What is VoIP telephony

You may not have heard of VoIP telephony, but it is likely that you have used it without knowing it.

Many popular apps such as Facebook Messenger, Skype, or Viber use this technology to provide users the ability to make voice calls.

There are many benefits for a business and we will analyze them in detail in this article.

What is VoIP telephony?

VoIP is an acronym for Voice over Internet Protocol or, more commonly, Internet telephony, IP telephone, or broadband telephone.

It allows you to make and receive telephone calls directly from a computer, telephone devices, and even from your mobile phone via the Internet or a network (3G/4G/5G) using the telephone number you already have.

An easy way to understand it is to think about it as follows:

Traditional telephone lines = Analog way of communication

VoIP = Digital way of communication

VoIP telephony can offer a modern series of different features that your current telephone service may not have and is recommended for businesses that want to save money on their account and offer better quality services to their customers.

How does VoIP work?

For telephone calls, the conversation is exchanged using small data packets. The Internet can send these data packets around the world in less than a second.

Basically, we have the following 4 steps:

1. Your phone is connected to the Internet.
2. When you call a telephone number, your IP phone tells the VoIP service provider to call the other party.
3. The VoIP service makes the call and exchanges data packets from your IP phone.
4. Your VoIP phone converts these digital signals into sound that you can hear.

VoIP completely bypasses the telephone company. Wherever you are, an internet connection is enough to use VoIP telephony.

Equipment for VoIP Telephony

All you need to make a call is an internet connection and one or more of the following devices:

A telephone device. It can be connected to the VoIP system using an ATA (analog phone adapter) that gives an IP address. Basically, you simply connect your phone to the ATA instead of directly to the outlet.

A special IP phone. This looks and works like a normal phone. It has a headset with buttons that is mounted on a charging base.

However, instead of the RJ-11 phone slot, the IP phone features a RJ-45 slot. This means that it is connected to an ethernet port of your router and not to a phone connection.

Your computer. You will need an app that allows you to make calls via VoIP. This is sometimes called a softphone. Of course, you will also need a sound card plus a headphone or a microphone and speakers.

You will also need an internet connection, either via ethernet or via wifi. Most well-known companies have applications for Windows and Mac.

Your cell phone. Again, you will need the right app and a Wi-Fi connection. You can also use a mobile data program with 4G or higher speeds. 

Most VoIP apps will work on all smartphones, such as Android mobile devices and Apple iPhones (iOS).

Is it easy to use VoIP?

The truth is that VoIP is easy to set up and use for daily personal and business calls. As long as you have an active internet connection, you can enjoy calls through it.

You can use the VoIP service to call anyone using telephone companies such as OTE, Vodafone, etc. They won't even know the difference, except for improved call quality.

As for the installation, you do not need to do anything technical. If you can connect a power cable to the wall and a network cable to your phone, you can use VoIP.

It is even easier to use the VoIP telephone service on your iPhone or Android. 

Download a free VoIP app, connect and you are ready to make calls using this state-of-the-art technology.

Benefits

Reduced Communication Costs

One of the greatest advantages of VoIP telephony is significantly lower monthly costs for both domestic and international calls. VoIP phones can handle multiple “lines” simultaneously, can be installed quickly, and are more cost-effective because they utilize the internet’s capabilities.

Many businesses have achieved substantial savings, reducing their phone bills by up to 60%.

You can obtain your call center and unlimited voice channels for just €50/year.

Scalability

As businesses grow and add employees, adding additional VoIP lines is extremely simple. A traditional phone system would require contacting the provider, scheduling time for them to add lines to the office, and purchasing new hardware. VoIP allows businesses to integrate the phone systems of multiple offices into a single system.

Remote Work & teleconferencing

With VoIP telephony, you can be out of the office to receive phone calls. You can receive incoming calls from anywhere using an app on your phone, tablet, or laptop.

This is a significant advantage for teams that work remotely or travel frequently.

