Why Would Someone Use A VoIP Phone? Common Use Cases

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the process of converting an analog audio stream into digital “packets” that can then be sent over your local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) (IP).  VoIP phone services may be accessed from a variety of devices, including computers, mobile devices, and desk phones.

Calls are delivered via the internet rather than the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).  Because VoIP technology requires less infrastructure, voice calls can be delivered at an extremely cheap cost.

Since VoIP services also supply phone system capabilities through the internet, many new features and services are accessible to small- and medium-sized business (SME)  budgets. For instance, you can record calls and send them to friends and family via email.

According to a report published in 2019 by Global Market Insights, Inc., the VoIP market will expand from around $20 billion in 2018 to approximately $55 billion by 2025.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through almost everything about VoIP, including use cases and how to get the most out of this service.

What Is A Voip Phone Used For?

A VoIP phone is a device that provides telephone service by connecting to the internet rather than using a pair of copper wires to connect callers. VoIP phones enable you to be more mobile, interoperable, and connected than ever before.

The technology makes use of existing computer network cables or Wi-Fi to connect to telephone networks.

The process of placing a VoIP phone call is straightforward. Just pick up the phone and call a number. It is that simple. The technology is intended to make things easier, not more difficult to understand.

Voice calls can be supplied at a very low cost because of decreased infrastructure requirements for delivering phone calls over the Internet using VoIP technology.

VoIP offers internet-based functions that are beneficial for businesses. Small- and medium-sized enterprises now have access to a plethora of innovative features and beneficial services that were previously out of reach for their budgets. Voicemail-to-email, call recording, instant messaging, international calling, music-on-hold, and call diverts are some of the features available.

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Is It Possible To Utilize A Voip Phone, In The Same Way, You Would A Normal Phone?

Yes. Essentially, a VoIP phone provides the same basic functionality as a traditional phone, namely the ability to make, receive, and manage telephone conversations. However, the functional level is higher, even though costs are reduced.

The sole difference is that your voice is sent via the Internet rather than over traditional telephone wires. The only prerequisite is that you have reliable, suitable internet connectivity for your needs.

Does a Voip Phone Have The Same Appearance As Regular Phone?

You may not even be able to tell the difference between a VoIP phone and another kind of business desk phone from the outside. In most cases, VoIP phones are designed to be visually indistinguishable from the ordinary phones with which you are already familiar, including their handsets, receivers, speaker positions, and button placements.

VoIP phones use the same keypad layout as traditional landline phones. A total of nine digits, zero, and matching letters are included on the keypad, allowing for alphanumeric input.

VoIP phones often have several features such as redial, transfer, conference, hold, mute, voicemail, and speakerphone, as well as dedicated buttons for redialing, voicemail, and loudspeaker. These buttons may be found to the left and right of the number pad on the keyboard.

These capabilities are virtually generally used by VoIP phones and other business telephones. Having said that, VoIP phones are capable of high-definition voice, but conventional business phones are not capable of such.

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What Are The Similarities And Differences Between Voip And Regular Phones?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones and traditional landline phones vary in how they are linked to the telephone network as well as how they function and manage phone conversations. Here is a summary of the primary differences:

1. 1. To connect to the phone network, VoIP phones utilize the Internet, and they must be registered with a service provider. Other types of business phones need the use of a specialized copper cable that is distinct from the Ethernet connection.
   2. VoIP phones are associated with user accounts rather than with phone numbers. VoIP phones are equipped with “toggle buttons,” which enable you to switch between several calls on a single account at any time.
   3. VoIP phones are capable of high-definition voice (HD voice), which has a range twice as far as regular landline calls.

In addition, certain VoIP phones can get power directly from a PoE switch, rather than a standard power adapter, thanks to Power over Ethernet (PoE).

Although VoIP phones and normal desk phones have several differences, they also have some parallels, including the following:

1. 1. VoIP phones use the same keypad as traditional desk phones.
   2. VoIP phones, like other office phones, include specialized keys for services such as call hold, call transfer, and caller ID.  These are similar to those found on traditional office phones.
   3. The physical design of VoIP phones is quite similar to that of traditional business telephones.

In addition, the fundamental deployment of handsets, receivers, and speakers, as well as other structural components, is the same for VoIP and traditional landline phones.

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Is it possible to use VOIP on a standard smartphone?

Some VoIP providers, such as Skype and RingCentral, include a mobile application that enables you to divert your calls to your mobile device. You do not have to be physically tied to one location just to make or receive business calls. 

Advantages Of Using VoIP Mobile Phone Service

Personal cell phones are increasingly being used at work.  More than half of workers say their employers need them to use their smartphones at work, and 77 percent of employers anticipate personal smartphone usage to expand in the next year.

Employing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy and converting personal smartphones into corporate VoIP cell phones may be both cost-effective and employee-friendly for small enterprises. VoIP service providers carry a variety of services that assist with:

Increased Flexibility – Business owners and staff can be instantly accessible to clients and colleagues from any place, offering the same professional communication as they would if they were using an office phone. 

Reduced Employee Costs — Smartphone users benefit from lower-cost calling and texting, while the company saves money by using fewer office phones in the workplace.

Increased Speed – Digital data transfer utilizing VoIP is often quicker because the data is split over numerous packets to guarantee the shortest possible path to the desired destination.

