What is a VoIP phone: a complete guide

VoIP phone systems

For some time now, businesses and entrepreneurs have been switching from telephone services using the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) to a more advanced system: VoIP telephone service. This service uses the Internet connection to make voice calls, using packet-switched technology.

VoIP telephone service is very simple. You can make and receive calls over the Internet – a revolution in voice communication! It’s also cost-effective and offers spectacular mobility. The phone number you purchase can be used from any compatible device, such as your desktop, laptop, and mobile devices. Your number stays with you wherever you are. So, if you have access to the Internet, you can use the service.

When you first discover it, you think it might be a complicated system, but it’s not. All you must do is pick up your phone and dial the number you want to call. The same process for receiving the call: your phone will ring, and you just must pick it up or press the talk icon.

In addition, most of the features of the old methods are still present in the VoIP phone service. Voicemail, hold, call forwarding to an alternative number and IVR systems are also available in VoIP. Even faxing, which is no longer a widely used method, is a feature of VoIP systems.

What is a VoIP Phone?

In general terms, a VoIP phone is a phone that connects to the Internet to make and receive calls. If it uses SIP or similar protocols it can be called a VoIP phone.

Most people think of VoIP phones as desktop phones with IP standards for audio communication, but other types of devices such as computers or smartphones can serve the same purpose.

If we want to make a slightly more technical definition, we can say that a VoIP phone picks up the sound it generates through its microphone and converts it into a data packet. From there it sends it through the network. On the other side, the receiver decompresses all the data sent and plays it back so that the other person can listen to the message.

Regardless of the type of telephone system you have in your office or home, the device is still an essential part of it. Whether your company has already switched to VoIP or is considering the switch, you will find that you still need phones to make calls. Unlike the traditional PSTN network, a VoIP phone offers many possibilities in terms of the device used to make and receive calls.

Differences between VoIP and PSTN

Even though they see the advantages of Internet-based telephony, such as VoIP, many companies are still tied to their PSTN telephone systems. Most of them do so based on the idea that they need an independent system, in case the Internet goes down.

However, if a problem arises there are many ways to continue connectivity to your VoIP system:

• Route calls to different phones, including mobile phones.
• Test the uninterruptible power supply.
• Have an alternate service provider.
• Have a backup connection between your private phone and the Internet.

Just by choosing one of the above options, you will be able to have an improved PSTN system that is just as secure.

With this concern solved we think it is convenient that you know the benefits that VoIP technology can bring you:

1. Improve your productivity.
2. You will have greater scalability. You will not have to worry about adding or reducing lines.
3. It will increase your mobility. You don’t have to be in a fixed location, unlike PSTNs.
4. VoIP systems allow you to avoid unnecessary payments. You only pay for what you are using.

Types of VoIP phones

VoIP handsets come in all shapes and sizes. Some do not even have a physical component, and you may even see several types of VoIP phones in the same office or company.

Most people like to choose a specific VoIP device based on their own preferences and needs. There are two types of VoIP phones: softphones and desktop phones.

The difference is not in the objective, but in how it achieves that objective. The PSTN carries voice signals over copper lines (or, more recently, ISDN digital circuits). Since the first telephone conversations, the PSTN infrastructure has been continuously expanded to connect more users and households to the network. Physical wires must connect to each telephone to make a call.

One advantage of VoIP technology is that it does not need its own physical infrastructure. Its protocols convert voice signals into data packets and transmit them over the Internet via fiber, cable, or even satellite.

Once converted into data, the protocol can handle it like any other communication medium, such as a picture, a song, or a text document. As such, VoIP is more like the way music streaming works than any existing telephony standard. Therefore, users can make VoIP calls through any provider of their choice, just like listening to Spotify or other music streaming services.

It doesn’t matter if you use a smart speaker or a web provider. You can listen to your music from anywhere there is an internet connection. VoIP works on pretty much the same principle and uses some IP-based protocols such as SIP, UDP, RTP, SDP, etc.

