IP telephony is a technology that uses packet-switched Internet Protocol connections to exchange voice, fax and other types of information that have traditionally been transmitted over dedicated public switched telephone network (PSTN) connections.
How IP telephony works
Voice conversion. IP telephony begins by converting an analog voice signal into a digital format.
Packaging. This digital voice is segmented into packets.
Broadcast. These packets are transmitted over the Internet or any other IP network.
The reconversion. On the receiving side, these packets are collected, decoded and converted back to an analog signal for the end user.
IP telephony versus traditional telephony
Cost. IP telephony often provides a lower cost, especially for long-distance or international calls.
Flexibility. Unlike traditional systems, IP telephony can be used anywhere with an internet connection.
Opportunities. IP telephony has advanced features such as sending voice mail to e-mail, call forwarding and multi-way conferencing.
Advantages of IP telephony
Scalability. Enterprises can easily scale up or down without the need for significant hardware changes.
Integration. IP telephony can be integrated with other business systems such as CRM or email.
Mobility. Users can make and receive calls from anywhere, which ensures business continuity and flexibility.
Problems and considerations
Although IP telephony has numerous advantages, the following points must be taken into account.
Quality of Service (QoS). Ensuring the quality of voice transmission can be a difficult task, especially in congested networks.
Safety. VoIP calls can be vulnerable to eavesdropping, so secure data transmission is crucial.
Reliability. Being dependent on the Internet, IP telephony can malfunction when the Internet connection is unstable.