A New Kind of Telephone
Since its invention more than a hundred years ago, the telephone has gone through a lot of changes, each marking a new step in the development of voice telecommunications. First, there was the automated switchboard, then there was digital telephony, then mobile telephony, and now there is VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol), also known as Internet telephony. Yet VoIP is something completely different from conventional telephony, in that it relies on the transmission of packets over the Internet instead of establishing a circuit between two phones. You can use either VoIP phones, which are actually Internet devices with their own IP address, or regular telephones connected to VoIP converters.
Though the advent of VoIP was met with a certain dose of scepticism, recent years have seen a surge in the number of new subscribers, both individuals and companies. There are a few characteristics that make VoIP extremely attractive. One such characteristic is the increased speed of VoIP networks, which use less bandwidth than other applications and allow seamless service integration. This ultimately leads to increased productivity and efficiency.
The significant difference in cost between VoIP and PSTN has often been mentioned. All you pay for is an Internet connection and your VoIP subscription. Quite often, you can benefit for unlimited calling plans for a fixed monthly fee. VoIP is not subject to the same taxation rules as PSTN and many services that require additional payment with PSTN are offered for free with VoIP – such services include voicemail, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, etc. VoIP providers differ, however, in their offers, so it is a good idea to review several plans before deciding which one you want to subscribe to.
The list of amenities offered by VoIP also includes conference calling or 3-way talking – for a free example of what that means, you can try an instant messaging program and have a conference between people on different computers. Business are gradually beginning to notice the advantages of having one application that can integrate all their audio, video, data, and web components. There is no more need for several different applications for handling a company’s telecommunications, it can now all be done by using VoIP.
Now that VoIP is expanding into WiFi, mobility can also be achieved. This is especially attractive for businesses whose employees need to stay mobile. There is no more need for customers to be told that the agent who could solve their problem is out of office. Any call can very easily be routed to the mobile employee, so that service is improved.
Even though PSTN and VoIP are fundamentally different technologies, they can coexist. Major telephone service providers have already diversified their offer to include VoIP. One such example would be Voicewing, the new VoIP plan from Verizon. Cellular telephony and VoIP also seem to blend well: the new hybrid phones, combining VoWiFi and cellular technology, enable users to take advantage of VoIP’s low calling costs when there is a broadband access point available and of cellular networks’ wide territorial coverage when the user is no longer in a hotspot.
The evolution shown by VoIP so far leads us to the conclusion that VoIP will develop and expand even more in the future. The streamlining capabilities it offers are very much appreciated by businesses, which can use VoIP to improve telecommunications dramatically.
One particular effect of VoIP is the increased ease of outsourcing, especially in the case of call centres. Employees no longer have to work within the perimeter of the same office, answering telephones and writing e-mails. The use of VoIP enables them to be located anywhere in the world. The area code of VoIP telephone numbers does not depend on the physical location of the user, so businesses can choose those area codes that match their customers’.
When a customer calls a helpdesk, the agent can already view, on their screen, all relevant information about that particular customer, without the need for the caller to start with a long presentation. On the one hand, this makes the customer feel special. On the other hand, it reduces the time needed for each conversation, which increases productivity.
Making the switch to VoIP is not an expensive process – it is definitely much cheaper than installing a landline telephone. The difference in costs is also felt when the existing network needs to be expanded and new telephone lines need to be added.
Indeed, there are enough signs to make us conclude that telephony has entered a whole new era. Perhaps one day we’ll be telling our amazed grandchildren about the times when we used to talk on the phone that didn’t make it possible to see the other caller.
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