Every advantage helps when you’re trying to offer better services than the competition, and a modern approach to telephony might be the edge you’re looking for. Want cheaper yet better-sounding calls, streamlined caller redirection, and the flexibility to take advantage of these features without being tethered to a landline? Then, you need VoIP.
What is VoIP, though? How can you benefit from it, and how can you use the new technology responsibly? Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is VoIP?
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, an advanced communication technology that lets you make phone calls—and much more—over the Internet instead of using a regular landline.
All you need to start is a VoIP service provider, a router, and a device you’ll use to make calls. Physical VoIP phones are a popular choice, as are Bluetooth headsets, especially for remote workers. However, you can also set up a so-called softphone in the form of a mobile or desktop app or even use browser plugins. This makes the technology easy and cost-effective to adopt for individuals and businesses alike.
How Does It Work?
The basics of VoIP and traditional telephony are similar. However, instead of relying on a phone company’s copper infrastructure, you’re transferring audio over the Internet.
Specifically, dialing a number directs the call to your VoIP provider, which establishes contact with the other party. The audio you generate gets converted into data packets that are sent over the Internet and converted back to an analog signal, which even traditional phones can interpret as usual. Since data is involved, you may also make video calls, send messages, or exchange files.
What Are the Advantages?
Switching over to VoIP comes with several major advantages for individual and business use. Reduced cost is a prime example, as companies that adopted the technology claim up to 75% lower telephony-related expenses. Long-distance calls are especially cheap through VoIP.
Call clarity is another major draw. Even though VoIP uses specialized codecs to compress data packets and have them use less bandwidth, the decompressed audio the person on the other end of the line hears is of a much higher quality compared to traditional phones.
Advanced features abound even if you’re only interested in the telephony aspect. VoIP lets users record calls and set up queues or conference calls. It’s also possible to set up an automated system that redirects callers to appropriate departments.
Scaling VoIP access is effortless since you only need to create new accounts or terminate old ones. VoIP also integrates with third-party software like CRMs, business communication tools, and analytics platforms.
Are there any Security Risks?
As with any internet-connected digital technology, using VoIP does carry some risks. However, you can mitigate these with attentiveness and adequate cybersecurity precautions.
For example, voice phishing or vishing is a common threat. The attackers pose as representatives of a bank, your VoIP provider, or other trustworthy organizations you’re likely to cooperate with. They claim there’s a problem you have to resolve by confirming your credentials or providing financial account information that then gets stolen and abused.
Someone may also target your company’s network infrastructure with a DDoS attack that disrupts services and makes VoIP features unavailable. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in VoIP infrastructure or connected devices to deploy malware or ransomware. These attacks can compromise systems, disrupt operations, or encrypt crucial files, potentially leading to ransom demands.
How to Overcome Them?
Individuals who use VoIP need to be aware of related social engineering scams. Companies that implement it should educate their employees to recognize and report such attempts. Other than that, here are some security measures that you should consider encouraging:
- Use VPNs. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) help encrypt VoIP calls and data transmissions. A iOS VPN creates a secure tunnel for your internet traffic. In a way, it protects you against eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks that could compromise your VoIP communications. This is especially crucial when using VoIP over public Wi-Fi networks or when employees work remotely.
- Create strong passwords. Another point is knowing how stolen credentials let attackers misuse your VoIP infrastructure and access sensitive data like call logs and user information. That’s why it’s imperative to protect VoIP accounts with strong and unique passwords. You can do this at scale by having a password manager generate and store secure VoIP credentials inside its vault. When choosing a password manager we recommend checking NordPass free vs premium options, to know which features are worth it for you.
- Benefit from a data removal service. These services help minimize your digital footprint by removing personal information from data broker websites and public databases. If you reduce the amount of personal data available online, you make it harder for attackers to gather information for social engineering attacks or targeted vishing campaigns against your VoIP users.
While these precautions will improve your defenses against various attacks, they are not foolproof. So, even if you take measures to protect yourself, you should always be on the lookout for dangers.
Conclusion
VoIP is undoubtedly the future of telephony, and you may be curbing your business’s growth potential by not embracing it. Take appropriate security measures, find a reliable VoIP service provider, and start benefiting from the quality and abundant features the technology makes possible.
