What Is IP Telephony?

IP telephony is a telephone system that works over the Internet instead of via conventional copper wires. The technology relies on a communication protocol known as the Voice over Internet Protocol, commonly abbreviated to VoIP. 

IP telephony offers a range of benefits over a conventional phone system, notably the absence of call charges, an enhanced feature set (particularly for business applications), and the versatility to work on a wide range of devices. VoIP is a mature technology, and the transition from conventional telephony to an IP-based system is usually straightforward and relatively simple to implement.

How Does IP Telephony Work?

An IP telephone looks and operates like a regular landline telephone. However, the technology it’s built on differs significantly. An IP telephone converts the user’s voice into a digital signal, and then sends that signal, in a compressed and often encrypted format, over the Internet. The signal is then decompressed and converted back into an audible voice on the listener’s handset. IP telephony works independently of your office premises conventional phone system and requires only an Internet connection to work.

Benefits of IP Telephony

• Significant savings: IP-based calling circumvents all the usual costs associated with placing a call via your conventional telephone system. Moreover, beyond the handsets themselves, most of the physical infrastructure of a VoIP phone system is no different from your existing Internet connection.
• Enhanced features: IP telephony opens up a wide range of versatile communication options, such as intelligent call forwarding based on team availability, forwarding recorded messages using a computer terminal, and easily customized teleconference features — to name just a few.
• Scalability: There is no practical upper limit on the number of phone lines you can manage using an IP telephone system. Connect a new IP phone to your existing Internet system, and you have a fully operational phone line.

Advanced IP Telephony Features

IP phones are built to be highly customizable. Some of the more exciting new features of IP telephony leverage the processing power of artificial intelligence. For example, call transcription can readily convert messages from voice to email. Calls can also be forwarded intuitively based on a team member’s physical location and availability status. These and other features are adding significant value to how businesses handle their spoken communication.