than voice

Another advantage of VoIP is that since it uses an Internet Protocol (IP), the technology allows you to share other media apart from voice. You are able to share images, video, or text along with voice. You can easily speak as you also send files and if both of you have a webcam, you could chat over a video call. This is a good step in business that enables transfer of data at no cost quickly.

Useful features available

Using VoIP also allows you to benefit from its features, which can improve your experience. It could support your business and make communication better. For example, depending on the software you are using, you can access extra-virtual numbers, voicemail, contact lists, and caller ID, and you are able to make calls from anywhere in the world as long as you can access the internet.

The development of VoIP has come as a major breakthrough in the way people communicate. This is a technology that relies on the internet to transmit calls. It has been especially pivotal in supporting business communications as you can use the service anywhere at no cost. The service gives useful features and could be used to share media like photos and video.