VOIP is the short form of Voice over Internet Protocol, which is one of a family of internet technologies, transmission technologies as well as communication protocols for delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks such as the internet. There are several terms that are frequently encountered or often used synonymously with VoIP and this will include IP telephony, Internet telephony, broadband telephony, broadband phone and voice over broadband (VoBB). Internet telephony refers to communications services that will include voice, fax, SMS as well as voice messaging applications that are transmitted via the internet instead of the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Voice over Internet Protocol is regarded as a very cost effective solution to all your telephony needs as it allows you to make cheap calls to anyone, anywhere in the world using your main computer and a VoIP phone handset. There are several steps involved in originating a Voice over Internet Protocol telephone call include signaling and media channel setup, digitization of the analog voice signal, encoding, packetization as well as transmission as IP packets over a network that is packet switched. On the receiving side similar steps but in reverse order will take place and this will include reception of the IP packets, decoding of the same packets as well as digital to analog conversion to reproduce the original voice stream.
VoIP systems employ session control protocols in order to control the set up and tear down of calls as well as audio codecs, which encode speech to allow the transmission oven an IP network as digital audio through an audio stream. A VoIP software is used to conduct telephone like voice conversations across Internet Protocol based networks. In residential markets, VoIP phone service is often cheaper than traditional Public switched Telephone Network (PSTN) service and they can remove geographic restrictions to telephone numbers.
VoIP obviates separate voice and data pipelines for business where they channel both types of traffic through the IP network while giving the telephony user a range of advanced capabilities. Softphones are client devices that are used for making and receiving voice and video calls over the IP network with a standard functionality of most "original" telephones and usually allow integration with USB phones and IP phones instead of utilizing the main computer's microphone and speakers or headsets. Most soft phone clients run on the open Session Initiation Protocol supporting various codecs.
Skype will run on a closed propriety network through the network also supports SIP clients. Several online chat programs now also incorporate voice as well as video communications. Other VoIP software applications will include conferencing servers, virtual FXOs, adapted telephony software, intercom systems, and dial in dictation on hold as well as call recording servers. In some cases, calls within VoIP lines are free and in order to experience this you will have to download the VoIP SIP software, which has a small file size meaning that it will take you a few seconds to download as well as install it.
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This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are free voip and voip software . They are worth a read.
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