Reduced Frustration – Save time and frustration by onboarding workers quicker and providing simple internal and external communication choices through the mobile phone they are already using instead of requiring them to master a new telephone system.

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Why Would Someone Use A VoIP Number?

When you sign up for a VoIP service, the provider assigns a unique phone number. It is essentially a string of numbers you type on a dial pad to make a phone call, similar to how you would do it on a regular landline. However, a VoIP phone number is given to a single user instead of being assigned to a dedicated telephone line.

It is important to note that the difference between a VoIP phone number and its older counterpart is that it can be used to make calls from any internet-enabled device such as a desktop or laptop computer as well as tablet computers, smartphones, and, of course, VoIP phones. 

Several devices, including laptops, desktop computers, and landlines, can be used to make these virtual phone conversations (using an appropriate converter). 

In short, we are no longer solely relying on traditional land-based networks for our connectivity needs. 

A reliable Internet connection and a capable device are all that is required to make an internet call when using this technology.

The Importance Of Having An Online Phone Number

Although a VoIP number may appear and function in the same way as a traditional phone number to the end-user, there are significant distinctions between the two identities. 

For example, with VoIP, the voice signals are converted into data packets and go through a data network rather than a phone network. This offers an entirely new universe of possibilities that standard landline numbers just cannot provide, such as: 

• • A greater variety of area codes
  • The use of toll-free telephone numbers
  • The use of shared telephone lines

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The Difference Between VoIP And Regular Phone Numbers

Each technology uses a different mode of communication. The number issued to a VoIP phone does not correspond to a specific location, although the number given to a traditional phone does.

The fundamental technologies are very different from one another. The transmission of a typical landline telephone number is accomplished via copper phone wires. A VoIP number makes use of data networks, such as the internet and internal business LANs, to transmit phone calls (Local Area Networks).

What is the process for getting a VoIP number?

An Internet-based telephone service provider (ISP) can help you acquire a VoIP phone number after you sign up for a VoIP subscription. In most cases, these plans are less costly than those of a cellphone or traditional telephone service.

On a positive note, VoIP will help reduce your phone expenditures by up to 60% while still making use of several additional capabilities that are only available via VoIP.

It is possible that you already have a particular number you want to use. You can utilize it in conjunction with VoIP. It is your legal right to do so, and the Federal Communications Commission supports you in this (FCC). 

Through a procedure called number porting, you have the option of transferring your phone service to any other service provider. If you have a mobile phone number, you can move it over to Google Voice, your cable/telephone company, or even a competing VoIP service provider if you have a Google Voice number.

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Can a VoIP number be traced?

Yes. The fact that VoIP calls transit via an internet connection or public switched telephone network at some point during their journey makes them very detectable. Contrary to popular belief, every transmission over the internet leaves some type of digital trace in its wake.

A VoIP phone conversation with another VoIP user consists of your voice being broken down into data packets that are sent over the internet to the other party. When you make a VoIP phone call to another VoIP user, your voice is split into data packets. These are subsequently transferred through the internet to their final destination.

Calls made using VoIP are traceable. IP addresses are required on both ends of a VoIP conversation for the information to be routed. IP addresses may be tracked back to their source. It is important to note, however, that although VoIP phone conversations are made possible over the internet, they are relatively secure from being monitored.

What happens when you call a VoIP phone number?

In appearance and function, VoIP numbers resemble regular phone numbers. You just call the number from a landline or a mobile phone, just as you would a regular phone number, and the service will be activated. One point to keep in mind is that with VoIP numbers, factors such as country codes and area codes are not as important as they formerly were. 

VoIP numbers can be allocated to anybody, anywhere, regardless of their real geographic location. A common practice for businesses is to get numerous phone numbers that appear to be based in different locations so their customers can call them without incurring long-distance expenses.

Individuals and families benefit from this kind of physical independence. Almost everyone has friends or family members who they need to contact regularly, but who live in different parts of the globe than they do. 

Having a VoIP number that avoids incurring expensive phone costs is a fantastic advantage. Dialing a VoIP number from a landline does not need any special preparation or modification in behavior, making it an excellent choice for even the most tentative family members.

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Are VoIP phone numbers safe?

Hackers may try to gain access to your VoIP system by using unsecured internet connections to connect to your network. It is possible for them to listen in on all of the traffic on your Wi-Fi network, including phone conversations flowing into and out of your company, after they have gained access to your connections. Encrypted voice chats are recommended to give an additional degree of protection to your internet connection.

When you use VoIP, you are exchanging data over the internet. The phone call is made digitally, rather than through conventional telephone lines, and it is a voice call. As with all other internet transactions, it is vulnerable to being hacked if it is not properly protected. 

Calls can be intercepted and, in certain situations, they can be used as an entry door into servers, allowing unauthorized access. The good news is that VoIP can be protected by using certain fundamental cybersecurity techniques and best practices.

Bottom Line

When it comes to purchasing and customizing your business VoIP service, you have many options. Making certain that you have the greatest VoIP service, phones, and features offers you more confidence in your ability to successfully operate your company.

In a variety of ways, voice over IP (VoIP) technology has transformed corporate communications. The availability of free phone calls via the internet enables businesses to significantly reduce needless expenditures associated with fundamental operations.

Read more information about analog phone systems here!