| VoIP technology is a one way of sending a voice | | | | process. Their voice is transformed from analog to |
| signal also known as an analog signal in a medium | | | | digital when it gets to the PSTN/internet connection. |
| which is digital, i.e, the internet. In practice, the process | | | | The digital packets are sent to the analog telephone |
| works like this when you have a standard analog | | | | adapter at your location where they are converted |
| telephone attached to your high speed internet | | | | back into an audible or analog signal to be able to |
| connection with VoIP service. There will be an analog | | | | perceive the voice as that of your caller. |
| telephone adapter or ATA between the phone and | | | | The technology to do the conversion from analog to |
| the computer. | | | | digital and back again has been around as long as |
| In order to place what would normally be a long | | | | digital electronics. For example, your PC sound card |
| distance call to a person who doesn't have VoIP | | | | converts digital CD information to analog signal needed |
| service you key in the number you want. The analog | | | | by the speakers on your computer. The difficult part of |
| telephone adapter converts the touch tones into a | | | | the VoIP technology is the necessity to smoothly |
| digital format. The digital phone number is sent by the | | | | transmit the digital data over the internet and |
| analog telephone adapter to the VoIP routing system | | | | reassemble it in a continuous stream. This is know as |
| at the service provider's location. The VoIP service | | | | the protocol. |
| provider is located on the internet as well. | | | | When listening to voice transmission, there can be no |
| The VoIP service provider's routing system identifies | | | | gaps in the stream of digital packets or the voices will |
| the recipient's location and sends the call to the Public | | | | not be understandable. This part of the technology has |
| Switched Telephone Network (PTSN) at that location. | | | | only recently been available, but is actually equal or |
| The phone rings at the other end and the conversation | | | | better in quality than you get with standard telephone |
| can begin. Each time you speak, the analog to digital | | | | networks. |
| converter in the analog telephone adapter changes the | | | | The equipment available today that uses VoIP |
| voice tones into packets of digital information that can | | | | technology can be an analog telephone adapter for |
| be transmitted across the internet. When the VoIP | | | | your head set through the computer. There are a few |
| service meshes with the Public Switched Telephone | | | | VoIP phones that act like a regular analog telephone |
| Network at the recipient's end, the digital packets | | | | but have the ATA incorporated into the phone. It's |
| which are the voice tones from you get turned back | | | | actually a small dedicated personal computer in your |
| into an analog signal so that you recipient of your call | | | | telephone. These VoIP phones can be plugged into the |
| can understand what you are saying. | | | | computer with high speed internet connection or into |
| The reverse process, i.e. the transmission of what the | | | | the router. |
| other person says to you is a mirror image of the first | | | | |