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Home : VoIP : Telephone Calls on the Internet: A VoIP Primer
Telephone Calls on the Internet:
A VoIP Primer
What is VoIP?
VoIP is an acronym for Voice over Internet Protocol, which simply refers to sending
telephone calls over data networks such as the Internet instead of the traditional
telephone network.
Why is VoIP good for small business?
The most immediate benefit of VoIP for most businesses is savings on long distance
calls. Companies equipped for VoIP can place long-distance calls over the Internet
and avoid paying telephone company long distance charges. Since most companies
already pay for broadband Internet connections, the only additional requirement is
the equipment that connects telephones to the IP network.
VoIP will also allow users to streamline their network requirements. In the past,
an office needed two networks; one for the phones and one for the computers. IP
telephony will allow everything to run on one network. A single integrated network
is cheaper to install and maintain, and there would only be one network service
bill to pay.
In addition to the cost savings, bringing voice and data together on one network
opens the door to new services. Advanced conferencing, unified e-mail/voicemail
messaging and dialing calls by selecting from a computer contact list are just a
few of the new service possibilities.
But fully converged networks are a long way off for most small companies. Today,
the traditional telephone network is still crucial for the majority of small businesses.
TalkSwitch and VoIP
TalkSwitch telephone systems were designed with the needs of small business in mind.
VoIP-enabled TalkSwitch systems combine PSTN and VoIP connections, allowing small
businesses to take advantage of the benefits of VoIP while maintaining traditional telephony.
Businesses with multiple branches in distant locations can connect their TalkSwitch
systems over the IP network for branch-to-branch calling and collaboration without
long-distance charges. Branches can seamlessly share phone answering duties and program
ring groups and call cascades that span multiple locations. The built-in VoIP trunks
also enable businesses to access the service offerings of selected
VoIP network service
providers. Teleworkers who don't need full, dedicated phone systems at their sites
can be integrated into the system with
voice gateways.
In addition to converging VoIP and PSTN access in a single system, TalkSwitch VoIP
systems allow businesses to access VoIP services without purchasing IP phones. All
TalkSwitch systems work with standard analog telephone sets, even for VoIP calls.
What's your capacity for VoIP? Take our VoIP capacity test.
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