Today, we have numerous technologies around us that we have started taking most of the services for granted. We use many advanced services like VoIP but don’t really have time to understand how it works. This is because we don’t have much time to sit down and start dissecting what goes into the complicated tech and how it functions. Being the new age consumers or business owners looking for new solutions, we must be aware of the basics. If you’ve ever wondered what exactly the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is and how does it work, then just put up your feet and continue reading.

What is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a new-age technology for making easy voice conversations over any web-based network. This technology helps consumers to send voice signals into digital packets instead of sending it in analog circuits using any mobile phone company or traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The digital protocols that are used to send your voice signals over an IP network protocol are called VoIP. It can easily drive through an IP network such as local area networks (LANs), provided it’s connected to the Internet.

How does a VoIP Call Work?
VoIP offers modern-age phone solutions to consumers, whether they are calling via analog phone or any specific IP device. Today, there are many VoIP providers in the market to facilitate your VoIP calls. This protocol doesn’t need your IP device to be connected to the PSTN. Instead, when you call from your IP device, the call is passed to the router and the router further passes it to another VoIP service provider. This Internet-based call is passed through your local Internet lines to the other end or to other recipient router and later to their IP device.

Are VoIP calls free?
Well, making calls via specific Internet provider is free but you obviously have to pay for your Internet services. You must understand that VoIP calls depend on privately managed networks. It means your network lines are linked to the bandwidth provider who offers Internet services. There are different VoIP companies in the market and these providers do offer less expensive ways to make Internet calls, but their services are not free.

Why is VoIP Cheaper?
VoIP uses lesser data; therefore, these calls are less costly. If we look at a circuit-switched PSTN, then we will find out that it forms a direct connection between two lines. However, it consumes a lot of data during a call. However, in the case of packet switching, a direct connection is not required for making a call. So, it will not use much data. VoIP utilizes any Internet route to deliver call information. Before the days of iTunes and Spotify, people used to record songs onto cassette tapes. For instance, if you have a 60-minutes tape, you have to press the record button and let the tape run, hoping that your song will be recorded on one of its side (either A or B). But this actually wastes a lot of time. The same happens with the PSTN, i.e., a lot of time is wasted when you are silent while making a conversation. On the other hand, VoIP doesn’t have any such issue.

What are the benefits of VoIP?
Following are some benefits of VoIP calls:

• Cost saving and more efficient.
• Provide flexibility to the user.
• Internet-dependent services like email, instant messaging, fax, and data services are other benefits of VoIP.