Types of VoIP Services

There are two main types of VoIP services available today:

Analog telephony adapters (ATAs) and IP phones
Softphones

Phone Adapters and IP Phones

An analog telephony phone adapter or IP phone is the best option if you’re interested in using VoIP to replace your traditional phone service entirely. There are two reasons:

User experience: The experience of using an adapter or IP phone is closest to that of a standard phone.
911: Only adapters and IP phones offer the type of 911 service that automatically gives your phone number and address to emergency services when you call (for more on VoIP and 911, see Disadvantages of VoIP).

Since adapters and IP phones are the best options for switching your phone service entirely over to VoIP, most of this chart focuses on them.

Analog Telephony Adapters (ATAs)

A analog telephony adapter (ATA) is a small device that converts the analog signal from your phone into digital data. One of the advantages of an ATA is its compatibility with current phones: you just plug your phone into the adapter using the standard phone card that fits into any wall jack and then plug the adapter into your broadband internet connection.

Many (though not all) VoIP service providers send you a free ATA when you sign up for their service.

IP Phones

IP phones look just like regular telephones, but they’re actually a phone and adapter combined into one. IP phones can plug right into your broadband internet connection via an ethernet cable.

If you use an IP phone, you’ll have less hardware to contend with. But unlike the ATA, which is often provided for free, you usually have to buy the IP phone from your service provider.

WiFi Phones

WiFi phones are IP phones that can connect to wireless networks. You can make calls with these phones wherever there is a wireless hotspot. Because they are mobile, though, WiFi phones do not provide 911 service.

ATA and IP Phone Service Providers

There are a slew of companies that provide services for ATA or IP phones, including Vonage (www.vonage.com), AT&T CallVantage (www.callvantage.att.com), and major cable companies such as Comcast (www.comcast.com). All of these providers charge for their services, but the cost is typically much less than that of traditional phone service (see Advantages of VoIP).

Softphones

Softphone is a combination of the words “software” and “telephone,” and that’s exactly what a softphone is: software that you download onto your computer and use as a phone. You can use a softphone to call other computers that are running the same software or to make and receive calls to and from traditional phones.

Softphone Service Providers

By far, the most popular softphone is Skype (www.skype.com). Skype can be used to make and receive calls for free to other computers that are running on Skype. For a fee, Skype can also be used to make and receive calls to and from traditional phone systems.

Most VoIP service providers also offer softphones, though they charge a fee for the service.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer