For me, it remains a mystery why Internet telephony service providers still do not try to approach the common user and did not explain wh...
Here, we will clarify this question just in a very accessible, understandable and simple way.
Let's just start with the concept! We will not explain and chew the structure, principles, and terminology. The only thing that I would like to mention - the IP telephony, Internet telephony, the SIP Telephony, VOIP telephony - all of these terms mean the same thing. In fact, no matter how the provider names his services, if you have met one of these words, then you are on the right way.
And now, let’s see which benefits the providers of Internet telephony offer us.
Shortly, it is local landline phone (mobile version is also available, but it is a bit more complicated), through which calls can be performed at very low prices, and sometimes even for free. And absolutely doesn’t matter where you are or which country you are calling. For you, from now on, the phrase "to make an international calls" will cause only a pleasant smile on a face. Indeed, to make a call to uncle John at Washington will cost you less than a call to your neighbor next door. Fantastic? Somewhere there is a catch? No, sir!
To use this service one needs an internet, as you already understood. The usual home internet may be even not the fastest one. The Internet is definitely the ordinary thing at each home.
To be more concrete, let’s make up a small list of necessary devices and services to implement the IP telephony at home:
The Internet.
Router. If you have multiple devices at home connected to the Internet - so, you definitely have it.
The telephone device with the built-in IP telephony function. Yet it is called - SIP phone. It is necessary to make the effect a normal home phone. Although it is not a required parameter, you can install on your computer free program, and make calls through the program.
Order a services device and your balance
Optionally ask the provider for a
That’s !
In a nutshell - how the internet telephony works.
When you make an outgoing call from your SIP phone there is a request over the Internet to your VOIP provider about the place you make a call to. It determines the point: the country, the city - and sends a request over the Internet to the local provider of the service, which with the help of special devices automatically physically makes a call to the recipient. The connection is established, the conversation can start.
Moreover, despite all the complexity of the scheme, the connection time (since the dial up to the first ring) is not more than 2 seconds. As you can see, the real cost of the call – is equal the cost of a local call, the rest cost are the services charge that you should pay for the above scheme operation. By the way, this whole scheme works in the opposite direction.
In which cases it is profitable to use IP telephony?
Before the detailed instruction how to organize home internet telephony, I would like to pay attention to the circumstances in which you really just need to start using this type of connection.
The local landline operator is not able to provide such service in your apartment (house). The Internet has become much more prevalent than the telephone. Thus, by organizing an IP phone at home, you can easily make local calls without any discomfort, like you make calls from the ordinary local phone.
The fact that it will work via the Internet, is known only to you. After a month you’ll forget about it.
Such home phone has got one huge plus. When you move from one place to the other the phone number will remain yours. Where are you - and there he is.
Finally, we came to the initial promise of the organization instruction of IP telephony in the home.
Above, we had the list of the necessary services and tools. By the same principle, we will consider the sequence of actions.
Internet. If you can read this article it means you have an Internet connection and everything is fine.
The Router - if you have it, you can skip this point, no additional router configuration are necessary for Internet telephony.
The telephone set. The choice is huge. From ugly cheap to insanely expensive. From stationary phones to hybrid radio (hybrid - can simultaneously work with the city line and IP telephony). You can save and do not spend money on a physical phone. There are so many so-called free "s", desktop applications for your PC of laptop that allow making calls. You just need to install the software on your computer.
The provider of IP telephony. The choice is very, very big. Any IP telephony provider theoretically should cope with its main task - to provide you the opportunity to make calls. Nevertheless, not everything is so easy - the quality of services is really very different, it is better to dedicate a piece of your time and choose the most suitable option.
Set up a SIP phone or a software "dialer" and top up your account. At the Settings find three basic settings of your phone (software): the server address, username, and password. These three points are the most important and usually it is the end of the whole process.
Embed from Getty Images
You can make a call, your friend, neighbor, and check if you have done everything correctly. If something is wrong, don’t worry you can always contact the support of your operator and ask for assistance!
Good luck!
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About the Author
Julia R.Nice to meet you all at my personal blog. I am an Independent writer, reviewer, PR manager. My field of interests is very diverse and at... (show bio)
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