Audio communications have long been the cornerstone of the modern human digital revolution. Ever since the first telegram setup, we’ve pondered over and devised numerous systems to get not just wired communications across two channels but our heard voices, too. But once the first telephone was invented and mass-produced, true innovation that would challenge the foundation of the technology itself slowed down.
Enter the Internet
When we talk about digitalization in the modern context, we usually refer to all technological advancements undertaken after the introduction of broadband internet. Much like the industrial revolution in the 1800s in Britain, the digital age has marked a new chapter for human advancements and development. The internet has allowed many existing technologies to bid farewells to consumers while providing better and more efficient alternatives.
Take traditional postal mails, for instance. With the arrival of internet services, electronic mail offered a far superior method of communication. No longer were you limited to pages and physical formats in your mail. You could now have a selection of fonts, colors, and images to design your personalized email just the way you wanted to. And with the emergence of instant messaging platforms, communication became speedier, and the world began to understand the power of remaining always online.
A similar outcome was in store for telephony too. Landlines were the defacto solution if you wanted to call anyone locally or internationally. These included expansive setups (often requiring trenches to be dug up for telephone cables in entire cities), expensive tariffs, and inconsistent performance. The initial versions of the internet relied on phone lines too. It meant that your dial-up internet connection could not withstand any interruptions during its achingly slow performance. As a result, something as mundane as receiving a call on your residential landline would be enough to disconnect you from your MSN or AOL chats. The broadband internet connections and, now 5G cellular networks, allow for much more today.
The VoIP Era
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, was first developed in 1995. The goal was to implement the technology in corporate environments that needed a cheaper alternative to calling long-distance and internationally. The initial adoption of VoIP was very low and the tech was reserved for businesses that had the necessary internet infrastructure to support it. But its idea of only requiring basic hardware connected to a computer to talk over the internet was revolutionary.
VoIP ditches the necessity of traditional landline cables altogether, and neither does it require dedicated telephone towers to work. If two people on the opposite sides of the world have an internet connection and their computer/phone, they can talk to each other. While it may seem pretty straightforward and unimpressive at first, the actual mechanism of audio delivery through VoIP can be best described as witchcraft.
How This VoIP Works?
It works by converting your own sound into a digital signal and compress it, after that process send via internet. The VoIP service provider sets up the call between the two (or more) participants, and once a stable connection establishes, the compressed data is uncompressed and reconverted to audio signals that are played on the phone or handset.
All VoIP setup only works by a Sip server and Desk Phone, that will be given by the service provider of VoIp. And because all the audio data is sent through the internet, VoIP services have more features than traditional telephony options.
All the data is saved securely on the cloud and is managed by the user through the online dashboard. Adding all of our contacts, setting up call forwarding etc can be done from the dashboard.
Features in a VoIP Phone
The advantage VoIP services have over traditional telephony is the costs saved by users every month. While phone bills can vary depending on usage, VoIP prices are fixed, already pretty low, and offer unlimited talk time.
In a VoIP phone there are some other features also available too, they are
Unlimited calling: There is no cap on the minutes you can use in a day, week, or month. And this applies to international calls, too.
Online Faxes: You can send and receive unlimited faxes without the need for hardware or installation.
HD Audio Quality: VoIP providers offer their services with the g.722 codec, which eliminates static noise from the line. Most others also feature surround noise-canceling, too, which hushes background noises for the listener and amplifies the speaker’s voice.
Text messages (SMS): VoIP enables users to text as they would on a physical SIM.
CRM Integration: You can integrate your VoIP with your current CRM to boost productivity and increase workflow to use in business environments.
Fixed or Non-Fixed VoIP?
Most people can’t discern between the two types of VoIP services available today. And we wouldn’t be mistaken if you wondered yourself as to what is a non-fixed VoIP connection anyway. The truth is, you can’t know which is which from appearances alone. But there is a difference.
Is VoIP Reserved for Businesses Only?
Despite its initial adoption in the business and corporate world, VoIP has had utility in the residential space too. Before you wonder how to install VoIP at home, it’s best to understand if it truly is a replacement for your landline connection or not.
Most people are probably familiar with landline connections by now. We have all grown up around home phones. The way this works is through a local phone company that offers custom hardware. The hardware is then physically installed in your house, neighborhood, or town, and can be utilized to call anyone with a landline connection too.
While they remain dependable as always, the sheer costs involved in their setup and maintenance make them an unrealistic option for the fast-paced world of today. Not to mention the tariffs that come along with them. Calling internationally can still burn your phone bill, and this alone sees landline connections phasing out in 2021.
For households, VoIP is an alternative to a landline connection. There is no setup required either as it works by using your present broadband or WiFi internet connection. Speaking of which, the rapid adoption of the internet in residential areas has made it an affordable and much more reliable option. Today, finding a reliable internet service provider is easy for most people. And because VoIP is truly wireless, it affords you the mobility and portability that you’d like.
The Costs of VoIP at Home
When compared to landlines, what is the rough ballpark figure the average residence would be looking at for a VoIP connection in your home? We know that the average US landline costs anywhere between $20 to $50 a month. With a VoIP phone, you would be making quite a few dollars in savings. It is due to the setup costs required for landlines. PBX equipment, installation, additional labor costs, system updates, advanced features, and the tariffs on calls can set you back nearly $60. And this racks up every year.
For VoIP, there are plenty of options. All competing for the largest share of the market. The best quote we can find is from AXvoice. Their residential setup only costs $8.25/month for a single home, and there seem to be no hidden charges either. AXvoice also provides the hardware for free and has unlimited local and international calls all in one payment. Their website also helps first-timers wondering to install VoIP at home.
Luxury or Utility?
Does the cost alone justify the need for VoIP to make its way into our homes? If you ask me the answer is simple. One must not just factor in the price for the system only, but also the price-to-feature ratio. VoIP does a lot more than traditional telephone ever could and does so with consistent reliability.
The average US household cable and internet bill is $116 per month and 90% of homes have access to high-speed internet. For them, adding on an additional $8.25 charge every month from AXvoice makes utilitarian sense. The portability, flexibility, and hands-free nature of the AXvoice VoIP service helps in present times where remote working is a necessity and not just a lifestyle choice.
For the strictly practical amongst you, the switch to VoIP makes all the sense in the world. And if you’re looking for information installing VoIP, most VoIP service providers also make that process quite simple.
