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The world is rapidly embracing new advancements in technology, and large and small businesses alike need to keep up to stay in the game. With a Voice over IP phone system from RingCentral, you can do exactly that and more.
As a leader in cloud communications, RingCentral offers an all-in-one Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system. It allows smooth phone calls over the internet and includes other essential enterprise-level functionality like business SMS, online meetings, app integrations, and more.
Whether you want to upgrade your current phone lines, implement a completely new IP telephony system, or scale your business, RingCentral has the perfect solution for you.
When someone asks “what is a VoIP phone?”, they’re probably imagining a specific piece of hardware. That’s a more limited interpretation of VoIP phone meaning, however.
A VoIP phone—sometimes also known as an IP phone or internet-based phone—is any device that uses IP technology to transmit calls.
VoIP phones, therefore, can come either in the form of specialized digital hardware (like a desk phone) or a software program (running on a computer or mobile device) that performs the same functions. The latter is known as a softphone.
Whatever its ultimate nature and appearance, a VoIP telephone takes the sound you generate and converts it into packets of data. It then sends that data over the network and out through the internet. The phone on the other end decompresses the data and plays it back for the other person to hear.
There are two main types of VoIP phones: hard phones and softphones. Each one has a specific purpose you should consider if you plan to have a full VoIP deployment for your company:
There are many benefits to using VoIP telephony for businesses—especially if you choose the right VoIP service providers. Some of the most notable are that these setups are:
From a user’s point of view, IP phones work no differently to traditional landlines or cell phones. The only difference is in the technology that drives them.
Voice over IP technology involves a set of different protocols working together to replicate telephony functions. Each protocol has a different function, but all work simultaneously in real time.
The next two protocols on our list are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). They’re the two primary types of transport protocols used for data transmission across the internet, and it’s worth taking a moment to think a little more deeply about what they do in relation to VoIP calls.
Data travels over the internet in packets, which are transmitted using the IP network. Imagine sending a letter: You need an envelope to make sure it is delivered to its destination untouched and without delay.
TCP and UDP are two kinds of envelopes you can use, and they both carry digital signals in the form of data packets. How does one differ from the other? Let’s find out.
Unlike legacy PBX, a VoIP phone service only requires a strong internet connection. This means significant savings on infrastructure and hardware. VoIP also allows long-distance and international calls via the internet at no added cost.
When you opt for an IP phone system, there’s no need to wait for tedious installations. We understand the value of time in business here at RingCentral. You can count on us to have your internet phone service up and running in no time.
VoIP is not just about making calls. It also presents a chance to utilize a unified communications solution that includes an array of extra features, such as call forwarding, call routing, call recording, SMS messaging, voicemail, video chats, and more.
VoIP phones don’t tie you to a physical workstation, instead giving your business the means to meet the rising demand for remote work. Employees can work from anywhere, anytime, and from any device.
RingCentral VoIP services are encrypted with secure voice between endpoints on the network. This translates to VoIP phone calls that are protected from interruption and threats like power outages, inclement weather, malicious attacks, etc.
Traditional business phones are static, but VoIP evolves with you. Whether you have plans to expand to multiple locations or add international people to your team, you can scale easily with a VoIP business phone system like RingCentral.
The technology which underpins the system is the main difference between VoIP and traditional phone systems. VoIP phone systems use the internet for calling, whereas traditional systems rely on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) of copper wire landlines and related infrastructure.
A VoIP “phone”, therefore, can actually be any device that connects to the internet and has a microphone. It doesn’t have to be a physical handset, although it can still be. There are IP desk phones that look just like traditional handsets, but connect to the internet instead of a landline—and benefit from other functionality, such as being able to utilize Power over Ethernet (PoE). More on those in a little while.
When you sign up with a VoIP phone provider, you’ll often get a virtual or VoIP number as part of your package. These numbers are attached to your account, rather than being limited to one specific geographic location.
RingCentral RingEX subscribers, for instance, get one VoIP number per user on any pricing plan. When you set up your account, you simply choose from the available local or toll-free numbers. You can also easily add additional numbers as required, for an affordable monthly fee.
Yet another advantage of switching to VoIP phones is that the solutions are typically much more than just a phone system. Instead, they’re feature-rich business communications tools that will often include things like:
Sold on the advantages of VoIP technology and thinking your business needs to switch to VoIP phones? Then, you’re probably wondering how to pick the right VoIP provider. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:
There are a wealth of VoIP services out there, and VoIP phone price will vary greatly from one to the next. As will the range of features and functionalities available to you.
To save yourself precious time and energy, we say go for RingCentral. Our VoIP solutions don’t end with simply helping you make calls over the internet. We provide a seamless cloud communications platform where you and your team can text, live chat, fax, and collaborate.
Learn more about our plans and pricing.
In network terms, a port is a communication endpoint used by the transport protocol to facilitate the stream of information. Every single piece of data has a destination port associated with it, and this port is associated with a number to enable the server to sort traffic and deliver the data to the correct recipient.
Port numbers range from 0 to 65535. For VoIP traffic, the standard port is 5060, which is used for both TCP and UDP connections. Consider it the gateway for VoIP functions such as media streaming and video conferencing. Often, port 5004 UDP is preferred when transmitting packets of data within a computer network.
VoIP phone and communications providers use a variety of ports based on their specific product designs and requirements. They may also have a supplementary list of UDP ports for when they need to upgrade their products.
Apart from network ports, you may also need hardware ports in order to use complementary VoIP accessories. These can include headsets for devices not designed to be used like regular telephones and USB ports for USB phones.