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VoIP Consumer Guide

Official Internet Phone Report

Complete VoIP Providers Comparison Table
Softphone Voicemail Broadband Providers Fax Click to call Voip Mobile Solutions
ESPAÑOL VoIP Equipment VoIP Glossary U.S. Area Codes

VOIP Glossary

ATA - Analogue Telephone Adapter

Used to connect a standard telephone to a high-speed modem to facilitate VoIP and/or fax calls over the Internet. An ATA converts the analog telephone signals into digital packets, similar to how your Internet modem works.

BYOD - Bring Your Own Device

BYOD is a type of VoIP service. This - usually cheaper voip phone service - enables subscribers to have their own VoIP device when signing up for a broadband phone service. Most well-known providers don't offer BYOP services.

Click to Call

A service provided by voip companies. It connects phones (landline, cellular, etc.) with voice over ip technology through an online interface.

DID - Direct Inward Dialing

DID lets the last 3 or 4 digits of a phone number to be transmitted to the destination exchange.

Enhanced 9-1-1 /E911/

E911 routes 911 calls to a Public Service Answering Point that uses a customer location database to determine the location to which a call should be routed.

Features

Features refer to additional calling services usually included in voip phone plans. The most common features are call waiting, in network calling, voicemail, call forwarding, simultaneous ring, anonymous call rejection, called ID, 411 directory assistance, speed dial, three-way calling, call return, last number redial, call blocking.

Federal Communications Commission /FCC/

FCC is an independent United States government agency that regulates telecommunications, radio, television and other broadcasting medium.
Website: www.fcc.gov FCC on VoIP: www.fcc.gov/voip

Gateway

A network device that converts voice calls in real time from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to an IP network.

Hosted service

A service delivered by an internet protocol (IP) service provider or a phone company.

IP - Internet Protocol

It's the network layer protocol in the TCP/IP communications protocol suite that forms the basis of the Internet and intranets. IP contains the network address that allows messages to be routed to different networks or subnets. An IP address is an identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network.

Jitter

The variation in the amount of Latency among Packets being received.

Packet

A packet is a formatted block of information that can be transmitted by one device and received by another. Each packet is routed via the internet to the destination where it is reassembled.

PBX - Private Branch Exchange

A switching system on commercial premises that interconnects telephone extensions to each other, as well as to the outside telephone network.

PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network

This is the traditional telephone network used to route calls nationally and internationally.

SIP - Session Initiation Protocol

SIP is an application-layer control (signaling) protocol for creating, modifying, and terminating sessions with one or more participants. These sessions include Internet telephone calls, multimedia distribution, and multimedia conferences.

Soft Phone

A software that lets users make calls using their computer or Pocket PC device. Once downloaded, it can be used with a headset and microphone.

VoIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol

Voip is the routing of voice over the Internet or through any other IP-based network.

VoIP Teleconferencing

It's similar to the usual teleconferencing, however, since it's digital you can easily integrate it with all your other applications, share files real-time and save a lot on your communication expenses.