Telephone VoIP adapter (aka SIP adapter) – what is it: an inexpensive device that allows you to start fully using IP telephony services or a half-hearted solution that is more likely to cause dissatisfaction with new technologies? Let’s try to figure it out!
What is a VoIP adapter?
A VoIP adapter is also known as a “SIP adapter” because the main protocol for establishing a session in IP telephony is SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). There are two more names of these devices – “ATA” (analog telephone adapter) and “FXS adapter” (the latter indicates that the device has an FXS port that is connected by cable to the FXO port on a telephone or fax machine).
Purpose and features
Many well-known manufacturers of telephone VoIP adapters classify them as entry-level IP-telephony equipment aimed at users from the SOHO sphere (Small Office / Home Office – small office/home office). This purpose “sets” the minimum price bar for devices that use inexpensive and, therefore, not the best in terms of performance components.
For example, to convert speech into discrete data packets sent over IP networks, a processor with lower computational performance is used in a VoIP adapter than in a VoIP gateway. And this, of course, affects the quality of voice conversion and reproduction.
But if consumers are ready for such troubles, considering the price factor determining the choice of device, then the reliability and stability of its operation (again, determined by the characteristics of the element base) will probably make the most prudent buyers of IP-telephony equipment think.
Some manufacturers of VoIP / SIP adapters explicitly indicate that these devices are available for consumers who do not care about communication reliability. And on Internet forums, users of VoIP / SIP adapters rate their reliability and stability as “bad” or “close to satisfactory”. And they advise “do not save on your peace of mind.”
How is VoIP used?
Telephone companies use VoIP to optimize their networks. By routing thousands of phone calls through a switch to an IP gateway, they can seriously reduce the bandwidth that is used for the long haul. After receiving the call, on the other hand, it is unpacked, reassembled, and redirected to the LAN switch. IP-telephony makes sense, both in terms of economics and in terms of infrastructure. Most VoIP companies provide features for which regular telephone companies charge extra. VoIP includes:
- Caller id
- Call waiting
- Call transfer
- Redial
- Callback
- Three-way call
There are also advanced call filtering options available from some operators. These functions use caller ID information so you can choose how to handle a specific number. You can:
- Forward a call to a specific number
- Send a call directly to voicemail
- Give the caller a busy tone
- Play out of service message
- Send the caller to the denial hotline
With many VoIP services, you can also check voicemail over the Internet or attach messages to emails that are sent to your computer.
VoIP is a significant improvement over the existing telephone system in terms of efficiency, cost, and flexibility. Like any new technology, VoIP has some challenges to overcome, but developers will continue to improve this technology until it eventually replaces the current telephone system. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology can improve your organization’s overall performance by letting your employees multitask without interruption. It also allows the organization to allocate funds, usually spent on traditional telephone bills, to other aspects of the business. The VoIP adapter enables users to attach documents, hold virtual meetings and exchange data through video conferencing.