Understanding Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology

In an era where seamless communication is essential for both personal and professional interactions, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology has emerged as a powerful tool.

Let’s delve into what VoIP is, its benefits and how it differs from traditional phone systems.

Read: Leveraging Microsoft Teams as Your Phone System

What Is VoIP, and How Does It Work?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a communications technology that allows voice communication and multimedia content to be transmitted via the Internet. Instead of using traditional telephone lines and analog connections, VoIP converts voice signals into digital packets and sends them over an IP network, which can be the Internet or a private network.

With this setup, VoIP only requires an internet connection and can be hosted on-premises or through a cloud service. However, if you have frequent network outages or low bandwidth, VoIP can be tricky to use.

This is how VoIP works:

1. When you speak into a VoIP-enabled device, your voice is converted into digital signals.
2. These digital signals are broken down into small data packets.
3. The data packets are sent to the recipient over the Internet or private IP network, much like a message or picture.
4. On reaching the destination, the packets are reassembled into the original voice signal for the recipient to hear.

Some VoIP services will let you contact other users only if they have the same service, but most will allow you to call anyone with a telephone number. A few examples of VoIP technology are WhatsApp, Skype and Zoom.

Benefits of VoIP Technology

VoIP offers numerous advantages that make it a preferred choice over traditional telephone systems:

• Cost savings: VoIP call charges, especially long-distance and international calls, are significantly cheaper than traditional phone calls since you are charged for internet access, not call minutes or phone service. Since there’s also no extensive wiring or expensive hardware to maintain, there are reduced infrastructure costs.
• Scalability: VoIP systems can easily scale up or down, accommodating the company's changing needs without requiring major infrastructure changes. For example, if your company grows quickly and you need more phone lines, you can do so with VoIP.
• Flexibility: VoIP allows users to make and receive calls from anywhere, as long as they have an internet connection. This makes it easy to use for remote workers, especially since VoIP can work on devices like smartphones, tablets, computers or VoIP-specific devices.
• Enhanced features: VoIP comes with advanced communication tools not available with traditional landlines, such as call recording and forwarding, video conferencing, voicemail-to-text, call queues, auto attendants, ring groups and more.
• Unified system: VoIP combines voice, video, text and data services into a single unified system, improving collaboration and productivity. It also easily integrates with other business software and applications.
• Improved audio quality: With a robust internet connection, VoIP can provide superior audio clarity and reduced call drop rates, helping with miscommunication.

Implement a VoIP with Thriveon

As the internet infrastructure continues to improve, the adoption of VoIP is set to increase, further diminishing the reliance on traditional phone systems. If you’re considering making the switch from landlines to VoIP, we recommend working with Thriveon.

We know how important it is to stay modern and beat out the competition. That’s why switching to a VoIP and utilizing Thriveon’s modern office services is a must-do for your company. Our expertise and services can facilitate a smooth transition for your company.

Schedule a meeting with us today for more information.