Types of VoIP phones

Low charge for long distance calls and worldwide calls offered by VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) attract extra and more users. VoIP phone systems are usually included as an option to a traditional PSTN (public switched telephone network). VoIP phone systems are also called SIP phone systems (SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol) and consist of VoIP server and VoIP phones.

VoIP phones are required to receive and place phone calls over IP (internet protocol).

There are some types of VoIP phones:

VoIP soft phones :
VoIP softphones (SIP softphones) are element of VoIP software. A VoIP softphone is a program association on the computer to execute VoIP communication. Because you need to have a earphones or microphone on your computer to hear and transmit the voice VoIP soft phones make use of these plans in order to receive and make calls. VoIP software can be downloaded from the Internet and the majority VoIP provider offer VoIP soft phones for free.



USB VoIP Phones :
A USB VoIP phone is plugged into the USB port of the computer and using VoIP software install on the computer start working as a normal phone. Usually, a USB VoIP phone is a microphone and a speaker and it perform the same function as the hardware of your computer does. But USB VoIP phones behave like normal phones do that makes them suitable in use and therefore USB VoIP phones are more preferable for the user.



Hardware VoIP Phones (SIP Phones) :
Hardware VoIP phones look like normal telephones but have already included VoIP software so that you can make and receive calls via IP. Hardware VoIP phones share a computer network instead of a customary PSTN thereby you do not need an extra PSTN point for your VoIP phone.



Analog Phones with a VoIP adapter :
If you do not want to spend money on hardware based VoIP phone you can use your analog phone with an ATA adapter (Analog Telephony Adapter). VoIP adapters are plugged into the Ethernet network and linked to the analog phone to change the data. VoIP adapters may be easily added to your network and therefore you will have your analog phone working as a VoIP phone. In case you choose to switch to ordinary PSTN system you can restore the ATA adapter.



Using VoIP softphones is the cheapest way to use VoIP services as you can get VoIP software for free but VoIP phones based on hardware may offer extra convenience as you do not need to use your computer.