UNIFIED COMMUNICATION

A phone system comprises multiple telephones used in an interconnected fashion that allows for advanced telephony features such as call handling and transferring, conference calling, call metering and accounting, private and shared voice message boxes, and so on. A telephone system can range from just a few telephones in a home or small business up to a complex private branch exchange (PBX) system used by mid-sized and large businesses.

Phone systems can function over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), over the Internet (Internet telephony or VoIP), or over a combination of the two. Business telephone systems can also be delivered as a hosted service (typically referred to as a centrex), which can free companies from having to invest in costly equipment.

How Does a VoIP Phone Work?

A VoIP or IP phone system routes your calls, voice messaging, SMS traffic and even faxes over either the public internet or a private data network rather than the standard telephone system. Most business users are attracted to VoIP solutions as a way of avoiding long-distance telephone charges.

When you use a VoIP phone system, your voice is digitized into packets of information that the internet can route to the recipient, which might be another VoIP user or your VoIP service provider’s interface with the public telephone network. This allows VoIP users to contact standard and mobile telephone users seamlessly.

There are many different methods used to achieve this, however. For example, the system might use a ‘codec’ – a way of encoding audio or video signals – which is optimized for narrow bandwidths, for higher security, or for near-flawless audio clarity. Some systems can even choose which codec to use based on network performance and other factors.

Some ‘first generation’ VoIP solutions are modeled after the older phone network in order to offer fully compatible services. Other, ‘second generation’ VoIP providers like Skype provide free or nearly free traffic over a closed network of registered users. Still other, ‘third generation’ providers use a ‘federated VoIP’ system to allow dynamic connectivity between internet domains.

In terms of style and design a VoIP phone is made up up many of the same components as a typical desk phone. Advanced functions which will be explored in more detail below may include large touch screens and additional Ethernet ports.

IP Phone Benefits

Save on long-distance call charges. Consolidate your communications infrastructure. Reduce expensive support and maintenance costs.

When customers call, their information is entered into the database and shows up on agent’s computers. This ensures agents have the right information, and each person who calls your business reaches the appropriate person.