How does VoIP Work?

Regular phone calls use traditional telephony networks, connecting you directly to the person you’re calling. In contrast, VoIP calls work differently.

VoIP calls turn your voice into digital files (data packets). This change from analog to digital is usually done by an IP Phone or a computer/smartphone app using codecs. These codecs compress the voice, making it ready to send online. While you can use a traditional phone with an ATA box for VoIP, it may limit VoIP features.

Once your voice is in digital form, it’s sent using the internet. You could be calling someone in the same office or across the world. For added security, these voice data packets are often sent encrypted with the Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol.