What is VoIP and How Does it Work?

Here at VoIPer, it’s pretty safe to say that VoIP is our bread and butter. It’s in our name! We strive to help make corporate communications smoother and easier for businesses across the UK to handle. The fact is, demand on British businesses is always increasing, and for that reason, we want to make sure that you have access to the best tools, software, and protocols to be able to handle more calls and concerns than ever before.

The best way to do this, of course, is through VoIP. The fact is, traditional telephony, PSTN and copper line connections, are going to be fading out of practice altogether in the very near future. They have served us well, however, as the world is shrinking and as demand requires businesses to be more efficient and more available than ever before, it was only going to be a matter of time before communications standards needed to play catch up.

Therefore, it’s worth taking a closer look at what VoIP actually is, how it works, and how it may stand to help your business in the near future. Let’s dive in and take a look around.

What Exactly Is VoIP?

Let’s break this down. VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. Rather than run voice communications and calls through a telephone line or PSTN service, you will be able to communicate freely via data connection. This means that there is less need for physical wiring, and it also means that your connections are likely to be stronger, clearer, and less likely to drop out.

VoIP is fast becoming the flexible standard for businesses across the UK. Rather than having to rely on flaky hardware and cables, as well as those hardware and software standards which would normally take more than a few minutes to react, you can now connect, disconnect, and manage calls smoother and faster than ever before.

Why Invest in VoIP?

There are plenty of great reasons why your business should make the switch to VoIP. For one, the old PSTN standards are likely to fall away in the years to come. Even BT has now recognised the worth of VoIP, meaning that there is going to be some serious restructuring and re-evaluation of what makes calls so efficient in the near future.

Not only that, but VoIP is cost-effective across the board. It is cheaper to run VoIP than PSTN on the whole as you won’t have to worry about maintaining and setting up physical cables and confusing switchboard services. In many cases, you can set VoIP up completely off-site. Through an outsourcing service such as VoIPer, you can ensure that your phones connect via cloud, meaning that there are fewer overheads in terms of physical hardware costs, and there is certainly no need for you to muddle around with fixing old bits and bobs.

What’s more, VoIP will allow you to handle more calls more frequently, and more fluidly. It is entirely possible for team members to connect to your VoIP service while working remotely. In a world where working from home and in the field are becoming more and more desirable as concepts, it’s important to embrace as many different flexible comms standards as possible.

How Does VoIP Work?

By now, you’re probably wondering how all of this actually works. The fact is, like most modern technology, there is always going to be a fair amount of jargon to wade through to get to the bottom of the functionality of VoIP! However, we’re pleased to be able to make things as simple as possible.

At its most basic, VoIP converts signals. Essentially, it converts phone connections into digital connections. This means using a special form of hardware which will transform the signals on route, meaning that the switch between analogue and digital is always instantaneous. The ins and outs of changing these signals is perhaps going to take a little bit longer to explain – so, for now, let’s keep things simple.

Most businesses will likely communicate through VoIP using a specialist device or piece of hardware. This, for example, might be something as accessible as an IP phone. IP phones, instead of plugging into the PSTN centre, connect via router ethernet to ensure that they connect directly to the internet. Think of it much in the same way that a PC or Mac would directly wire into a router for a stable internet connection.

Or, you could use an ATA, which is a bypass that allows you to upscale traditional phones to work with VoIP. An ATA is likely to be popular with those businesses who already have plenty of older phones to hand, and who may not have the budget available to invest fully in IP phones.

Whichever way you connect to VoIP, there will always need to be a service provider. This is where VoIPer comes in. We provide a flexible ISP service which allows you to speak with customers and clients directly through the power and efficiency of the internet. Once you’re up and running with us, it is simply a case of your router taking on the right configurations, and you can plug in to start talking. Don’t worry – we will talk you through it all!

Upgrade to VoIP

Now really is the time to start thinking about upgrading to VoIP. We’re here to make sure that you can hit the ground running with efficient calls, communications, and lead-building strategies to propel your company forward for the years to come. Why rely on clunky old PSTN when VoIP could help you to expand even further?

What’s more, VoIP is easier to set up and manage than you might imagine. Come and have a chat with the team at VoIPer, and we will make sure you have everything you need to transform the way you communicate with clients, customers, and other businesses. Take a closer look at our packages and call us free on 0800 33 22 66 if we can be of any help or support in the meantime.