An Internet phone looks and works like a regular phone. However, it does not provide communications over traditional phone lines. Instead, you connect to the Internet and send your voice over the World Wide Web. Internet phones work through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, allowing callers to ditch their traditional landlines. Instead of requiring standard phone jacks and traditional phone wiring, Internet phones require broadband Internet service and a cable or digital subscriber line (DSL) modem.
Internet phones include features for viewing web pages and other content.
Traditional phones work over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The PSTN is a private network that provides a telephone connection using standard telephone jacks. For years, this network was used to obtain fixed line services through local telephone companies. Today, however, callers have another option. They can bypass the PSTN and their local phone companies, opting instead to make calls entirely over the Internet.
With an Internet phone, people can instantly share and upload photos.
To use a VoIP phone, callers must secure the services of a VoIP service provider. The VoIP company will normally provide the customer with a telephony adapter. This adapter is a small device used to connect to a broadband modem. The purpose of a telephony adapter is to transform telephone electrical pulses into Internet Protocol (IP) packets. IP packets travel over the Internet, allowing callers to participate in regular telephone conversations.
Using an internet phone is no different than using a landline phone.
With an Internet phone, using the phone is no different than using a landline phone; only the network is different. Users can make and receive calls normally. VoIP service providers claim that there is no noticeable difference in sound quality. However, it is possible to experience unstable voice quality, similar to a poor cell phone connection, from time to time. This usually happens when there is a lot of traffic on the network and it is only temporary.
Internet phones use the Internet instead of traditional phone lines.
One downside to using an internet phone is its reliance on electricity. VoIP phones connect through broadband modems. When the power goes out and the modem is not working, these phones are not available. This can be a big concern in emergency situations. Fortunately, this problem can be eliminated with the use of a universal power supply (UPS), which allows your phone’s connection to remain on and working when the power goes out.
Another issue with VoIP phone service is the availability of 911 dialing. VoIP service companies generally provide support for 911 calls. However, some services route 911 calls differently than landlines do. Also, with some services, the caller’s name and address are not displayed to the 911 call center.
Despite its differences from landline technology, many people consider the VoIP phone to be a viable and even preferable option. Internet phone service is usually cheaper than landline phone service. The cost is less for local, long distance and international calls. Internet phone users can even save on taxes. Also, calls to other VoIP phone users, within the same VoIP service network, are often made and received free of charge.
Acoustic couplers, which send and receive computer data over telephone lines, preceded modern modem technology in the early days of Internet use.
