What Is VOIP & How Does It Work?

Everything uses the internet today…and we do mean everything. Even traditional telephone lines have become archaic in modern communication technology as they are unable to carry the amounts of data needed to communicate with today’s quality standards.

One of the more exciting advancements is that voice calling (called VOIP) is now available for businesses and residential use alike. VOIP service providers have become affordable and reliable for homes and businesses to get high quality, crisp and clean voice calling without adding new wiring or costing an arm and a leg.

It’s pretty simple to grasp how VOIP works, but if you’re not much of a “tech-y” person, we will break down what digital voice calling does, how it works, and why it’s better for you.

What is VOIP Phone Service?

First, VOIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and it is a way for a phone to use your digital internet connection to conduct voice calls instead of the typical phone wiring. It basically means that your phones will use your internet connection and wiring to make voice calls.

VOIP gives you a crisp and clean sound quality that you’ll have to hear to believe. Also, the system gives you so many more features like call forwarding, voice mail, and enhanced security that can be easily added to your line through your account dashboard online while things like call waiting usually come standard with Voice over Internet Protocol.

How Does VOIP work?

VOIP calling uses “packet switching” technology rather than “circuit switching.” VOIP works by capturing your voice via a microphone and converting it into digital data.

The data packets are then transmitted over the internet using Internet Protocol (IP), which is just a format that is more easily transmitted and understood by digital devices. On the other end, the data is reassembled back into audio for the person to hear on the other end of the phone. This all happens lightning fast.

Older phones use circuit-switching technology instead of packet-switching. Circuit switching technology is now over 100 years old. It still works and is reliable, however, it is not the most cost-efficient and the quality is no longer the best.

What makes VOIP calls better?

There are several factors that make VOIP superior to traditional landlines. Here are a few examples…

Clarity

Your internet cabling can carry much more information at a faster rate, so the call quality is better and more features are available. Not only is the signal clearer, but it is louder and background noise can be suppressed so you can hear who you are talking to instead of the noisy TV on in the background.

Features

We can do so much more with digital today than we ever could with analog phone lines. Yes, there are some features that overlap like call waiting and caller ID, but the features available on a VOIP digital phone system are more numerous and powerful.

VOIP allows you to make calls from multiple devices like laptops, smartphones, or tablets using your phone number and also offers the ability to add multiple numbers and digital voice mailboxes easily. Voice over Internet Protocol phone services also offer standard features, such as call forwarding, voicemail, and caller ID, which may be included at no extra cost.

Cost

Say goodbye to long-distance calling charges. With VOIP calling, you are not limited to a specific geographical location, so you can call and receive calls from anywhere in the world via your internet connection. This includes international calls and is not restricted to a certain time of day or days of the week.

Security

Typically, VOIP is very secure on its own, but it is a good idea to ask your Voice over Internet Protocol provider about their security protocols and encryption they have in place to protect your data. It is a good rule of thumb to treat your phone line like your internet connection and make sure your passwords are all difficult to guess and changed regularly.

Scalability

In a business setting, adding phone lines is quite a headache. With VOIP, it is a very simple process. Hook up the new hardware, make a few clicks inside your account dashboard, and your new employee is set up and ready to go!

The same goes for residential use. Need a separate line to your teenager’s room or your home office? No problem with VOIP. Add the line to your plan and set up the new phone quickly in your dashboard to get a direct line to one specific device with its own features and voice mailbox.

Does VOIP require any special equipment?

Short answer: not really. You just need an internet connection and a VOIP-enabled phone. Most companies that offer Voice over Internet Protocol will include hardware to handle your digital plan.

However, VOIP calls can be made using a variety of devices, including desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and dedicated VOIP phones. Voice over Internet Protocol can also be integrated with other communications such as video conferencing and messaging apps.

VOIP digital voice calling is a clearer, feature-rich method to stay connected at your home or business. We hope this article helped to answer your questions about VOIP.

If you would like to know more about our digital voice services, check out our Residential VOIP plans starting at $14.99 or our Business VOIP plans starting at $24.99. One of our helpful customer service representatives can help you determine a plan with features that work for you.