| Question: What is VoIP? |
| Question: What are the advantages of VoIP over analog PSTN lines? |
| Question: What type of service and equipment are needed for VoIP deployment? |
| Question: Can I use dial-up for VoIP or do I need broadband? |
| Question: Do I need a computer to make/receive VoIP calls? |
| Question: Can I surf the web during VoIP calls? |
| Question: Should I use an ATA or an IP phone? |
| Question: Can I use VoIP for all the phones in my residence? |
| Question: How I can make/receive free VoIP calls to/from remote location? |
| Question: Can VoIP make and receive calls to/from PSTN lines? |
| Question: May I keep my existing phone number when migrating to VoIP? |
| Question: What are VoIP Service Providers (VSPs)? |
| Question: Which VoIP Service Provider should I use? |
| Question: What are IP PBXs? |
| Question: What are VoIP Gateways? |
| Question: What are FXO and FXS ports? |
| Question: What are PSTN failover lines? |
| Question: Which VoIP signaling protocols are commonly used? |
| Question: Which voice codec should I use? |
| Question: What are Gatekeepers and Registrars? |
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| Question: What is VoIP? |
| Answer: | Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) - technology that enables one to make and receive phone calls
thru the Internet instead of using the traditional analog PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) lines.
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| Question: What are the advantages of VoIP over analog PSTN lines? |
| Answer: | The primary main advantage of VoIP over PSTN lines is cost (it's cheaper!)
Other advantages of VoIP are as follows: digital features not commonly available
on PSTN lines such as voicemail, caller ID, conference, music-on-hold, etc.
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| Question: What type of service and equipment are needed for VoIP deployment? |
| Answer: | The following equipment and services are required for VoIP deployment:
High-Speed Broadband connection, IP Phones (Softphones will require PC) or
Analog Telephone Adapters (ATAs) and VoIP Service Provider (terminate calls).
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| Question: Can I use dial-up for VoIP or do I need broadband? |
| Answer: | Dial-up can be used for VoIP when necessary or if its the only type of connection available.
However, we recommend using broadband since certain VoIP codecs (e.g. G.711) require higher bandwidth.
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| Question: Do I need a computer to make/receive VoIP calls? |
| Answer: | The answer depends on whether or not you will be using a softphone with your VoIP integration.
VoIP does not require any computer to make/receive phone calls (only ATA devices or IP phones).
If softphones are used instead of physical phones or ATA devices, then computers are needed.
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| Question: Can I surf the web during VoIP calls? |
| Answer: | Yes, VoIP allows web surfing while making and receiving VoIP calls simultaneously.
It shares the bandwidth connection with other LAN computers and prioritizes voice.
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| Question: Should I use an ATA or an IP phone? |
| Answer: | It depends on your preference and budget. An ATA will allow you to use analog phones for VoIP.
While this might save money, they do not have one touch feature keys (e.g. transfer, hold, etc).
On the other hand, using IP phones will provide more features that are similar to digital phones.
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| Can I use VoIP for all the phones in my residence? |
| Answer: | Definitely, VoIP can replace every single phone in your residence. Both ATA devices and IP phones
can be used instead of regular analog phones. This setup requires an account with a VoIP provider.
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| Question: How I can make/receive free VoIP calls to/from remote location? |
| Answer: | Making and receiving free VoIP calls can be made possible by signing up with VoIP Service Providers
such as Free World Dialup (FWD) that allow unlimited VoIP calling. These providers will sometimes
allow making/receiving free VoIP to PSTN calls (and vice versa). In addition, VoIP end user devices
such as ATAs and IP phones can be set up to make point to point VoIP calls between one another.
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| Question: Can VoIP make and receive calls to/from PSTN lines? |
| Answer: | Absolutely! VoIP users can definitely make and receive calls to/from PSTN lines.
Any type of calls (e.g. local, long distance, international, etc.) are allowed.
This requires an account with VoIP Service Providers that provide termination.
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| Question: May I keep my existing phone number when migrating to VoIP? |
| Answer: | Most VoIP Service Providers will allow you to keep your existing PSTN phone number for VoIP.
However, you will need to check with the provider since not all of them offer this service.
A signed "Letter of Authorization" will be required by the provider when keeping your number.
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| Question: What are VoIP Service Providers (VSPs)? |
| Answer: | VoIP Service Providers (VSPs) are the next generation telcos that provide interconnection between
VoIP and PSTN networks. They allow call origination and termination between these two networks.
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| Question: Which VoIP Service Provider should I use? |
| Answer: | VoIP Service Providers can be selected based on the services and calling plans that they provide.
The features they offer can greatly differ based on the price of the calling plan that you choose.
Rates vary between providers and their pricing ranges from per minute charges to flat monthly bills.
Choosing the right calling plan should be based on your monthly telephone usage and company budget.
The list shows current available VoIP Service Providers
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| Question: What are IP PBXs? |
| Answer: | IP PBXs (Private Branch Exchanges) are complete phone systems that provide advanced telephony
features and services between VoIP and PSTN networks. Common features and services include:
call transfer, conference, voicemail, music-on-hold, auto-attendant, and auto call routing.
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| Question: What are VoIP Gateways? |
| Answer: | VoIP gateways are devices that take analog voice signals and convert them to IP
for transport over the LAN or WAN.
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| Question: What are FXO and FXS ports? |
| Answer: | Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) ports are interfaces used to connect with the central office or PSTN analog lines.
Foreign Exchange Station (FXS) ports are interfaces used to connect with end user devices (e.g. phone or fax).
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| Question: What are PSTN failover lines? |
| Answer: | PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) failover lines are used as backup connections in the event your VoIP
or Internet connection goes down. These are optional ports on ATA devices or IP phones that connect directly
to the analog PSTN lines coming from the telephone company. This setup requires having both regular analog
telephone lines and an account any VoIP Service Provider.
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| Question: Which VoIP signaling protocols are commonly used? |
| Answer: | VoIP signaling protocols are used to setup and tear down calls, carry the required information to locate end users,
and negotiate device capabilities. The following list shows the most common VoIP signaling protocols available:
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), H.323, Cisco SCCP (Skinny Client Control Protocol), IAX (Inter-Asterisk Exchnage),
and MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol).
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| Question: Which VoIP codec should I use? |
| Answer: | VoIP codecs convert analog voice signals to their digital encoded version. Codecs vary in size, sound quality,
bandwidth and computation requirements. The most common VoIP codecs currently available are: G.711 (alaw & ulaw),
G.723, G.726, G.729, GSM, and iLBC.
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| Question: What are Gatekeepers and Registrars? |
| Answer: | Gatekeepers and Registrars are gateways that provide authentication, authorization, call control and call routing,
and session invites for end user devices.
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