| What is an SIP phone? This is a piece of hardware | | | | need to put a caller on hold or transfer a call many |
| that is used with SIP and VOIP offered by your | | | | phones with SIP allow for this as well. These types of |
| service provider. In some cases, these are special | | | | phones offer a wide variety of different features and |
| phones that are designed specifically to work with this | | | | services, usually at a much cheaper cost than your |
| type of technology. | | | | traditional telephone service, which makes it very |
| They are designed to appear exactly the same to | | | | appealing to many people. |
| your traditional telephone, rather cordless or otherwise, | | | | The only real disadvantages to SIP phones is that in |
| and have the same exact workings, with the | | | | most cases, you will need to have some sort of |
| exception of the type of protocols that it uses or | | | | internet access, usually high speed, in order for the |
| accepts. | | | | telephone features to work. However, some |
| These phones have the same workings as traditional | | | | companies allow for you to call within your local |
| telephones. They have the ability to use caller ID | | | | network, without internet access. Furthermore, with |
| features, in which the telephone number of the caller is | | | | most phones of this type, if you lose power, you will |
| displayed on the telephone. At the same time, it may | | | | lose the ability to use the telephone as well, unlike |
| be caller ID name enabled as well, in which not only the | | | | traditional telephone service, in which the telephone still |
| caller's number is displayed, but also their name, so you | | | | functions, even when the power is out. |
| can see exactly who is calling, before you answer the | | | | If you are looking for a low cost, cheaper way of using |
| telephone. | | | | your phone and taking advantage of the same general |
| SIP phones work great for businesses as well, | | | | features, SIP phone just might be the way for you to |
| because they generally have the ability to handle calls | | | | go. Get the same features as you would with your |
| in which multiple parties participate, such as three way | | | | traditional telephone service, for less money and sit |
| calling, as well as conference calling as well. If you | | | | back to enjoy the savings. |