VoIP phone features

A VoIP phone has a lot of features, which will depend a lot on the model and type of handset you choose. There is a wide variety of models of VoIP desktop phones in the market to choose from.

To give you an example, here are the features we consider to be optimal for an entry-level CISCO model:

Cisco CP-6851
This is a basic SIP-based feature phone for small businesses. It is very easy to use and has cross-platform support. Its design is attractive and ergonomic.

Setting up a VoIP phone

Setting up a VoIP phone is quite simple. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In most cases, it can be summed up in a few simple steps:

1. Connect the handset: Once you have unpacked the phone, plug the handset into the handset port.
2. Connect to Ethernet port: Find an Ethernet outlet and connect it to the IP phone.
3. Power cable: connect it to the IP phone. If your unit supports PoE, you will not need to connect it.
4. Locate your IP address: go into the interface and find your IP address.
5. Enter the credentials: enter the IP address in the search bar in any browser. It is usually very simple but is always better to check the VoIP phone user guide.
6. SIP provider: check with your VoIP provider for details of your SIP username and password and enter them in the appropriate areas.
7. Check that your VoIP phone can make calls.

Some providers, such as VoIPstudio, provide fully pre-configured VoIP phones to their customers when they purchase phones through their online shop. This makes the process as simple as plugging in the phone and start making and receiving calls immediately.

Tips for choosing your VoIP phone

The first thing you should look for before deciding on a particular model is the features that best suit your needs, as there are much more advanced handsets for people who need more features.

The brand can be another determining factor when choosing a phone. We work with Cisco, Fanvil, Grandstream, Yealin and Snom.

Also when choosing your phone you should consider if you need to manage multiple lines with each device or if PoE (Power over Ethernet) is an important feature for you.

All these details can be found in the product sheets of each phone. Take your time to study the features of the one you are going to buy and think about both your current and future needs.

It will always be better to buy a VoIP desktop phone that gives you options for the future.

Buying dozens of IP phones for your business can easily cost thousands of dollars. You may wonder if the cost is worth the benefits you will receive. In this case, the answer is not a resounding yes or a resounding no. It all depends on your particular situation, your business and the benefits you will receive. It all depends on your particular situation, your business needs and your budget.

Many small businesses opt for a PC softphone or mobile applications for most employees. They only need to purchase desktop phones for executives or managers who need the extra functionality.

Dedicated IP phones tend to have higher quality components, especially when it comes to speakers and microphones. Calls can be heard better on IP phones than on smartphones or computers.

Most desktop phones come with function buttons that may also be programmable in some cases. You can assign these buttons to frequently used actions or functions, which will allow more flexibility than softphone applications.

It should be noted that many VoIP applications cannot support advanced features, as they have to work well on small screens without specific hardware for calls.

VoIP phone as an element of your cloud ecosystem

Regardless of the type of VoIP phone used (Hardware IP Phone or PC Softphone), thanks to telephone calls being part of a data network, the possibilities for integration and interaction with third-party IT systems are endless.
Integrations

VoIPstudio allows the integration of the telephone system with external CRMs and with other IT systems. The integration of telephone communications with technology systems is known as Computer Telephony Integration (CTI). It improves productivity and user experience, among other things.

On many occasions, our clients come with previous programs, which they are interested in integrating with our system. From VoIPstudio we have detected this need and we have focused all our efforts on it.

As we have seen in previous points, it seems essential to us to facilitate the integration of our system, so we believe that the more integrations we can do, the better. We have partnered with large companies, so many of our customers can integrate our service with their CRM.

Some of the options with which our application can be integrated are:

• REST API
• Webhooks Events
• Google Chrome Extension
• Zapier
• TaxiCaller
• Zoho
• simPRO
• Salesforce CRM
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• Oracle Sales Cloud
• Connector CTI
• SIP TAPI

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