SIP Vs. VOIP, What’s The Difference?: An Introduction On The Two Technologies And Their Main Differences To Choose What’s Best For You

10 July 2023

Reaching out to people online has evolved to go beyond text and voice modes. And although they remain relevant today especially for businesses (thus the growing relevance of virtual number providers like Telnum), we’ve also become accustomed to the more advanced video communication.

And as easy as it may be for us to use these technologies today, choosing which ones to help you make these happen – at least on an organizational level – is still hard. If you’re not directly working in an industry related to internet technology, you may not have an idea of what would be in your best business interest.

That’s why we’ll dedicate this post to educating you on the difference between the two most thrown around acronyms today: SIP and VOIP. Many people think they’re one and the same, but as you’ll find out, it’s not the case at all.

An Introduction To SIP

Also known as Session Initiated Protocol, SIP is a timeless technology that makes communication through the internet possible. The main thing it does is create signals to start different points of online messaging.

Other protocols are used on top of it, but you can think of it as the foundations of a house – although you also need other materials to complete the whole thing, it’s the one thing that any house cannot be without.

It doesn’t do anything with the information created during the process but just uses it as a signal to send media, time, and session description.

An Introduction To VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is nothing but a broad term to refer to the action of calling using the internet instead of through wired phones or cellphones.

Because it’s made through the internet, you need an internet connection to make this happen. That’s it, really. The intricacy that users are more concerned about is its two types:

Fixed

You can only get this type if there’s a physical location associated with it. For example, if your office is in Australia, your VoIP number should also have a Australian area code. But make no mistake, this would still require the internet.

Advantages

It’s more credible. Because you need to submit additional requirements to prove your ties to a physical location, scammers can’t use it without giving themselves up.
Stealing your number is practically impossible. You need your own cables to get it. So unless the scammer sneaks into your office to falsely represent your company, it’s not going to happen.

Disadvantages

The processing time is longer. Your chosen service provider would need to verify any information you submit, which will take some time.
International calls will be relatively more expensive. Because you can’t get a number outside your area, calling other places may incur additional charges.

Non-fixed

This is what people normally mean when they think of VoIP. You don’t need to provide proof of location, unlike with the first type.

Advantages

Get a number from any country. As long as the number’s available, you can get it. Just pay for it, and you’re good.
It’s easier to get. If you’re in a hurry, you’ll be glad to know that you can get it right away with no hassle.

Disadvantages

A scammer may use your number. Once you drop a number, someone else is free to get it after some time. If you’re unlucky, that someone else would use it and pretend to be you.
It’s used for fraud more often. And this means it’s not as trusted as the first type.

What Are Their Biggest Differences?

If you’re still confused about how they’re different, this would help further clarify matters. They’re different on these things:

Scope

VoIP is a much broader term that applies to anything that refers to communicating online. If it’s a tree, SIP would be one of its branches.

Types Of Media Supported

From the name itself, VoIP only supports voice communication. If you want to access other modes such as text, fax, and voice, you’ll need SIP.

Devices Used

VoIP phones need a computer in order to be functional. Meanwhile, SIP only needs a modem. So you can think of VoIP as something closer to the normal phone you already know.

How It Handles Traffic

The process itself is fairly complicated, but what you have to remember is SIP follows individual processing. Meanwhile, VoIP processes in bulk.

The latter comes with a risk of suboptimal performance because everything practically goes through one central channel. So when it becomes overwhelmed, the processing time gets longer, thus affecting the quality of calls made. But it comes with the advantage of being more secure.

VoIP doesn’t need to have SIP because other protocols may be used instead. But what you decide should be determined by your organization’s priorities and security considerations to have the best results possible.

