How To Choose The Right Kind Of VoIP Phone

When you choose to sign up for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service, you may need to make the choice between several different types of phones. This article presents a brief overview some of the latest USB VoIP phones, cordless IP phones and wireless Wi-Fi IP phones and then qualities to watch for when choosing one.

Brief Overview
A “hard” phone is a physical device that looks much like a regular telephone except that it understands IP and some other protocols and plugs into the IP data network, not a regular phone jack. These phones cost and can be purchased from vendors like Cisco.

A “softphone” is a software application that runs on your PC. It works in conjunction with Internet access, a microphone, sound card and speakers. Some big name softphone companies are Tellme are Gizmo Project and Counterpath’s X-Lite.

While most VoIP phones need you to be connected to your PC via a USB cable, a cordless VoIP phone allows you to walk around, transmitting via a wireless signal. The phone can be used for either PC-to-PC or PC-to-Phone calling.

Wireless Wi-Fi IP phones are also called Wireless Fidelity and WiFi. Wi-Fi (short for “wireless fidelity”) is a term for certain types of wireless local area network (WLAN); Wi-Fi was created by an organization called the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Qualities To Watch For When Choosing an IP Phone
The amount of features and benefits and the degree of each offered per phone, help determine price and value. So check to see which features come with models that interest you, to see if you are getting good quality for the price. Top features and benefits to look for include:

- Voice quality is good and loud enough; no echoes
- Speaker phone capabilities; again no echoes
- 3 way conference call capability
- Speed dial – that works well!
- Readable LED display
- Documentation should be easy to read and understand
- Efficient operation (i.e. not slow)
- User-unfriendly web page
- Fair price for value
- Good looks for good quality phone (i.e. no poorly-built, cheap buttons that you need to hit with hammer to activate)
- Equipment works with firewall intact
- Good configuration, functionality, stability, and codec support (for example, it shouldn’t need constant rebooting or maintenance)

Learn what you can about VOIP service and phones, because VOIP today means a choice between several different types of phones. Before you rush out and choose one of the latest USB VoIP phones, cordless IP phones or wireless Wi-Fi IP phones, check out the features and benefits offered, read online reviews, and then choose qualities that you want to work for you.