IP Phones

IP phones are a special type of desktop phone that can be used with a business VoIP PBX system. 

An IP phone uses Voice over IP technology allowing phone calls to be made over an IP network such as the internet instead of the old-fashioned system. An IP phone is different from a regular phone in that it connects to a signal via an Ethernet port like a computer instead of a standard telephone which connects via a phone cord. When calling other IP phones users typically only pay for the usual fixed cost of internet bandwidth unlike the costs associated with traditional dialing.

Philips VOIP1511B/37 Skype Travel Phone

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Polycom SoundStation2 Expandable Conference Phone (2200-16200-001)

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Polycom Soundpoint Pro SE-225 2-Line Professional Conference Phone with Caller ID

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TalkSwitch TS-9133i IP Phone Charcoal

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IP phones can be used to create a pure IP PBX system or converged network (voice and data on one network), where all data is digital and sent via the Internet. IP phones are usually used in a business environment, where there is a hardwired Ethernet.

IP Phone Basics

VoIP phones are highly advanced hardware components, with built-in features to leverage compatibility and functionality with an IP PBX and the company LAN or WAN. IP phones convert the analog voice signal to digital packets right in the handset, using included software. IP phones feature multiple codecs and can support various transport protocols such as SIP or the proprietary Cisco protocol, SCCP.

Softphones, VoWiFi, and USB VoIP Phones

Some IP phones are actual software programs (softphones) installed on the computer desktop, with dialing interfaces that emulate traditional desktop sets. VoIP softphones eliminate the need for costly handsets, and also make hot desking even simpler, as the phone profile is mapped to the network login.

VoIP phones can also be VoWiFi phones, or Voice over WiFi, that tap into the corporate LAN or WAN. Mobile phones using VoWiFi act like portable landlines for employees, such as IT professionals, who are rarely in one fixed location on the corporate campus.

While most desktop IP phones plug into the Ethernet using the RJ45 cable, some VoIP phones can be connected to the computer using the USB port. These USB IP phones are usually used in residential or SoHo VoIP situations (without a hardwired Ethernet network), with VoIP softphone programs such as Skype. USB IP phones generally require device driver installation, offer lower performance, and are less reliable — but they are also typically less expensive than fully-featured IP phones.

IP Phone Advantages: Wiring and Local Phone Calls

While standard handsets can be used with a hybrid PBX system (with the assistance of an ATA adapter, gateway, or SIP trunking), they still use traditional phone jacks and wiring and legacy PSTN infrastructure. IP phones plug directly into the company Ethernet, either by wall outlet or via the computer.

IP phones can be used on an analog system with a hosted VoIP PBX (using a VoIP gateway to convert analog signals to digital signals), but most of the technical advantages are lost, and IP phones are also somewhat more expensive than basic analog handsets. VoIP phones are best when used on a fully converged network using an IP PBX.

With IP phones on the company LAN for extension-to-extension calls and a VoIP provider handling external calls, the PSTN is completely eliminated — and so is the cost of local phone calls.

Hot Desking and Click-to-Call

Unlike a standard phone, VoIP phones are configured with the employee's profile information using the onboard software. In this way, the phone can easily be used for "hot desking" — that is, taking the phone to a new location, such as a conference room or a new cubicle, and having the same extension and information at the ready (no need for rewiring or patches). Network configuration settings usually support Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) or Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP).

With direct Ethernet connections and personal profiles configured for each VoIP phone, IP phones offer conveniences such as Outlook and browser integration and click-to-call functionality.

IP Phone Disadvantages

IP phones are usually more expensive than traditional analog handsets or even softphones, because they are hard components with sophisticated built-in software.

Some VoIP phone handsets draw their power from the Ethernet (PoE), but many need a separate power source or a PoE switch or injector installed on the network.

IP phones may also:

• Impact bandwidth consumption
• Be more susceptible to network attacks
• Offer poor performance on high-latency networks such as satellite Internet
• Not work well with proprietary codecs
• Be affected by Internet congestion

Major IP Phone Manufacturers

Manufacturers of IP phones include tech industry giant Cisco and entry-level VoIP phone specialist Grandstream. Other major names are:

• Yealink
• snom
• Aastra
• Polycom
• TalkSwitch
• Panasonic
• Linksys

IP Phone Reviews

It can be challenging to determine the IP phone that's right for your needs. Luckily, there are a lot of sites — from CNET to Amazon — that feature IP phone reviews to help you with your VoIP phone selection.

Before you start looking at IP phone models (and there are a lot), you should probably sit down and assess your needs. There are a lot of factors that go into the decision to buy IP phones. Here's a short list of things to identify before scouring the IP phone review pages:

• Price
• Compatibility (codecs and protocols)
• Usage (receptionist vs. sales staff, executive vs. conference room)
• Call types (internal, inbound, outbound, long distance, international)

Once these kinds of details have been determined, looking at IP phone review pages is probably the next step.