Voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) services have increased dramatically in recent years. Although this growth is often credited to conditions created by the COVID-19 era, the situation did not revert. VoIP has instead proven itself a convenient and cost-effective communication solution for individuals and businesses. Market value surpassed an estimated $133.9 billion in 2022, with expectations for growth to exceed $354.7 billion.
As the technology grows in popularity, it becomes crucial to understand how it works and how one can get the most from related services better. The best VoIP services for small businesses offer competitive pricing, various features including toll-free numbers and video conferencing, and high customer satisfaction ratings. In this guide, we break down VoIP technology, how it works, examples of how it differs from landlines, and VoIP’s various advantages and drawbacks.
What is VoIP?
VoIP lets you make phone calls using broadband Internet instead of traditional or analog phone lines. This means that VoIP lets two or more people communicate thanks to each having a reliable network connection, but VoIP can also be used for receiving or making calls to traditional landlines provided you have the right equipment.
How does VoIP work?
VoIP works by converting your voice into a digital signal sent out over the Internet rather than through telephone wires, as is the case with traditional landlines. A wireless connection can send this signal to and from computers, VoIP phones, smartphones, or tablets using a wireless Internet connection.
Although Ethernet has traditionally been considered faster and more stable than Wi-Fi, depending on your Wi-Fi service, this isn’t always true. Your VoIP call quality may be just as good without a wired connection as it is while using an Ethernet cable, it depends on various factors, ranging from your location to your Internet service provider (ISP).
While some VoIP providers strictly work by providing a virtual phone service that connects you from computer to computer, others allow you to port over an existing phone number. That means, rather than getting assigned a new number, you transfer your phone number to the new service.
In some cases, the VoIP service latches onto your existing number and connects it to a new business number. For example, a client calls the number assigned by your VoIP service. Being linked to your personal contact, that number will let you get…
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