VoIP Lingo You Should Know

So you’re interested in using a business phone service, but you don’t know where to start? Are you confused by any terminology you might have seen? It may seem like there’s a lot going on in the VoIP world, but it’s very simple once you understand the basic terminology. Let’s cover some lingo that will help you get started with business VoIP.

VoIP: First, VoIP stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol”. It may also be called things like “internet based phone system” or “cloud based phone system”. Essentially, all this means is that it is a phone service that takes place over the internet.

ATA: ATA stands for “analog telephone adaptor” and is the most common way to use a VoIP system. An ATA is an adaptor that lets you use your standard phone and connect it to your computer to use it with your cloud phone system. It does this by converting your phone’s analog signal into digital data so it can be sent over the internet.

DID: DID stands for “direct inward dialing” and was invented as a way to re-use a limited number of physical phone lines to handle calls to different published numbers. In a business with DID, the phone company uses DID signaling to identify the number they are about to connect to the business’s PBX.  Essentially a DID is a phone number and allows the use of multiple phone numbers on a single telephone line or VoIP trunk.

IP Phone: This type of phone (Internet Protocol phone) is specifically made to connect to the router and handle VoIP calls. Instead of having an RJ-11 connector, which is the standard for normal “house” phones, it has an RJ-45 connector, which is the standard ethernet connector.

Wi-Fi Phone: A Wi-Fi phone is similar to an IP phone, except it doesn’t need to be connected to a router. Wi-Fi phones allow users to make VoIP calls whenever they are connected to any Wi-Fi service.

Computer-to-computer: To make computer-to-computer VoIP calls, all you need to do is download some software and have a microphone, speaker, sound card, and internet connection. This software and service is usually free, outside of your normal monthly internet service fee.

Business VoIP: Business VoIP is a business phone service. It is simply a VoIP system that caters to the needs a business would have. Technically, and VoIP system could be a business VoIP if a business uses the service.

FoIP: Very similar to VoIP, FoIP stands for “Fax over Internet Protocol”. This feature may be free, or for an additional cost from your current VoIP service provider.

Softphone: A softphone is any telephony (meaning anything to do with telephones) program/software that allows the user to make calls via the computer through the internet. Think of it as “telephone software”.

Now that you’ve got the basics of VoIP terminology, you’re good to go. With this information, you can comfortably start to research which cloud phone service is best for you and your needs.  When you are ready, let RingMe.io give you a hassle free quote and consultation.