VoIP Phone Equipment: What You Need To Use A VoIP Phone Service

To use a VOIP phone service, you need the right equipment to allow you to place and receive phone calls via your internet connection. Depending on what you use and how you use it, your setup could be as simple as connecting a headset to your PC or it could be a complete set of network equipment including phone adapters and routers.

Before you start, be sure that you have a high speed internet connection, such as DSL or Cable. Once you have a high speed internet connection, there are several equipment choices you can choose from:

Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA)

Commonly called a phone adapter or VOIP adapter, an ATA acts as a hardware interface between a digital VoIP line and an analog PSTN telephone system. In other words, an ATA allows you to plug a standard telephone into your internet connection and use your VOIP phone service.

Depending on the type of ATA you choose, it may connect via an Ethernet cable directly to your broadband modem or router, or it may plug in to your computer via USB.

VoIP Routers

A router is a computer networking device that basically allows you to plug multiple computers or other devices into the same internet connection. (Routers have other functions, too, but they do not pertain to VOIP.). Most routers allow you to connect your computer via an ethernet cable, or via a wireless connection, if the router is a wireless router.

A VOIP router is a special type of router which has an ATA adapter built into it, allowing you to plug your phone directly into the router. So you would plug your standard telephone and your computer into your router, then you would plug your router into your modem.

PC Headsets

Some VOIP phone services, usually called softphone, are designed so that you use your computer to send and receive calls. To use a softphone VOIP service, you will need a computer headset with a microphone. This will allow you to hear the phone conversation as well as speak.

PC Handsets

Getting a PC handset is another way you can use your computer to make VOIP phonecalls. PC Handsets are very similar in appearance to telephones but they are connected to your computer through a sound card or the USB. Handsets work in tandem with a softphone, letting you use VoIP via your computer more comfortably.

Either of these four equipment choices will allow you to use a VOIP phone service. The most popular choices are the VOIP router or the ATA, since they allow you to use a normal telephone, but many people, especially travelers, choose one of the computer based options.