VoIP Configurations: A World of Variety Explained
You want to bring your business phones into the modern era, but like other networking implementations, digital communication setups come in many forms. Which VoIP configurations are best suited to your mission?
Many options could potentially work in your situation, but achieving high quality of service (QoS) requires more detailed planning. This quick rundown on VoIP configurations should clarify the details.
What’s in a VoIP Configuration?
VoIP business phone systems commonly mix a range of different hardware and software products together. Users get to choose devices like VoIP wireless phone units, adapters, routers and other components based on their needs. Another option is to install prebuilt systems that already tick all of the boxes and just decide what kinds of software you prefer.
These details vary by installation, but as a whole, they make up what’s commonly referred to as a configuration. Some common configurations include:
- Dedicated router or adapter-based systems that you plug your regular phone into,
- USB adapters that feature analog phone jack connections for your traditional hardware,
- Dedicated VoIP phones that connect directly to your Ethernet network, and
- VoIP software solutions, or softphones, that you can use to place calls from standard computers.
These are just a few of the ways to create VoIP phone systems for medium sized businesses. Many of the implementations that you’ll encounter in the real world combine different aspects of these configurations or augment them with mobile devices.
Choosing VoIP Configurations
How do you know what kind of VoIP system your business needs? Government organizations like US-CERT recommend considering several factors.
In addition to understanding the limitations of individual options, it’s critical to know what each variant requires. Unlike Plain Old Telephone Service, or POTS, you’ll need a robust network architecture and specific hardware. You could also be at risk of service interruptions from hazards that don’t impact POTS, like power outages, insufficient bandwidth or even malicious actors.
Some configurations demand unique oversight to maintain QoS. As Cisco notes, typical voice communications depend on continuous information flow, but most Ethernet implementations send data in bursts of packets. It’s up to you to choose configurations and management tools that bridge the gap.
Don’t gamble on your VoIP systems when it’s so easy to obtain expert advice. Get in touch with 888VoIP today.