Tips on Choosing the Right VoIP Phone For You

If you want to cut back on telephone costs, then you better consider getting a VoIP phone.  VoIP or Voice Over Internet Telephony works by converting analog signals into digital signals that can be transmitted over the internet, and converted back again to analog signals that can be heard by the receiver of the call. 

Having a VoIP phone has its benefits.  It can help minimize costs, as using it to place short and long distance calls can be a lot cheaper when compared to ordinary landline telephones. 

However, with the many Voice Over IP phones present in the market today, it might get really confusing for you to choose the right phone suited to you.  In this article, you will come across certain tips that will guide you in buying a Voice Over IP phone.

Hardware vs. Software

VoIP can come either in software or hardware.  Software-based VoIP makes use of a program installed into your computer to transmit phone calls through the Internet.  You will need a microphone and a speaker system for this.  On the other hand, hardware-based VoIP uses specialized peripherals that are connected to your high-speed Internet access, and converts your phone calls into digital signals. 

Both of them, although different, are considered as Voice Over IP phones.  It is really up to you which type you should choose, depending on your needs and budget.  

What VoIP call control protocols does the phone support?

For you to be able to reach a wide number of people using VoIP, then you should make sure that you get an Voice Over IP phone that supports more widely-known call control protocols like MGCP, IAX2, SIP and H.323.

What VoIP codecs does the phone support?

Codec or code-decode is very important.  The phone that you choose should be able to communicate with other devices that can decode digital signals back into audio format.  If not, you might not hear the other person on the line.  Some codecs include G.728, G.729, ILBC, Speex, GSM - Full Rate, and many more.

What features does the phone have?

A good VoIP phone should enable you to conduct 3-way calling or conferencing.  It should also have a Do-Not-Disturb (DND) feature, and it should support custom ringtones and encryption. 

These are just some of the tips in choosing the right VoIP phone for you.  If you really want to get the best out of your Voice Over IP phone, then you should be able to identify what type of phone you want, whether hardware or software based.  From there, you can start considering more specific tips in getting the right phone.