Do you find VoIP terminology confusing?

When considering a new telephone system for an office, many small business owners are turning to digital solutions, like VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol. While researching the systems available, it’s common to come across a number of confusing acronyms and terms that sound outright scary. Have no fear, we’re here to help.

Here are seven of the most commonly used VoIP terms and what they mean.

Internet Service Provider – ISP. The company that provides your company with Internet access.
Private Branch eXchange – PBX. A system within a company that allows internal phones to connect to an outside line. This is also referred to as a switchboard in larger businesses. An IP PBX, Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange, is the same thing, but it handles VoIP calls as well.
Analog. The old system that transmits voice over telephone lines. Your normal landline telephone connection is most likely analog. In many countries, this is also called the Plain Old Telephone System – POTS for short.
Analog Telephone Adapter – ATA. A piece of hardware that allows you to use a traditional telephone for VoIP calls.
Digital. Any information, including sound, that’s on a computer. VoIP is a form of digital communication, because it uses a digital system, the Internet, to transfer your voice.
Integrated Services Digital Network – ISDN. A telephone network that allows digital signal e.g., VoIP, to be transmitted over traditional phone lines.
Softphone. A VoIP application that is run strictly on your computer.

There’s a lot of technical terminology out there, the majority of it in acronyms. Don’t be afraid to ask us for more information. If you’d like to learn about ways you can use VoIP in your company, please contact us.