An IP phone leverages VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, enabling users to make and receive calls using an internet connection. This modern alternative to traditional landline technology, which typically relies on a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) system, offers highly flexible business solutions by allowing organizations to make calls over the internet.
IP phones can also function as conference phones, facilitating communication across an organization through the web. These VoIP phones convert analog voice signals into digital data packets and transmit them over a broadband line.
There are two types of IP phones: purpose-built and software-based. Purpose-built VoIP phones resemble traditional conference phones but connect via the internet. Software-based IP phones can be used with desktops, notebooks, and mobile devices, requiring hardware such as a headset or microphone to operate over the internet.
For optimal performance, consider IP phones from top brands like Cisco, Polycom, 3Com, Ubiquiti, HP, Dell, Panasonic, and Mitel Networks.