Digital technologies have affected communication technologies and the industry significantly. In this regard, the changes as well touched the telephony and people’s opportunities to have calls.
It as well refers to businesses. Thus, VoIP phones shall be the option to consider. It is cheap and may be used by many companies. You may consider opting for this solution for yourself or your enterprise. However, VoIP phones are different, and you should know what to look at when choosing the appropriate one answering to your needs.
What is VoIP?
Voice over internet protocol (VoIP), also called IP telephony, is a new technology that enables people to communicate through voice over the Internet. Today more than 95% of all telephones are digital, and the vast majority of landlines are still using analog technology. Voice over internet protocol is a great technology to reduce call costs and make international calls.
VOIP works just like a traditional telephone because it connects directly to your network rather than through the ISP, meaning your call will go to your intended caller and not through the phone company’s phone network. This feature is an essential advantage for businesses as it gives them control over how and when you are contacted, which means there is a choice of the kind of services you need to provide.
Why VoIP is right for business
For businesses, VOIP is a better solution than using a conventional phone system for several reasons.
Within smaller businesses, the advantage of having a VOIP service is that the business owner doesn’t need to purchase expensive long-distance lines, which can cost thousands of dollars per year.
Also, because the VOIP service is not a shared phone network, there are no long-distance calls to make when a business is located within a city or town instead of across the entire country. Finally, because these VOIP telephone solutions are not used as a traditional phone network, they do not need to be networked through any other systems such as your ISP.
In the end, a business can save money on long-distance calls because of its low cost and low level of maintenance.
Non-Fixed VoIP Definition
A non-fixed VOIP phone service is basically a VOIP telephone service that doesn’t use a traditional telephone network or a traditional PBX. Instead, each individual user phone line is set up with a separate, autonomous unit that can be accessed over the Internet rather than through an ISP.
It is cheap
Non-fixed VOIP is generally a more flexible solution that helps individuals stay connected with their office or home phone and other outside networks at the same time. It provides a cheaper solution than using traditional telephone systems or PBX services, as it is based on Internet telephony technology instead of traditional analog phones. Because it uses Internet telephony technology, it can operate anywhere there is a broadband Internet connection, even outside the local area or even outside the country.
Non-fixed VOIP phone providers may also provide other services like faxing, calling cards, and conferencing as part of their packages. In addition, many providers may also offer hosted virtual PBX services for businesses that want a better alternative to the traditional PBX system.
These hosted virtual PBX solutions may include a business phone that acts like an actual PBX phone with a pre-programmed message and voicemail.
Fixed VoIP Definition
The main difference between this VOIP telephone service and the other VoIP solution is that the number of telephone lines you have is fixed, unlike the case with a PBX or VoIP service that allows multiple lines to connect to a single IP address rather than a single company’s network.
However, there are also some significant differences that you must be aware of.
VoIP phone connection
The first difference is in the VoIP phones themselves. While the majority of VoIP phones are entirely different from traditional phones, some are still similar. Many are now using Bluetooth technology or Wi-Fi to connect and make calls, but some use a USB cord to connect to the Internet, which may not be possible with some phones. For example, in some Panasonic Lumix HD phone models, you have to plug in your PC or laptop to make a call.
VoIP phone dial-by-name function
Secondly, there may be a phone number associated with the service in some VoIP phones, but the phone will not allow dial-by-name. Instead, when you make a call, you can enter a telephone number. There will be no preset names and numbers available for dialing, and there will be no way to answer an incoming call automatically. This means that you will have to press a single key on your keyboard to dial a particular number.
VoIP phone Voice Mail
Also, some VoIP phones may have a feature that allows you to receive voice mail. This feature can be useful, but you will still need to press a single key to do so. Some phone companies may even have integrated ringtones and other functions that allow you to listen to incoming messages.
VoIP phone VoiceMail Limitation
Another significant difference that you should be aware of is that some VoIP services allow you to make unlimited phone calls internationally. This is a nice feature, but not everyone needs to do so. There is a reason why this feature exists, and it’s to provide customers with the ability to be able to make international phone calls at a relatively cheap rate.
If you want to use a service that allows you to make unlimited calls abroad, you should look for a service that charges you a higher price for international calls than they charge you for local ones.
Bottom Line
Overall, there are a lot of differences between Fixed VoIP and non-fixed VoIP. It’s essential to learn about the differences between them to be aware that there are many opportunities before the user.