VoIP is a general term used in the field of communication. VoIP technology
is mostly seen in companies and businesses to help in sharing business
information. Although VoIP technology is not commonly seen in homes, it is
quite popular all over the world and connects people in one way or another.
Since the word is an acronym, there is a full form of VoIP.
In this article, we are discussing essential topics about the VoIP
technology, such as the VoIP Full Form, definition, history, features,
protocols, advantages, disadvantages, and other details.
What You Will Learn
What is the full form of VoIP?
The meaning or full form of VoIP is “Voice over Internet Protocol” or “Voice communication Over Internet Protocol”. It is also known as IP telephony. Based on the VoIP setup or
environment, the service providers may offer different services. In short,
we can say that VoIP technology is primarily designed to offer phone
services over the Internet, making communication digital.
The full form of VoIP can be explained as:
| V | Voice |
| O | Over |
| I | Internet |
| P | Protocol |
Let’s talk about what exactly the VoIP is:
What is VoIP?
VoIP is defined as a method or group of technologies that enable the
transmission of voice and multimedia content over a broadband/Internet
connection instead of traditional analog phone lines. Some VoIP services
offer to call only people using those services, while others may provide the
facility to call anyone with a telephone number, be it a local mobile, or
long-distance international number.
Generally, VoIP is known to work on computer systems with an Internet
connection and VoIP software. However, it is also available with specific
VoIP phones and even with the traditional phones connected to VoIP adapters.
VoIP is known by many other names, such as
Internet telephony, Internet phone, broadband phone, IP technology, and digital phone.
Brief History about VoIP
VoIP technology is not new, there have been constant developments to make it
reliable, effective, and productive in real-time. Some notable developments
for VoIP are mentioned below:
• In 1973, Danny Cohen was the first who is credited for
demonstrating a form of packet voice over an early
ARPANET. In 1974, the very first real-time conversation was held successfully over
ARPANET.
• In 1977, a protocol named UPD (User Diagram Protocol) was
integrated to carry real-time traffic.
• In 1991, the first VoIP application named Speak Freely was
released as Public Domain by John Walker and
Brian C. Wiles.
• In 1992, InSoft Inc. released a desktop conferencing product
and named it Communique. It included VoIP and video conferencing.
That’s the reason why InSoft is known for creating the 1st generation of
commercial VoIP services in the
USA.
• In 1993, the first video telepresence system, called
Teleport, was released by David Allen and
Herold Williams.
• In 1995, the first-ever commercial (First For-Profit) VoIP
application, known as Internet Phone, was released by
VocalTec. It was widely available to customers. Using this VoIP
software, one user can call another over the internet connection and talk
through the mic and speaker. However, at that time, both the users needed
the same software to communicate with each other.
• In 2005, the
FCC (Federal Communications Commission) instructed VoIP vendors to
add support for emergency calls.
• Many codecs were introduced from time to time to enhance or extend
the features of VoIP services. For example,
G.729 (in 2006), SILK (in 2009), AAC-LD (in 2010), etc.
• VoIP accessibility continued to expand throughout the 21st century
and added many ways of communication, such as
PC to PC, PC to Phone, Phone to Phone, IP Phone to Phone, Phone to IP
Phone, IP Phone to IP Phone, and so on.
All of these developments helped create a stable VoIP service for consumers
and businesses to operate over an Internet connection. These continued
developments resulted in a technology that enables users to make and accept
telephone calls in the same way as they would using the
public switched telephone network (PSTN). VoIP is an essential part
of most businesses these days.
Features of VoIP
Some essential features of VoIP technology are discussed below:
• Limitless Calling: With VoIP technology, one can make unlimited national and international
phone calls.
• Online Faxes: VoIP allows users to send and receive faxes online without the need for
additional hardware or wires.
• Excellent Voice Quality: Since VoIP uses high-speed internet, it typically produces a loud and
clear voice for both caller and the receiver.
• Conferencing: VoIP can be combined over dedicated conference lines to establish
conference calls or meetings between multiple people simultaneously. It
encourages teamwork and enables easy collaboration.
• Smartphones Connectivity: Most VoIP service providers also provide applications that can be
installed on smartphones, be it
iOS, Android, or
Windows.
• Messaging: One of the core features of VoIP is text messaging. Because of messaging,
staff can easily communicate with each other and their target customers over
text messaging or chats.
• CRM Integration: VoIP offers CRM (Customer relationship management) integration
that increases productivity using the deeply integrated workflow.
How does VoIP work?
The working process of VoIP is almost the same as that of a traditional or
regular phone, but unlike the means of telephone wires, VoIP uses an
Internet connection to deliver services. It typically converts voice input
into multiple data packets that travel over the Internet like other digital
data (e.g., text, pictures, documents, etc.). If the receiver is
using a regular phone, the signals are converted back into telephone audio
signals before being delivered to the receiver.
