VoIP: How Does Work?

In its simplest terms Voip works with your internet service to make a connection between IP addresses, allowing you to make calls through the internet. All this means is that for Voip to work all you need is an internet connection. The higher the connection speed the better your sound quality would be. The only real hardware needed would be is a router/modem, an IP phone or analog phone with an adapter, and a PBX solution (on site or cloud) if a business plan. Once all that is acquired you can start using Voice over IP the same way as traditional phone services.

Business VoIP Benefits

Business VoIP plans tend to offer more advanced features, more customization options, as well as more advanced customer support.

IP faxing

An IP Faxing plan can work with an old fashioned fax machine, or you have that option to get rid of the machine all together, and send and receive faxes like email. This options is convenient for Buisness owners that want to make room by getting rid of some machinery or to save money on dedicated fax lines, but still need to receive and send faxes on a regular basis from partners and/or customers.

Video conferencing

A great option for any business owner who frequently needs to have discussions whit many partners, employees, or clients, especially if they are in many or remote locations, is Video conferencing. It also allows business owners to conduct meetings while taking out travel costs, allowing everyone to convene in one location.

VoIP Features

Some of the perks and best aspects of Voip service is the free features that you would otherwise have to pay traditional phone services to provide. Some of these features include.

Find Me Follow Me

Have calls sent to additional phone numbers when you are going to be away from your desk. For example, you could have calls ring on your home or cell phone sequentially or simultaneously.

Call Forwarding

Forward calls to other numbers or extensions or have calls forwarded to you as needed.

Call Waiting / Music on Hold

Put calls on hold as necessary and play music for them as they wait.

E911 Service

Enhanced 911 is the IP response to standard 911 service. It keeps you connected to emergency services at all times, but it works a little differently from traditional 911 in that you need to manually update your address when you start service and move to make sure emergency responders can locate you.

Caller ID

Caller ID with name, date, phone number, time, etc., Have details of a call displayed on your IP phone as calls come in.

Black and White Lists

Set lists of numbers that cannot call you (black lists) and/or of numbers that can call you (white lists).

Contact Lists

Keep lists of your regular and important contacts for easy dialing.

Number Porting

Port the phone number you already have so contacts can still reach you at the number they already know.

Business VoIP

Business VoIP specifically designed for the needs of an office. A business VoIP system often includes IP PBX technology, IP faxing capabilities, unlimited virtual extensions, and mobile apps.

Internet calling not only reduces the phone bill of the office, but it also provides a company with the tools to grow their business as well as to grow their profits. IP features like IP video conferencing and IP faxing reduce the costs of office supplies, machinery, and travel expenses. Tools like auto attendant and virtual numbers allow a company to create a professional appearance, and scalable extensions mean easy growth. And of course, cheaper phones bills mean more money to spend on marketing to grow the business or to go to other aspects of the business.

Types of Business PBX Systems

A PBX is one of the most unique features of a business phone plan. A Private Branch Exchange, or a PBX, connects internal calls to each other, and connects external calls to internal lines and vice versa.

There are three types of business VoIP PBX solutions:

• On-premise PBX On-premise IP PBX systems are installed in the office. There may be a large upfront investment for the hardware of a PBX, so large enterprises and corporations with their own IT staff are more likely to use an on-premise PBX than small businesses. The on-premise PBX system would be maintained by the owner.
• Hosted PBX A hosted PBX system is located off-site and managed by the service provider. Small and large businesses can benefit from using a hosted PBX because they are budget friendly and are much less hassle. A hosted PBX costs are priced per extension, instead of a costly upfront investment.
• SIP Trunk If you already have a full phone system and PBX configured in your office, you can still convert to VoIP by implementing a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunk. A SIP trunk connects the office’s in-house PBX to translate all incoming and outgoing calls into low cost Internet calls.

Business Phones

Business VoIP phones are called IP phones and connect directly to the Internet. By fitting a regular analog phone with a ATA adapter you can use traditional phones as business VoIP phones. ATAs connect the analog phone to the Internet and convert the analog voice signals of traditional phones to the digital Internet signals.

