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Learn about Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
You may have heard of this technology which is rapidly changing the way we communicate. Read below about exactly what this technology does and how you can utilize it.
What is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP as it’s more commonly known, is basically technology that allows internet users to communicate by transmitting voice through the internet. Another term for VoIP is internet telephony, that’s because VoIP uses telephony science to convert sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over the internet then converted back into sound. Telephony is the science that’s used for all telephone applications, not just internet communication.
Even though it may seem like VoIP is a new technology because of a surge in commercial providers, VoIP has actually been around for quite some time. VoIP got its beginnings in the very early stages of the creation of the internet in the early 1970’s. The Network Voice Protocol in 1973 was the first to transmit voice over the burgeoning internet. By the 1980’s people could transmit voice conversations. This fast paced technology really came into its own in the mid 1990’s when all in one software packages were created for better quality VoIP applications with added features like voice mail.
Though VoIP has come leaps and bounds, it had sluggish beginnings. One key reason is because for the best quality, VoIP has to work off of broadband connections. However, broadband was slow in getting going on the internet, which meant the first VoIP software systems weren’t quickly welcomed by users. Today with the improvements of broadband connections, the ability to connect with numerous users no matter what software they use, as well as the ability to connect with the public switched telephone networks VoIP can help you talk to virtually anyone.
VoIP has developed into a protocol with a number of uses beyond just telephony applications. VoIP is also used for teleconferencing, voice instant messaging, desktop applications, as well as various voice applications. With the sound quality ever increasing, VoIP has become a significant source of communication that’s giving the telephone a run for its money.