A VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) environment needs many interacting components to work properly. Familiarizing yourself with these common terms can help you gain a better understanding of the Sipelia™ module.
- dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF)
- Dual-tone multifrequency is the standard for the audible signal that is sent to the phone company once a key is pressed on a telephone keypad. There is an audible tone to represent each digit on a keypad.
- IP phone
- An Internet Protocol (IP) phone is a device that is used to make and receive calls over the Internet. An IP phone can use any of the existing communication standards or protocols, such as SIP, to transmit calls across a network. Although an IP phone can look like a traditional phone, an IP phone is not connected to a phone-line jack found in typical POTS installations; an IP phone is connected to a router or RJ-45 Ethernet connector.
- plain old telephone system (POTS)
- The plain old telephone system (POTS) is the basic form of telephone service that is used by most homes and businesses worldwide. Apart from being a different technology, what separates a non-POTS service from a POTS service is speed and bandwidth. POTS is also known as the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
- private branch exchange (PBX)
- A private branch exchange (PBX) is a private phone network that is used within a company. A PBX is a switching station that is used to connect many internal phone extensions to one outside line, thereby making it more efficient and cost effective for companies to adopt a phone system. In a company that uses a PBX network, incoming calls are redirected by the PBX to one or more internal extensions within the same enterprise.
- IP private branch exchange (IP PBX)
- An IP PBX is a private branch exchange (telephone switching system within an enterprise) that switches calls between VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol or IP) users on local lines while allowing all users to share a certain number of external phone lines.
- SIP trunking
- SIP trunking is the process of using VoIP technology to connect existing PBX systems to other PBX systems. SIP trunking replaces traditional phone trunks with an IP network and consolidates voice, data, and video into a single trunk (or line). SIP trunking ensures a more reliable communication service and cost reductions.
- softphone
- A softphone is a software for managing inbound and outbound calls over a network, using your computer rather than a phone. Softphones are designed to simulate the functions found on traditional phones. Also known as SIP client.
- Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
- Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the technology for routing two-way voice and video communications over the web or other IP networks.