VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, which is a phone technology that allows you to make and receive phone calls using the internet instead of traditional phone lines. Here is how VoIP works:
- VoIP services convert your voice into a digital signal that travels over the internet.
- If you are calling a regular phone number, the signal is converted to a regular telephone signal before it reaches the destination.
- VoIP can allow you to make a call directly from a computer, a special VoIP phone, or a traditional phone connected to a special adapter.
- A broadband (high-speed internet) connection is required, which can be through a cable modem, DSL, or a local area network.
- A computer, adapter, or specialized phone is required. Some VoIP services only work over your computer or a special VoIP phone, while other services allow you to use a traditional phone connected to a VoIP adapter.
- VoIP uses the ‘packet switching’ method, which means that data is only sent when needed. A brief, instant connection is created each time you speak. The connection doesn’t need to go both ways all the time.
VoIP is cost-efficient for both domestic and long-distance (international) calls, and most business VoIP providers offer unlimited minutes without any extra cost. VoIP phones, also known as IP phones, include features and capabilities not found in traditional analog phones.
