SIP Phones ? a brief history and overview of features and options

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As the world shrinks and the internet allows global communication for practically no money whatsoever, the telecommunication standards of the past are falling by the wayside, and this is as true a statement to make about the traditional landline telephone as any device. The decline of the land line phone is primarily because of the growing popularity and considerable benefits offered by VoIP services and particularly SIP Phones. VoIP services are ideal not just for individual users but also for small and large businesses alike, and as more and more people switch to using SIP Phones and VoIP services it?s essential to equip yourself with the knowledge that will allow you to deal with these new technologies.
What is a SIP Phone?

SIP is an acronym which means Session Initiation Protocol, and is basically a service which allows two people or indeed large groups to communicate vocally and visually over their broadband internet connections. A SIP Phone then is simply a device which facilitates this communication, allowing voice and video conferencing and requiring specific software and hardware to get the job done. Calls between two users using a SIP phone are almost always free no matter where they are in the world, and VoIP services also allow their users to connect to old PSTN land line networks for minimal costs per minute. The other great thing about using a SIP phone is that it is of course a protocol that transfers the voice signals digitally so there is the opportunity for crystal clear conversations between a caller in Durham to a caller in Delhi.
Softphone or Hardware Device?

There are two ways in which a user can enjoy the benefits of VoIP, the first being through a software solution using a PC with a broadband internet connection and a headset attached to the PC?s sound card. A Softphone usually refers to a piece of software which facilitates VoIP calling and also has the features of a regular phone, represented graphically onscreen. VoIP services like Skype offer Softphone functionality as well as more complex VoIP and instant messaging services. Alternatively there is hardware specifically designed to use SIP telephony without the need for a computer, and this will usually come in the form of a unit which will very much resemble the style of older phone technologies. However, a hardware SIP Phone should give you all the same functionality of a Softphone program, though you will of course need a broadband internet connection to take advantage of the technology.
Benefits for Small Business

As with any advancement in the world of telecommunications it is not just the big businesses who can reap the immediate benefits of SIP phones as there is a lot to appeal to the small business owner. Using a SIP phone and VoIP calling can help reduce the cost of your phone bills to virtually zero, allowing customers to call you for free and allowing you to expand your business online without having to fork out piles of money. You can also top up a SIP phone account with extra minutes to call any other PSTN phone in the world at a fraction of the cost of a call from another PSTN land line.

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HTML Ready Article You Can Place On Your Site. (do not remove any attribution to source or author) <title>Articles Location | SIP Phones ? a brief history and overview of features and options</title><h3>SIP Phones ? a brief history and overview of features and options</h3><p>By: Kieron James</p><p>As the world shrinks and the internet allows global communication for practically no money whatsoever, the telecommunication standards of the past are falling by the wayside, and this is as true a statement to make about the traditional landline telephone as any device. The decline of the land line phone is primarily because of the growing popularity and considerable benefits offered by VoIP services and particularly SIP Phones. VoIP services are ideal not just for individual users but also for small and large businesses alike, and as more and more people switch to using SIP Phones and VoIP services it's essential to equip yourself with the knowledge that will allow you to deal with these new technologies. <br />What is a SIP Phone? </p><p>SIP is an acronym which means Session Initiation Protocol, and is basically a service which allows two people or indeed large groups to communicate vocally and visually over their broadband internet connections. A SIP Phone then is simply a device which facilitates this communication, allowing voice and video conferencing and requiring specific software and hardware to get the job done. Calls between two users using a SIP phone are almost always free no matter where they are in the world, and VoIP services also allow their users to connect to old PSTN land line networks for minimal costs per minute. The other great thing about using a SIP phone is that it is of course a protocol that transfers the voice signals digitally so there is the opportunity for crystal clear conversations between a caller in Durham to a caller in Delhi. <br />Softphone or Hardware Device? </p><p>There are two ways in which a user can enjoy the benefits of VoIP, the first being through a software solution using a PC with a broadband internet connection and a headset attached to the PC's sound card. A Softphone usually refers to a piece of software which facilitates VoIP calling and also has the features of a regular phone, represented graphically onscreen. VoIP services like Skype offer Softphone functionality as well as more complex VoIP and instant messaging services. Alternatively there is hardware specifically designed to use SIP telephony without the need for a computer, and this will usually come in the form of a unit which will very much resemble the style of older phone technologies. However, a hardware SIP Phone should give you all the same functionality of a Softphone program, though you will of course need a broadband internet connection to take advantage of the technology. <br />Benefits for Small Business </p><p>As with any advancement in the world of telecommunications it is not just the big businesses who can reap the immediate benefits of SIP phones as there is a lot to appeal to the small business owner. Using a SIP phone and VoIP calling can help reduce the cost of your phone bills to virtually zero, allowing customers to call you for free and allowing you to expand your business online without having to fork out piles of money. You can also top up a SIP phone account with extra minutes to call any other PSTN phone in the world at a fraction of the cost of a call from another PSTN land line. </p><p>For a large selection of 03 numbers, 0300 Numbers, 0330 Numbers, 0800 Numbers, 0845 Numbers, 0871 Numbers, 0808 numbers, 0844 Numbers, premium rate numbers and Freephone Numbers please click on the "numbers" link above. </p><p><b>Article Courtesy of</b> Articles Location<br /></p>

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