What is VoIP Phone?
A Little VoIP Phone History
VoIP stands for "Voice Over Internet Protocol" and is perhaps the biggest break
through in telecommunications since the cellular phone. The concept dates back
to the early 1990s, when computer users first began to explore the potential for
sending voice messages over their internet connections as a way to avoid long distance phone charges. In 1995 the first
internet phone software appeared on the market allowing
users to use their personal computer as a voice communication device. This early VoIP phone technology was limited
because it only offered users the capability to communicate between computers.
It wasn’t until 1998 that the first PC to phone software made its appearance and
phone to phone communication over the internet soon followed. For a variety of
reasons, not the least of which was poor voice quality, the technology was still
widely rejected by consumers through most of the 1990s. The big
break through came when manufacturers such as Nortel and Cisco Systems produced
VoIP equipment capable of switching. This new VoIP phone technology enabled
voice packets to be sent over the internet with precedence over data packets, leading to much
clearer voice quality. Today, voice quality with VoIP phone calls is as clear,
or clearer than typical land line phone connections, making it a very
attractive alternative for business and residential customers looking for savings.
How VoIP Phone Works
VoIP works by converting analog sound signals into digital data packets
(voice packets). These voice packets can then be sent over the internet just
like any other data. As they reach their destination, the voice packets are dumped off to the PSTN (Public
Telephone Network) where they are delivered to the receiving phone customer.
The following diagram illustrates the VoIP Phone
concept.
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