There's a lot of discussion about the merits of different voice over IP (VoIP) services, but choosing a service provider isn't the only decision you'll need to make once your company takes the plunge to deploy VoIP; it helps to have a working knowledge of the hardware devices involved in transmitting voice calls over an IP network, and an idea of what different components do and which ones you need.
Soft phones
Some VoIP services are software based. That means, at the user's end, the only hardware device needed is a computer with an Internet connection. The computer requires the appropriate audio equipment: a sound card with speakers or earphones to hear the other party's transmissions, and a microphone to input your own side of the conversation.
A soft phone is the industry name for a software program that users can install on a PC to make IP phone calls; most free soft phone services handle only PC-to-PC calls. Users typically pay a monthly or per-call fee for public switched telephone network (PSTN) gateway services to allow them to place calls from their soft phones to regular landlines and cell phones. Perhaps the best known soft phone software is Skype.
Some examples of business-oriented soft phone software are:
- 3CX VoIP Phone for Windows. This is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based product available in both free and enterprise editions. It works with providers such as Asterisk and Sipgate
- ArrowPhone. Another Windows software-based phone, this one for H.323 networks. Customers can use the ArrowPhone over VPN networks behind a firewall. A free demo version is available for download
- AGEphone. Uses a "microSIP" stack and runs not only on Windows but also on CE/Pocket PC and Windows Mobile, with Linux and Symbian versions planned for the future. Has Web-based interface that allows users to make and receive calls through a Web page
- E-Phone. Free IAX2 soft phone for Windows
- Gizmo. Free soft phone for Windows, Macintosh OS X, and Linux
- SIP Communicator. Java-based open source VoIP client that supports both audio and video sessions over both IPv4 and IPv6
Hardware for soft phones
One big drawback of soft phones is the physical interface. Although some users prefer the headset or microphone/computer speaker setup, others are uncomfortable with it and want to be able to talk on a "real" phone. USB handsets can give soft phone users the familiar telephony experience along with the improved voice quality of PC-based VoIP communications. Soft phones plug into the computer's USB port.
USB phones come in many styles, including handsets, desksets with speaker phones, and base station/cordless models. Some USB phone sets require driver software, so it's important to be sure…
Talkback
take a look at the new Siemens Gigaset range of consumer products that allow VoIP connection to Skype and SIP services.
Use the Gigaset M34 combined with the Gigaset SL565 for Skype or SIP service calling. The Gigaset M34 is a USB dongle that acts as the PC audio device and registers with the DECT phone base. You make an internal call between the phone handset and the M34 and then have access to the buddy list etc for making calls.
Alternatively, use the Gigaset C460IP for SIP calls. This is a SIP enabled DECT phone where the handset is a standard DECT/GAP handset and the base is SIP enabled to connect to PSTN and your broadband router.
Look up suppliers of these products on Google.
Good overview article.
What Skype does well is to provide a searchable telephone directory and user profiles. But of course Skype is proprietory.
If VoIP is to really take off, contacting people needs to be as easy as using email addresses or typing URLs rather than entering IP nos..
I looked into this a year or more ago but no one system seemed likely to become universal. e164 is a free service that was trying to be open: http://www.e164.org/ to map a real world phone number to an Email address, website, VoIP addresses, etc.
It would be useful to know what the current situation is and the best way forward. Meanwhile I'm still using Skype.
Alan
A useful guide, if your someone with too much time on your hands!
For small business managers, it's too much information and not the right information to decide what to do with their Telecoms requirements.
Choosing the right VOIP equipment, is not about whether the phone should be soft or hard, SIP or USB - rather, it's about - does it have the features your business needs, is it expandable and future proof, what support do you get when things go wrong, and what does it COST?!
VOIP Phone System?
Get one that supports both VOIP and Landlines - VOIP as a low cost solutions does deliver quality reliability. You'll need the landlines for customer inbound calls, and VOIP for low cost international and national calls.
Which phone system?
Don't look at headline prices - they quote low to fish you in. Get complete quotation for everything, including installation, warranty and support. For example, when the low price system may not be low when you add VOICEMAIL, extra extensions, VOIP lines etc.
Don't just look at the bigger names.
Like everything, it pays to shop around.
If you linux minded, try asterisk, or if you like windows and want something easy to manage and highly featured try, http://www.smallbusinessphonesystem.co.uk