What is a VoIP phone and how does it work?

Published in Voice over IP

What is a VoIP phone?

A VoIP phone is a phone that uses a data connection, such as the Internet, to make and receive calls.

This VoIP phone converts voice (the analogue signal) into digital packets that are then sent over this data connection to the online VoIP PBX to which the phone is connected by means of a VoIP subscription (calling over the Internet).

This allows this VoIP phone to make and receive calls: the VoIP PBX takes care of the distribution of these calls. There is no need for a separate landline or physical switchboard. Everything runs through the cloud (cloud telephony) and is handled using Voice over Internet Protocol.

This makes the old-fashioned analogue phone and analogue line obsolete.

This new form of telephony is also known as IP telephony (Internet Protocol) or digital telephony.

What types of VoIP phones are there?

A VoIP phone can be a landline phone on your desk (hardphone) or a software package installed on a device such as a desktop computer (softphone).

It is important to note that incoming calls to your business number at Belfabriek can be routed to your VoIP phones, but also to your mobile or home office phones.

So you are not dependent on a working internet connection, nor do you need to install a mobile app before you can receive calls.

This gives you the perfect combination of Internet telephony and accessibility wherever you are.

All features such as call forwarding, landline to mobile, dial menu are included, so you get all the benefits of VoIP on all your phone numbers.

How does VoIP telephony work?

When a caller dials your number, the call is routed to the PBX where you have hosted the number and purchased your VoIP subscription.

The PBX will check which VoIP phones are registered with the PBX and try to reach those phones using an INVITE command.

If a VoIP phone is a landline or a computer, this will always work.
If you have had to install an application from your provider and you receive calls on it, this INVITE will very often go wrong: the application is in sleep mode or not (any more) active. You will miss the calls.

As a business or entrepreneur, it is important that you have a VoIP subscription with a provider that also routes calls to landlines on mobile phones and other landlines, so that you are always flexible and not just dependent on Internet calls and a working Internet connection.

Frequently asked questions:

Making a phone call over the Internet does not suddenly make the call free. The calling and receiving providers still charge access and interconnection fees. Sometimes you will see providers that allow you to install an application to receive calls. In this way, you avoid paying for a particular route (but you do not always receive calls).

Traditional telephony has become digital telephony. Analogue phone lines are being phased out and VoIP telephony is becoming a new form of telephony alongside mobile and satellite telephony. We deliver incoming calls to all kinds of devices.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, which converts voice into digital packets and sends an analogue call over an Internet connection. A VoIP device is connected to your data network and has an IP address. This allows a telephone exchange to find your VoIP device.

The first calls that VoIP was used for were international calls because of the cost savings that could be made by using the bandwidth available internationally. For example, individuals would often use VoIP to call a distant cousin in America, so providers started converting international calls to digital so that they could be sent over the internet rather than the usual expensive phone lines.

The biggest advantage of VoIP telephony is that you no longer need an on-site PBX, but can use an online VoIP PBX located in a data centre. This saves on capital expenditure and is much easier to use.

We specialise in companies with multiple (international) branches. We automatically distribute calls based on postcode or area code and turn all branches into 1 call group.

The new form of business communication is VoIP telephony. There is no more analogue telephony, everything is now digital or 'voice over IP'.

To make VoIP calls, you need a VoIP phone. If you want to make calls with a headset, install a software-based phone on your desktop computer and connect a headset to it. You then have a full phone. This is often done in call centres or in the office for employees who receive more than 5 calls per hour. It also leaves your hands free to take orders and use the software.

If you have a separate business number, we can forward it to your mobile. Calls can then be made from the browser or your mobile phone. This way you are not dependent on a working internet connection.

We give you a username and password so you can connect any device to our PBX. The brand does not matter to us. If you want us to help you, we prefer the Yealink brand. This is because we have the comprehensive tools to read and manage phones remotely.

You will need a SIP account or VoIP account for your VoIP device to log in and connect. Just contact us and we will get it for you directly and you will be connected.

Yes, we can give you a nice phone number with all the features without having to use VoIP telephony or new mobile phones.

Activate a demo phone number immediately.
Create your phone team.
And start receiving calls within 10 minutes!


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Some Happy Belfabriek telephony customers: