2. VoIP Terms to Know

  1. VoIP phone systems work differently from traditional phone systems, so there’s a different vocabulary you’ll need to get used to.  Here are a few common industry terms you should know before meeting with VoIP service providers:


    Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) – A type of internet connection that transmits information using twisted copper wire cables.  ADSL is faster than a regular DSL connection.


    Analog (analogue) –This term is used to describe traditional phone systems, which work by converting sound into electrical vibrations.  The vibrations are reproduced and converted into sound at the other end of the line.


    Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) – If you’re not going to take calls using a computer-attached headset, you’ll need to purchase either adaptors or new phones if you don’t have VoIP telephones already.  Adaptors convert regular phones into Voice over IP phones without the need to buy a separate headset or terminal.


    Bandwidth – The speed of your internet connection.  Bandwidth is measured in bits per second.


    Data Packet – In a VoIP context, this is the basic unit that voice or sound data is broken down into before it is transmitted.


    Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) – Faster than dial-up but not quite as fast as ADSL, this type of broadband Internet connection uses copper telephone wire to send information.


    Internet Service Provider (ISP) - A company that provides Internet connection service.


    Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) – Another name for a traditional “landline,” or a phone system where calls have a geographic origin.


    Router – The device used to connect to the internet.

     

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