Getting To Know VoIP Terminology And Acronyms

VoIP offers a more efficient and cost-effective way to phone and fax. It taps into the technological benefits offered by the Internet to provide enhanced services and features that traditional phone lines cannot. A good place to start to fully embrace the benefits of VoIP is its terminology and commonly used acronyms. VoIP, for example, is an acronym for Voice Over Internet Protocol. It is the means of routing phone calls and faxes over the Web or an Internet based network. VoIP also goes by other names, among them Internet or IP Telephony, Voice over Broadband and Broadband Phone.

Here is a handy reference for understanding other commonly used VoIP terms.

Analog Telephone Adaptor (ATA) - This is a VoIP adaptor that enables you to use your VoIP phone with a fax machine that uses traditional phone lines.

Bandwidth - This is a number that represents the frequency range of your Internet connection. T-1 lines, cable and DSL are all types of Internet access that provide the high speed necessary for sending and receiving faxes via VoIP.

Broadband - The connection that transmits data over the Internet at a high rate of speed. Broadband service is necessary in order to use VoIP.

DHCP - Stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol and enables devices like computers, routers and network adapters to request the IP address from a server.

FOIP - The acronym for Fax over IP which is the process for sending and receiving faxes through a VoIP network.

G.711, G.726, G.729 - These are standards and codes that represent how data is compressed for phone and fax communication.

Hub - A device that distributes data between various hardware components, such as a VoIP set top box, fax machine and computer.

IP - Stands for Internet Protocol, the method by which information is sent using the Internet.

IP-PBX - A digital phone system traditionally used by businesses who use VoIP for phone service and faxing. It switches voice and data communications from analog phone lines to digital.

ISDN - Means Integrated Services Digital Network and is a type of telephone network system that provides digital transmission of voice and data over standard analog telephone lines.

ISP - Short for Internet Service Provider, it is a company that provides VoIP service. Also known as VoIP service provider.

Local Number Portability - Also referred to simply as LNP, it enables you to transfer your current fax number to a VoIP service provider.

MGCP - Short for Media Gateway Control Protocol, it is used when faxing file attachments and other media via VoIP.

Set Top Box - A device that makes access to VoIP services possible.

T38 - A protocol that does the necessary conversion for sending a fax over a computer data network via VoIP.

TCP/IP - Short for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, it sets the protocols under which the Internet sends data and other communications.

Virtual Number - Also called VN, it’s a fax number that a user can obtain without having a local presence in a particular area code, region, or country.

VoIP Gateway - The interface responsible for converting faxes that are sent over VoIP into data that can be accepted by a Public System Telephone Network (PSTN) or traditional phone lines.