Understanding Your Options For A VOIP Phone
By Jon Arnold
When you are considering what kind of phone you need, meaning the actual
telephone handset, it becomes a much easier choice because you do not have
nearly as many options to choose from as you do with cell phones. There are more
choices becoming available all the time as the popularity of VOIP services
continues to grow, but you really do not need that many options on the telephone
handset, because the vast majority of the features that you will typically use
are contained within the VOIP service itself.
There are basically three different ways for you to use your VOIP service. Two
of the ways shown below are available with almost any VOIP provider, and some
VOIP providers also offer the third option below. If the third option is one
that you can see yourself making use of frequently, then be sure to select a
VOIP provider that can provide that type of service, since not all of them do.
The first type of VOIP phone you can use is just your normal telephone handset
that currently works with your traditional phone service. This is the phone
handset that you may have purchased from Radio Shack, Best Buy, Circuit City or
a similar type of retail store. This phone simply plugs into the phone outlet in
your house, known as an RJ-11 jack, and presto, you are connected with the phone
system.
With this type of phone, the VOIP vendor will provide what is known as an ATA
device, which stands for Analog Telephone Adapter. This is typically about the
size of a deck of cards. It will need to be plugged into an electrical outlet,
so make sure you have an outlet available for where you plan to use this. Your
standard telephone plugs into one side of the ATA device into a standard RJ-11
jack on the ATA device. There is another cable from the ATA device that plugs
into an RJ-45 jack on your high-speed Internet connection router. This is the
same type of jack that is used to plug your computer or laptop into.
Once that is done, you should have VOIP service available, using your
traditional telephone handset. The analog signal from your traditional telephone
handset is then converted into digital data by the ATA device, and then is
transmitted to the Internet so you can make and receive calls. Check with the
setup instructions from your VOIP provider since you may need to load some
software in order to set this up.
The second type of telephone handset you can use for your VOIP service is known
as an IP Phone. This looks exactly like your traditional telephone handset, but
it is designed so work ONLY with VOIP, and probably will not work with your
traditional telephone service. This type of phone plugs directly into an RJ-45
jack on your high-speed Internet router, and no ATA device is required.
Is there any difference in voice quality between these two methods? Very little,
the quality will be good with either method.
Some VOIP providers also offer what is known as a soft phone option. This is
where you have a headset with microphone that you plug into your computer or
laptop, usually via a USB port. Then when your computer is connected to the
Internet, even with a laptop at a wifi hotspot, you can make VOIP calls. There
is dialing software that you download to your computer. While the quality of
this type of phone is not as high as the two types described above, it provides
a very high level of flexibility because you can make calls from anywhere you
can get online, like at a coffee shop or Internet wifi hotspot.
Understand what you need to have so you can successfully implement your VOIP
service with the right phone. If you will not be very mobile with your VOIP
service, either of the two first handsets will provide as much quality as you
need for VOIP.
For more insights and additional information about the right Phone For VOIP Service
as well as seeing our Editor's Choice pick for your best VOIP provider,
please visit our web site at http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
By Jon Arnold
When you are considering what kind of phone you need, meaning the actual
telephone handset, it becomes a much easier choice because you do not have
nearly as many options to choose from as you do with cell phones. There are more
choices becoming available all the time as the popularity of VOIP services
continues to grow, but you really do not need that many options on the telephone
handset, because the vast majority of the features that you will typically use
are contained within the VOIP service itself.
There are basically three different ways for you to use your VOIP service. Two
of the ways shown below are available with almost any VOIP provider, and some
VOIP providers also offer the third option below. If the third option is one
that you can see yourself making use of frequently, then be sure to select a
VOIP provider that can provide that type of service, since not all of them do.
The first type of VOIP phone you can use is just your normal telephone handset
that currently works with your traditional phone service. This is the phone
handset that you may have purchased from Radio Shack, Best Buy, Circuit City or
a similar type of retail store. This phone simply plugs into the phone outlet in
your house, known as an RJ-11 jack, and presto, you are connected with the phone
system.
With this type of phone, the VOIP vendor will provide what is known as an ATA
device, which stands for Analog Telephone Adapter. This is typically about the
size of a deck of cards. It will need to be plugged into an electrical outlet,
so make sure you have an outlet available for where you plan to use this. Your
standard telephone plugs into one side of the ATA device into a standard RJ-11
jack on the ATA device. There is another cable from the ATA device that plugs
into an RJ-45 jack on your high-speed Internet connection router. This is the
same type of jack that is used to plug your computer or laptop into.
Once that is done, you should have VOIP service available, using your
traditional telephone handset. The analog signal from your traditional telephone
handset is then converted into digital data by the ATA device, and then is
transmitted to the Internet so you can make and receive calls. Check with the
setup instructions from your VOIP provider since you may need to load some
software in order to set this up.
The second type of telephone handset you can use for your VOIP service is known
as an IP Phone. This looks exactly like your traditional telephone handset, but
it is designed so work ONLY with VOIP, and probably will not work with your
traditional telephone service. This type of phone plugs directly into an RJ-45
jack on your high-speed Internet router, and no ATA device is required.
Is there any difference in voice quality between these two methods? Very little,
the quality will be good with either method.
Some VOIP providers also offer what is known as a soft phone option. This is
where you have a headset with microphone that you plug into your computer or
laptop, usually via a USB port. Then when your computer is connected to the
Internet, even with a laptop at a wifi hotspot, you can make VOIP calls. There
is dialing software that you download to your computer. While the quality of
this type of phone is not as high as the two types described above, it provides
a very high level of flexibility because you can make calls from anywhere you
can get online, like at a coffee shop or Internet wifi hotspot.
Understand what you need to have so you can successfully implement your VOIP
service with the right phone. If you will not be very mobile with your VOIP
service, either of the two first handsets will provide as much quality as you
need for VOIP.
For more insights and additional information about the right Phone For VOIP Service
as well as seeing our Editor's Choice pick for your best VOIP provider,
please visit our web site at http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
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