Call Features for Business VoIP Phone Systems

Business VoIP offer many features that can make managing calls more efficient. The call features can:

• Transfer incoming calls between employees
• Place incoming calls on hold and in a queue for the next available service representative
• Record greeting messages and set according to time of day with an auto attendant, and save on the cost of a receptionist
• Receive and view faxes and voicemails as text in the web portal
• Mobile VoIP app can be downloaded to smartphones, laptops, and tablets for remote workers

General VoIP System Hardware

A VoIP PBX system, whether hosted in the cloud or located on site, is a combination of software and hardware components that a company will use to route calls through their phone system. An on-premise IP PBX must be outfitted with a SIP trunking solution. Some hardware, like headsets and IP phones, can be used with either type of system. With a hosted PBX, most of the VoIP hardware is hosted off-site so companies will mainly need accessories, such as VoIP headsets or IP phones.

If you choose to construct your own IP PBX system, be sure to pick the most up-to-date hardware that is reliable, supported (warranties!), and flexible, allowing for adaptations and growth. The best equipment is easy to set up.

Basic IP Hardware Definitions

ATAs Are devices that convert the analog signal of traditional desktop phones into digital, compressed, packetized data ready to be transmitted over the Internet. ATAs can be used with standard phones on a hosted PBX or an IP PBX (creating a hybrid system).

IP phones Are phones that convert the voice signal from analog to digital, using built-in codecs and other components. An IP phone is plugged into the Ethernet, either via a wall jack or the computer. IP phones are configured with the user’s network information, allowing for hot desking — making moving cubicles much easier, as the information travels with the phone. IP phones can simplify moves, adds, and deletions and lower costs by supporting one converged data network.

VoIP headsets Are corded or cordless headsets with a microphone and speakers, and can often be connected to multiple devices simultaneously (via Bluetooth). VoIP headsets compress the voice signal and create data packets for transmission over the Internet. VoIP headsets support wideband audio for high quality sound, and can be used with both ears or just one.

Channel banks Are high-potency (high bit rate) analog to digital signal converters, and can convert as many as 24 analog lines simultaneously into 1 digital (T1) line, and back again. Hybrid systems use channel banks in place of multiple PCI cards. Companies that need to connect more than 12 analog lines (FXO or FXS) might use channel banks. The channel bank then takes the single T1 line and connects it to the Asterisk or other PBX system.

VoIP gateways Are used with a hosted PBX or an IP PBX instead of ATAs and routers, enabling a company to use its legacy desk phones rather than switching to more expensive IP phones. A VoIP gateway converts incoming telephony traffic from the PSTN to VoIP, and vice versa for outgoing calls when necessary.

PoE devices supply electricity to power-hungry IP phones without using AC outlets. IP phones often require a separate AC power source for each phone, or they can draw power (collectively) from the Ethernet, or LAN. PoE devices enable companies to back up IP phones centrally.

VoIP routers
are special routers that include ATA functions, using protocols and codecs to digitize and transform analog signals into IP-ready packets. VoIP routers generally offer support for multiple protocols and codecs, such as SIP, as well as Quality of Service (QoS) features to prioritize voice traffic.

Hosted PBX Hardware A hosted PBX is located off-site and managed by a service provider, which cuts down on cost, space, and maintenance. A hosted PBX therefore translates into fewer hardware purchases for the customer. A business client using a cloud-based PBX will still have to invest in some VoIP equipment, however.

The VoIP hardware required for a hosted PBX can include:

• Analog telephone adapter (ATA)
• IP phones

• VoIP router
• VoIP headsets

Of course some items are optional, such as VoIP headsets, or can be swapped out, and if you use IP phones and/or VoIP headsets, you won’t need ATAs, for instance.

IP PBX Hardware
An IP PBX is an on-site PBX that typically offers the advantage of a single, converged network for all your company’s data (unless you keep your desk phones and run a hybrid system). The VoIP hardware needed for an IP PBX is a lot more involved than a hosted PBX. With an IP PBX, the physical components can include the server that houses the PBX system as well as the PCI cards and various other hardware items.

The amount of hardware required for an IP PBX depends on whether your company chooses an out-of-the-box solution, such as an enterprise-ready system offered by Bicom Systems, or builds one with components from VoIP hardware providers such as VoIP Supply or VoIPlink. The hardware you need can also depend on how many users you will have and how many simultaneous calls you might need to support, and whether you’re going to perform more resource-heavy functions, such as call recording.

IP PBX hardware can include:

• IP PBX server
• Hot swappable power supplies
• PCI cards
• Asterisk appliance
• VoIP gateway
• VoIP router

• SATA/RAID hard disks
• FXO or T1/E1 cards
• Channel banks
• IP phones
• VoIP headsets
• Power over Ethernet (PoE) device