What is Voice over
IP? The Basics
used with
permission from the Cisco Small Business Center.
What is voice over IP? How is it
different from unified communications? And how can it help your small
business?
What is Voice over IP?
Voice
over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology lets you use the Internet to make
and receive telephone calls.
What is Voice
over IP?: The Range of Services
VoIP is available in a wide range
of services. Some basic, free VoIP services require all parties to be at
their computers to make or receive calls. Others let you call from a
traditional telephone handset or even a cell phone to any other
phone.
What is Voice
over IP?: Equipment
For VoIP, you need a broadband Internet
connection, plus a traditional phone and an adapter; a VoIP-enabled phone;
or VoIP software on your computer.
What is Voice
over IP?: Security and Service Quality
Most consumer VoIP services
use the Internet for phone calls. But many small businesses are using VoIP
and unified communications on their private networks. That's because
private networks provide stronger security and service quality than the
public Internet.
What is Voice
over IP?: Versus Unified Communications
Unified communications
systems offer more features and benefits than VoIP, yet many are still
priced for small businesses. Unified communications brings together all
forms of communication regardless of location, time or device. Faxes,
e-mail, and voicemail are all delivered to a single inbox. You can
integrate your phone and customer relationship management (CRM) systems to
improve your customer service, and much more.
What is Voice
over IP?: The Benefits
VoIP and unified communications enable you
to:
€Reduce travel and training costs, thanks to web and video
conferencing
€Easily grow your phone system as needed
€Have one
phone number ring simultaneously on multiple devices, helping employees
stay connected to each other and to customers
€Reduce your phone
charges
€Have a single network for voice and data, simplifying
management and reducing costs
€Access your phone system's features at
home or at client offices, in airports and hotels -- anywhere you've got a
broadband connection
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