Voip Phone
Most users cannot tell the difference between a dedicated VoIP phone and a conventional telephone. To make it easy to use, VoIP phones have been designed in the traditional way, employing regular dial pads to make calls with some newer designs using a touch-screen. Even cordless phones are offered, again designed in the same way than regular cordless phones.
The difference between VoIP and conventional telephones are some technical modifications. Generally speaking, VoIP phones are not connected to the regular landline, rather they have to be connected directly to the respective IP network, in most cases the Internet. Different technologies can be used, the most common ones are wired Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi, i.e. the same technologies that are used to connect a computer to the Internet.
Alternatively, an adapter for an analog phone can be used, implementing the necessary firmware and electronics and therefore enabling it to be used as a VoIP phone. Especially in small and medium-sized companies where a number of new telephones would be necessary otherwise in order to introduce VoIP telephony, this can be a rather cheap solution. Through a hub, different analog phones can be connected to the adapter, making it possible to introduce VoIP telephony with comparatively low fees while it is not necessary to buy a large number of new devices.
Moreover, many new smartphones have special built-in clients so that they can be used either within the regular mobile phone network or within the VoIP network through a Wi-Fi connection.