Additionally, it allows for web meetings to communicate remotely with your employees when necessary. Check out the 4+1 teleworking tools that businesses need today.

Savings on outdated phone systems

Traditional landline phone services require expensive on-site equipment maintenance and equipment upgrades to increase the number of available lines. This maintenance is eliminated with VoIP because it uses the existing local network.

Using VoIP telephony, you can share information, ideas, and thoughts in real time. You can also expedite projects with instant collaboration tools such as IM, group chats, and video sharing.

More secure than your landline & guaranteed availability

With 100% communication encryption from Voiceland, speak freely. Security is one of the biggest concerns for businesses. Your data is valuable, and transitioning to new technology can make you feel vulnerable. Contrary to many beliefs, VoIP telephony is secure, and if you choose a reliable provider, they can offer guaranteed availability.

Phone numbering

Now you can have a professional presence everywhere in Greece and abroad, with a number from the city of your choice, combined with all the benefits of VoIP telephony and Cloud PBXs.

Disadvantages

While VoIP is an amazing technology, it may not fit everyone. There are a few VoIP disadvantages that you should be aware of.

If you experience internet problems or power outages, this can lead to VoIP telephony failures. Additionally, a good internet connection can improve call quality.

Also, if you decide to use a telephone device instead of your mobile phone or a computer, you will need new devices specifically for VoIP telephony.

Top services with VoIP telephony

Below are the most popular VoIP services that businesses will enjoy. These business phone features can be of small or large importance, depending on your needs.

VoIP Call Centers

Show a professional image with a phone menu that greets incoming calls. If you've called a company and had to press 1 for sales and 2 for support, you’ve used a call center.

 VoIP telephony eliminates the need for a "conventional" call center, which can be quite expensive to purchase and maintain.

VoIP Numbering

Get one or more unique VoIP numbers for your business instantly. Within 48 hours, we provide geographical phone numbers in over 15 cities in Greece and 80+ countries worldwide.

Voicemail

Free voicemail service that sends your voice messages to your email.

Call Recording

This service records all your calls and stores them for future reference.

Call Waiting

This service notifies you of additional incoming calls during a conversation, which you can put on hold or transfer to a colleague.

Online Conferences

Allows you to make phone conversations with more than two participants or organize online meetings.

How much does VoIP telephony cost?

VoIP is surprisingly inexpensive when you consider all the features it offers. Indicative costs exclusively from VOICELAND:

• Telephone Number: from €15/year

• Cloud Call Center: from €100/year

• Billing per second of actual talk time in Greece, Europe, America, and Canada: €0.019/minute, and importantly... with no minimum charge.

• You can learn more about the costs in the article "VoIP: 3 Points of Superiority to Reduce Telephony Costs."

What to look for in a provider?

Having a telephone system adds credibility to your business. However, not all providers are the same. At VOICELAND, we are proud of:

The state-of-the-art Data Centers from the largest international telecommunications providers, such as Telecom Italia Sparkle Group and Google.

Our service availability that exceeds 99.97%.

Our Quality Assurance System: ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27011, ISO 22301.

To choose a VoIP telephone provider for your business, you need to pay special attention to these 5 important issues.

How to decide if VoIP is the right tool for your business

Now that you understand what VoIP telephony is, the next step is to determine if it fits your business. When choosing a telephony plan for your company, you should decide in advance what your goals are.

Consider your needs today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Some of the questions you might want to ask about these needs are:

• What kind of phone number does your business need? Do you need a toll-free number, a local number, an international number, or any combination of the three?
• Does your business make a lot of outgoing calls?
• Does your business receive a lot of incoming calls? Do you need a call-routing solution?
• Do you have multiple locations?
• Do you have remote workers?
• Do you use fax or professional SMS?
• Do you need a solution for telephone conferences and online meetings?

If you are looking for a VoIP telephony provider, we would be happy to offer you free consulting to discuss your communication needs.