| The invention of normal telephones is perhaps one of | | | | for those who have to manage many phone numbers |
| those landmarks in the history of information | | | | and names of the clients whom they have to call. |
| technology that has opened vast avenues, and | | | | IP-phones have an added advantage of storing |
| horizons to the telecommunication world. It bridged | | | | personal and network-based directories in their |
| distances of miles and miles, and contributed in | | | | IP-phone system. Other features like call holding, call |
| converting our world in to a global village. Trade and | | | | transfer, multi party call etc. are more or less, the same |
| business expanded due to telecommunication facilities | | | | as normal phones, but these features are relatively low |
| provided nationwide as well as internationally. | | | | in cost. |
| Internet took over the corporate world, and our | | | | Since IP calls are traversed on the internet, these can |
| everyday lives by a storm. Internet protocol, also | | | | also be used to check out weather reports, stock |
| known as IP, became the basis of transfer of | | | | exchange, school, office attendance, and live news. |
| information worldwide. IP-phones are a relatively | | | | Normal phones do not offer these packages. |
| innovation in the IT world. These work very much like | | | | Apparently, to some extent IP-phones seem a better |
| ordinary phones, but they use an IP network like | | | | alternate to normal phones, but these have their own |
| internet in order to make calls. They employ voice | | | | set of disadvantages as well. |
| over IP technology, instead of the typical PSTN | | | | The main task of an IP-phone, or any other VoIP, |
| system. IP-phones can also be used within an intranet | | | | technology is to convert analog audio signals to digital |
| of a company or organisation. | | | | data, so that it can be transferred through the |
| An IP-phone is different from a normal phone in certain | | | | broadband internet, and vice versa. Sometimes, either |
| ways. Though both serve more or less the same | | | | due to poor signals, or power outages, IP phones give |
| purpose, but IP-phones are gaining popularity especially | | | | a very poor voice quality, it may drop calls, or it may |
| in the corporate world. It has made video conferencing | | | | not work at all. In such circumstances, if you do not |
| easier, and cheaper. Long- distance calls made on an | | | | have a regular phone standby, your business |
| IP-phone are very economical as compared to the | | | | conference can be ruined. |
| normal phones. | | | | Similarly, IP phones do not work well with satellite |
| One needs to remember the phone numbers, or the | | | | internet or high latency internet connections. IP |
| names of the person/party they are calling, when using | | | | networks in residential areas are jammed or blocked, |
| their normal phones, or cell phones. IP-phones give you | | | | therefore they are not considered better alternatives in |
| the option to develop caller Ids that can be typed in to | | | | such cases either. |
| make a phone call. This is a very convenient feature | | | | |