Internet Telephone: Switching From a Telephone
Internet telephone is also called VoIP or voice-over-Internet protocol. It’s the newest method of telephony that allows you to phone your family members around the world from your computer. All you have is a broadband internet connection. VoIP is easy to set up. Anyone can do it! Just connect it to any internet service provider (ISP), satellite, cable, DSL, or another high-speed connection.
Some people are cautious of internet telephony service providers because they aren’t as reliable as their more conventional counterparts. However, most of them provide an extremely reliable service and are worth using. They allow you to make international long-distance calls for as little as $.15 per call and don’t cost much more than regular phone lines.
Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find internet telephone numbers. Unfortunately, only a few cell phone carriers offer this feature and don’t usually advertise it heavily. You might need to call many cell phone carriers before finding one that allows you to make and receive unlimited phone calls over the Internet.
An internet telephone consists of a few small components: An “intercom,” which is a number you connect to your router or modem, rather than your actual telephone. You then use this connection to talk to people around the world. Intercom has these features: LED display and dial pad, as well as several different protocols, including SIP, HTTP, SMTP, and EDPD.
Telephony Server
The next component is a system for making and managing telephone calls, known as a “telephony server.” The telephony server is there to manage the settings of your internet connection. Program it to allow you to make calls from your computer, through your phone, and so on. Voice data is in the table of contents. It is transmitted over the Internet using a low bandwidth voice connection (called VoIP).
Of course, all this can sound very complicated, but don’t worry: it’s easy! Your online telephony service provider, like RingLeader, can configure an “application programming interface” or API. It’s the part of your service that allows you to do all sorts of neat things. For example, if you want to make a real-time prayer, request the prayer API, which will automatically begin. If you’re looking up some information (such as a prayer request), the same thing goes for finding a person’s e-mail address or phone number.
It’s a strange comparison since an Internet phone service and a traditional telephony service are very different. And it’s even harder to compare the two when you consider the added features offered by IP telephony. For example, while both support long-distance and even international calls, IP telephony offers a much higher efficiency rate than traditional telephony does. As you may well know, long-distance calls are often much more expensive than domestic ones. An IP telephone service cuts down on this cost tremendously.
Advantages of an Internet Telephone
The advantage of an Internet phone system is that it doesn’t use traditional phone lines. Therefore, there’s no chance of something happening that will interrupt your communication. Packets can come at varying speeds and depending on their destination. You don’t even have to use a broadband connection if you only talk to someone online. The internet protocol layer already ensures that your voice can convert to packets of information sent over the Internet. But, of course, you’re always ready to talk without waiting on a traditional phone line. Many IP phones offer voice calling features that don’t require a landline. So if you want to stay in touch with your friends and family but don’t want to pay the high price for a traditional telephone line, you should consider an IP phone system.
Contact RingLeader to learn more about the best phone systems and VoIP options here.