Packets of voice/sound data travel instantaneously over a public or private
Internet network while being routed from sender to receiver. Nowadays, any
landline and
mobile
phone that can connect to the Internet may be used to make and accept VoIP
calls. In addition, a computer system with an Internet connection, mic,
speakers, and VoIP software works best for VoIP calls.
Note: Since VoIP technology uses an internet connection instead of
analog telephone lines, there may be the same lags or delays that the other
digital data face when the internet bandwidth is negatively capped or
decreased.
Equipment required for VoIP
Specifically, a typical VoIP connection requires
computer systems, VoIP applications, fiber optic, and
Internet/broadband connectivity. The VoIP applications (software)
environment allows users to use dialer and other typical tools directly on
the computer. However, the computer must have a microphone and
speakers to establish voice communication between the sender and the
receiver.
Additionally, special VoIP phones or traditional phones with
adapters can be attached to ease of operation.
VoIP Protocols and Standards
The endpoints of VoIP mainly take advantage of International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard codecs. Various specifically designed
codecs are also used. Some essential VoIP protocols and standards are
explained below:
• 711: It is one of the common standards used for transmitting uncompressed
packets.
• 729: It is another common standard used mainly for compressed packets.
• TCP: TCP, short of Transmission Control Protocol, typically breaks down
any particular message into multiple smaller packets. Moreover, the
Internet Protocol (IP) takes control of sending and the delivery of
packets throughout the call.
• ITU T.38: This protocol mainly helps in sending faxes over a VoIP network in
real-time. This way, it takes part in non-voice communications.
• RTP: RTP, short of Real-Time Protocol, is a user-level protocol that
mainly helps to encapsulate data into packets time-stamped containing
relevant information in order to provide proper playback of audio. It comes
into play after the voice has been encapsulated into the Internet Protocol
(IP).
• SRTP: SRTP, short of Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol, works similar
to the RTP, but in an encrypted way.
• SIP: SIP, short of Session Initiation Protocol, is a signaling protocol
that helps to initiate, maintain and terminate the real-time sessions.
• 248: It is a typical protocol used to describe a Gateway Control Protocol that
further helps in defining an architecture to create multimedia applications.
• 323: It is one of the signaling protocols that help in controlling and
managing calls.
• XMPP: XMPP, short of Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol, is
mainly used to maintain contact lists, instant messaging, and presence
information.
• SCCP: SCCP, short of Skinny Client Control Protocol, is another common
signaling and control protocol that helps establish communication between IP
devices and Cisco Unified Communications Manager. It is a Cisco Systems
proprietary and also known as 'Skinny'.
• SDP: SDP, short of Session Description Protocol, mainly takes part in
initiation as the announcement of sessions during multimedia communications
and WebSocket transports.
Popular VoIP Service Providers
Some of the popular VoIP service providers or vendors are listed below:
• RingCentral MVP
• Ooma Office
• 8x8 X Series
• GoToConnect
• Dialpad
• Aircall
• Nextiva
• AT&T Business
• VoIPHorizon
• Microsoft Teams Phone, etc.
Advantages of VoIP
Following are some of the common advantages of VoIP:
• VoIP technology provides additional features and services compared
to traditional phones. For example, call recording, forwarding, queue,
custom caller ID, voicemail over
email, etc.
• With VoIP, we can save on telephone line costs. This means that we
can only pay for the broadband connection while getting the benefit of
internet and telephone calls.
• Using VoIP, users can make calls using their computers, VoIP
phones, or even traditional phones with associated adapters. These multiple
connectivity options increase productivity in business operations.
• VoIP takes advantage of uncompressed data to produce better audio
or voice quality.
• VoIP charges are comparatively lower than the traditional
phone/landline bills, especially for long calls and international calls.
• VoIP is comparatively more secure than traditional calls.
• VoIP provides integration capability with other relevant
applications.
• VoIP uses a single network, the
Internet, to carry voice or data without the need for wires.
Disadvantages of VoIP
Following are some of the common disadvantages of VoIP:
• Some VoIP services do not work during a power outage and the
service providers are not even successful in providing backup power. This
interrupts the calling.
• Some VoIP vendors do not allow direct contact with emergency
services, which can take extra time for proper communication in an emergency
and result in casualties.
• Since VoIP technology requires high-speed internet to maintain
voice quality, call quality tends to degrade with slow connections.
• Not all VoIP service providers offer directory assistance or white
page listings.
• Since VoIP works over the Internet, there are cyber threats and
security risks.
Summary
VoIP (stands for Voice over Internet Protocol) is a technology
primarily designed to provide phone services over the Internet. There are
many VoIP service providers and the features may differ from one to the
other. However, the fundamental workings are the same for everyone. Instead
of typical analog telephone lines, VoIP allows calls to be made over
Internet Protocol networks.
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