VoIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol that describes the method and technologies to place and receive phone calls over the internet. VOIP converts the voice into a digital signal, compresses it and sends it over the internet allowing you to make a call directly from a computer, a VoIP phone, or other VoIP enabled devices.

In core, there are three types of VoIP Service: In-house, hosted and hybrid.

·         In-house VoIP Systems - These can be found in the very large down to the small business. For instance VoIP apps like Zoom, Viber, and WhatsApp

·         Hosted VoIP systems – It is a type of internet-based telephony communication service offered and managed by a third-party provider to a business or client structure.

·         Hybrid VoIP systems - Hybrid VoIP allows internet telephony and  normal telephone networks to be used simultaneously without investing in all new hardware and infrastructure.

Lists of 10 best VoIP providers

Ring Central

Ooma

Nextiva

8x8

Dialpad

Aircall

Mitel

NetFortris

Line 2

Grasshopper

Advantages of VoIP

Cost – The cost is low as compared to public switched telephony network

All-in-one-solution – Accessibility, portability, scalability, supports multitasking

Increased security

Disadvantages of VoIP

The main disadvantage of VoIP compared to traditional lines is that it is totally dependent on the strength of your broadband connection. Poor internet connection can also affect call quality.

No location tracking for emergency calls

Older devices with slower processors and limited RAM may not be able to support VoIP calls.

Security threat to VoIP

SPIT (Spamming over Internet Telephony)

Call tampering

Man-in-the-middle attack

Denial of Service (DOS) attack

Virus and malware attack

Vishing, Phishing and Phreaking

Eavesdropping