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Abdul Aziz Mondol

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

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An Introduction to Voice Over IP (VoIP)

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a new technology that enables users to make voice or telephone calls through a broadband connection as opposed to the traditional phone line. VoIP services can vary as some of them only allow the user to call people on the same service, but you will also find many VoIP services that allow users to call telephone numbers across the world. This technology has revolutionized the way people communicate and has been a major boost to businesses. How VoIP works? In order for the calls to be successful, VoIP uses signals through a digital network, which routes communication across the internet or intranet. A signal is received through the VoIP system then coded to conform to internet protocols. This process uses two coding standards namely Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and H.323. The H.323 platform was developed some years ago and was purposed for video conferencing through ISDN telephone lines. It is considered outdated and requires more overhead costs, lacks modern features, and might not allow the flexibility you would enjoy with SIP. On the other hand, SIP includes an end-to-end server/client session signaling protocol, which is less complicated. Its programming is easier and it provides all the features that are required to enable VoIP communications to go through smoothly. It is a more reliable solution for voice communication. However, with the development of VoIP, there are few technical issues that have to be addressed including security, which is threatened by wiretapping and other vulnerabilities. Security may not be an issue if you are a small business with no sensitive data transferred over calls, but major players have to invest in additional features to prevent data leaking. The first step to security is ensuring a sound IP network connection. Accessibility : One of the reasons VoIP has become a major breakthrough is the fact it can be implemented much easier. You don’t need special equipment to use the service. As long as you have a PC and a webcam, you can use VoIP to communicate over calls, which include video calls. You can find different VoIP services that provide low rates and free services for client-to-client calling. The technology relies on existing infrastructure and does not demand additional costs to set up the functionality. This is the kind of technology used by Skype and other video calling services out there. Most of them have mobile apps that you can use on your smartphone to make calls for free. The VoIP trend : This is a relatively new technology that has managed to attain widespread acceptance and application. Although there’s still more improvement to come, it has been instrumental in supporting businesses and enterprises that require to make calls to clients without spending a lot. It is poised to replace the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). To help you understand how it could be beneficial to both businesses and individuals, below are some of its advantages that you could tap into. Advantages of VoIP : VoIP was introduced to offer access to voice communication, but it has grown and you can now do video calls over the internet. It is accessible across the world and you can easily reach users at any time of the day for free or for a small fee. If you are wondering how VoIP can benefit small business owners, there are many things the technology allows businesses to enjoy. Below are some of those benefits: Save money : If you are using the old phone line, each minute you speak costs money. You pay to use the service and when you don’t have the money you cannot communicate. However, VoIP takes away this cost as you need the internet to connect with users, and international calls are free unlike in the case of a packet-switched telephone network. This allows you to make business calls without the worry of additional overhead. More than voice : Another advantage of VoIP is that since it uses an Internet Protocol (IP), the technology allows you to share other media apart from voice. You are able to share images, videos, or text along with the voice. You can easily speak as you also send files and if both of you have a webcam, you could chat over a video call. This is a good step in business that enables the transfer of data at no cost quickly. Does VoIP work when it comes to RinglessVoicemail: There are many products and software in the industry when it comes to scanning, identifying, and blocking ringless voicemails. However, the effectiveness of ringless voicemail as a form of service is dependent on the features that the VoIP offers. Not all VoIP packages will help you when it comes to ringless voicemails. Banks, financial institutions, and automobile dealerships use these. Even though they offer businesses great marketing and selling advantages, they might have certain disadvantages as well. Useful features available : Using VoIP also allows you to benefit from its features, which can improve your experience. It could support your business and make communication better. For example, depending on the software you are using, you can access extra-virtual numbers, Voicemail, Contact Lists, and Caller ID, and you are able to make calls from anywhere in the world as long as you can access the internet. The development of VoIP has come as a major breakthrough in the way people communicate. This is a technology that relies on the internet to transmit calls. It has been especially pivotal in supporting business communications as you can use the service anywhere at no cost. The service gives useful features and could be used to share media like photos and videos. Read Also : Benefits Of Using Technology To Ace Your Physics Social Media Marketing Role In Technology Virtual Reality And Gaming Technology Innovation In 2017

