“VoIP call solutions use the internet to make voice calls and is a subset of IP telephony, which is the system that connects the phones over the network to make those calls.”
Many would be clueless about IP telephony or Internet Protocol telephony because, for decades, businesses have used traditional phone line connections to make voice calls with partners, employees, and clients. And in recent years, IP telephony has taken charge of the unified communication system by integrating voice, chat, video calling, fax, and conferencing within the same platform.
So what is IP telephony, how is it different from VoIP, which also speaks of the same tech, and how does it benefit customer communication? We will see answers to all these questions in the post below.
What is Internet Protocol Telephony?
Internet Protocol Telephony, or simply IP telephony, is a phone system that transmits your voice signal or data to the recipient using the internet. It is different from the traditional or receiver phones we have been using, as internet-based telephones connect to the internet with the help of a router and a modem.
It first came into existence two decades back but was way expensive and could support only low audio quality. However, with advancements, it now offers HD voice quality at low running costs and comes packed with advanced features. If you think you can make only voice calls using this phone system, then you are wrong, as there are plenty of other use cases like video calling, text messaging, audio conferencing, faxing, and instant messaging.
How Does IP Telephony Work?
The working process of the Internet protocol telephone system is quite simple, and it operates by converting voice signals into digital data packets and transmitting them over the Internet instead of relying on traditional telephone lines. Plus, this model uses IP to send and receive voice data using two components: VoIP software and IP phones.
While the software handles all calls through the network, the IP phone provides an interface for users to make and receive calls. And after installing all these, your voice gets converted to data and passes over the internet, which is then received by the receiver’s IP phone. What’s best about this technology is that this process allows for cheaper and clear communication capability for small and long distances.
What Is VoIP?
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it is a technology that allows users or employees to engage in voice calls over the Internet instead of relying on back-to-date phone lines. To make this technology happen, there are several VoIP calling software that provide services to businesses.
IP Telephony vs. VoIP
Both IP telephony and VoIP are used quite often and in mutual ways, but there is a slight difference between the two. And that’s what we are here to see about:
While VoIP is a technology that uses IP to transmit and receive voice calls, the IP telephone systems, on the other hand, offer a wider range of services like chats, voice, and video.
Secondly, VoIP is a subset of IP telephony, and so all the VoIP systems are IP telephony, but not all internet-based telephones can be VoIP.
Though they have their differences, both these technologies use LAN (Local Area Network) to connect to the internet.
Benefits of IP Telephony
Understanding the true benefits of VoIP and IP systems, many businesses are switching to this technology. Why are they doing it? Let us see in the section below:
1. Reduced Costs
One of the prime advantages of using telephony systems is that they are cost-saving. Because traditional phone lines can involve high fees when making long-distance calls. Also, if you use an IP telephony service, you can make VoIP in the blink of an eye. So, switching to such types of solutions can have a significant impact on your phone bills.
2. More Features Without Extra Hardware
Be it internet telephony or VoIP calling solutions, you can get access to advanced features like voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, conference calling, and other tools without needing any extra hardware or equipment. A simple internet connection would suffice. But if you use a traditional telephone line system, you need to install additional hardware for every feature.
3. Increased Accessibility
Unless you have a working and stable internet connection, your internet protocol phone systems can help you make and receive calls from any part of the world, thus helping remote employees or businesses with offices at multiple locations. Along with this, this technology offers a unified communication service, meaning you can access chat, voice, and video from a single device.
4. Unified Communications
For businesses who are looking to streamline communication and improve collaboration, the telephony system that works on the internet can prove beneficial as this tech integrates video, voice, faxing, messaging, and other communication methods into a single system. This, in turn, would reduce complexity and enhance workflow efficiency.
Apart from these, the other merits of using IP telephony service include reduced infrastructure costs, centralized control and monitoring, reliability and redundancy, simplified network architecture, integration with other communication tools, flexibility, and mobility.
Conclusion
To wrap up our post, we can conclude that IP telephony is a complete game-changer for both individuals and businesses as by using its subset – VoIP, your users can enjoy advanced features, improved accessibility, clear communication, and reduced costs at all times.
If you are satisfied with the thought of adopting IP telephony solutions, you can try any of the providers listed above. But I would suggest you do clear research on what’s best and what’s not, the features it holds, and pricing options to make an informed decision. Therefore, IP telephony services can be a cost-effective option for improving communication standards in your enterprise and personal grounds.
