NEW GENERATION OF PHONES: IP PHONES

by Stella Ghazaryan

Have you ever wondered what IP phones can do besides transmitting voice over Internet? If you do not stay up-to-date with technology, you may consider IP phones as ordinary landline phones. Yes, you will not be wrong, phones are still phones if you use them only for calling purposes. Nowadays, calling is only a small part of what IP phones can offer. For businesses today, it’s quite easy to access voice services, that’s why their expectations from phone service vendors are growing. They need a phone that enables not only calling but also advanced features for efficient business communication.  In case office phones are not able to give them more than just a calling function they would rather choose other devices. That’s why phone providers designed phones that are able to go beyond traditional phones.

WHAT ARE IP PHONES?

IP phone is a telephone that transmits voice over Internet. They are also known as Voice over IP phones as they are designed to work with an IP PBX phone system. These phones convert analog voice signals into digital ones in small data packages and send them via Internet Protocol. IP phones can be both hardware and software based. A software-based IP phone is an application that is installed into computers to send voice data through the Internet. It also requires microphone and headphone. As we already know, VoIP operates with devices that are connected to the Internet- that’s why even mobile and landline phones are available. Though you may not experience all the wonders that IP phones provide.

IP PHONES VS TRADITIONAL PHONES

We know that both phones have benefits and drawbacks. Let’s enlighten ourselves and have a better understating of advantages and disadvantages of IP phones. Price The first difference between these two phones is the cost. That keeps a lot of users away from IP phones. Well, analog phones are cheaper, but the price of IP phones is justified. Do you want to use those few add-on features with your analog phone that requires additional charges? IP phones are designed with built-in features, you can use them and do not get charged for them at all. Don’t you think that the additional functionalities compensate higher price? So do we. Variety As we have already mentioned above, IP phones come with different forms from desk phones to Wi-Fi phones. Now let’s consider in what forms analog phones are available. Basically, they are all the same. Network/cable What is great about IP phones is that only one single network is required. In the case of analog phones, you will need a network with telephone cables and within this network, phones can be connected via IP addresses. Security This is considered the primary advantage of analog phones over IP ones. Unlike analog phones for which the only possible security issue is “phone-tapping” of outbound calls, IP phones are under the target of network attacks. However, today’s technology minimizes the possibility of these kinds of attacks by end-to-end encryption technology and military-grade security system of VoIP systems. Mobility Frequently on the move? IP phones can give you that ability to move from one desk to another and still use the same extension, maintain configuration, and information. You cannot do the same thing with analog phones. WAN network IP phones allow you to make long distance calls over the Internet at a lower price. All you need is to register with an ITSP provider or just use VoIP phone system. With VoIP, you can also use your IP network to call among your branches. Remote maintenance IP phones enable an access and configuration changes from a remote network with permission of network administrator. This will enable easier configuration changes and maintenance. Analogue phones cannot give you that flexibility. Multiple extensions IP phones enable you to have multiple extensions for different devices. In the case of analog phones, you can have only one extension number per phone. Connection to the Internet In case of some higher-end IP phones, you are able to connect to the Internet directly from your IP phone via the built-in browser. This will enable you to download music and images, listen and view them, etc. Integration with computer This may be the most advanced feature of IP phones. Your computer can serve as a softphone via the application installed into it. You can make calls right from your computer with just one click on the phone number. You can also be notified of your new emails, know who is calling, etc. thanks to the integration with CRM system. You can also identify the caller location via the integration of API to Google Maps. Do not hesitate to make an investment in IP phones after installation, in a short period you will get a return on your investment bigger than before. Even more importantly these phones will keep your employees much more productive. Are you ready to take your business to the next level with the new telephones? It’s time to say goodbye to the limitations of traditional phones and greet IP phones with their full package of advantages.
Recent Posts
Back to small business voip