The Benefits of Using PRINCE2 During Periods of Turmoil

In the past few years, the demand for software to help in effective Project Management has increased. With businesses trying to derive every ounce of productivity and efficiency, working with project management tools, platforms and software is something that all businesses strive to integrate. Successful Project Management can help a business organization in multiple ways. The major ones are- Improve coordination between the various teams and verticals responsible for execution and completion. Saving time and improving the final delivery to the customers in terms of effective time management. Cutting down on duplication of work and preventing wastages thereby contributing to a company’s bottom line. In this article, we look at one of the highest-rated Project Management software in the market right now, PRINCE2. We look at what makes it great and why your business should think about adopting this specific project management software. Many credible PRINCE2 course training modules are available on the market. PRINCE2: Meaning and Definition PRINCE2 has a long history dating back to 1975 when it was first conceptualized and implemented by the United Kingdom government for its project on Information Systems. It is an abbreviated version that stands for PROJECTS IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS. The current version that many of the leading names in the world of government and private businesses use first made its appearance in 1996. What is more surprising is the fact that even though it is software that is used by governments, it is also open for public use and exists in the public domain. The best thing about PRINCE2 is that it focuses on organization and coordination. It helps track where exactly you are in the project and the correspondent timelines and responsibilities that have been assigned. Roles and Responsibilities in PRINCE2: What you need to know When it comes to using the PRINCE2 software, one thing is certain- the primacy of the Project Manager. Being a project management software, it accords the maximum importance to the Project Manager. You can compare the overall access, the power of adding or removing individuals from the point of view of a Super Admin. The Project Manager selects the teams that will work on the project, sets the timelines according to the milestones that are to be reached and any other comments with regards to the specificities of the project. In addition to the Project Manager and the internal teams, PRINCE2 also allows for the clients to be given access. This has been done with the intention of making the clients aware of how far the project completion has progressed and acquainting them with the teams that are working on it. This helps save a lot of time and effort in terms of externally informing the client about the project status. The Project Board is another critical component of the PRINCE2 software. It helps put all the details, reports, and other items like problems and challenges that the project is likely to face. Features of PRINCE2 that make it an Excellent Project Management Software: In this section, we list down some of the major features that make PRINCE2 an attractive project management software. PRINCE2 comes with real-time tracking and updates that can allow one to exactly know the precise status of a project. This helps avoid confusion, saves the lie, and builds credibility for the organization leading the project. The software is equipped to show data and other information with the help of interactive and engaging charts, graphs, and progress bars. This helps break down the project completion and visually depict the same using graphs and charts. If you want, you can also use the PRINCE2 software as a work management tool. In other words, with so much remote work taking place, promoting coordination among the employees can be possible using the software. The Bottom Line: There is a reason why international governments and billion-dollar businesses use PRINCE2. It is simple, effective, and detailed in every sense of the term. It allows for better cross-team promotions, cuts inefficiency, and fosters collaboration to ensure projects are completed within their allotted timelines. Read Also: Tips to Choose the Best Inventory Management Software Grant Management Best Practices This Is Why Every Organization Should Invest in Job Management Software

Everything You Need to Know About Dedicated Server Hosting

Are you tired of sharing the same server with other websites? The number of visitors to your website is growing, and you fear that your website will slow down. Of course, you need more storage space as your website needs are outgrowing the present shared hosting plan. It’s time that you have thought about subscribing to dedicated server hosting. With a dedicated hosting plan, you can have entire server space for your eCommerce store or website and applications - it is dedicated to you exclusively. You don’t have to share your server and its resources with others. Instead, it allows your business to have an optimal workload and be in complete control of it. With several dedicated server hosting providers online, you can find a suitable one with the best plans for both managed and self-managed servers. Upgrading from shared hosting to dedicated server hosting offers ultimate experience, reliability, scalability, security, and high performance. What Is Dedicated Server Hosting? When you hire a physical server for your website to use to itself, you call it dedicated hosting. Other than not having to share the space with other websites, you don’t share the RAM, bandwidth, and disk space with others. You can optimize the server depending on your business needs. By choosing the best hosting provider, you can have the ultimate dedicated server power, which can deal with the heaviest workloads. They can also support you with advanced hardware and protection against malware for guaranteed performance. With dedicated hosting, you can choose any server management level, like managed, managed-pro, and self-managed. Through managed and managed-pro servers, the service provider takes care of the application installation, upgrades, backups, email configurations, patch management, and technical support. As with managed pro servers, you get additional services related to the customization of database software and installation of anti-malware tools. By opting for unmanaged hosting, you are provided only the initial software setup, and the rest of the things are managed by you based on your requirements. Some Benefits Of Choosing A Dedicated Server Plan Your business is developing and your website receiving more and more organic traffic. right? This is the right time to upgrade your hosting plan to a dedicated server for completer access to system resources and benefits. Some prominent benefits include: Overview: High speedInstall anything you wantHave advanced securityQuick scalability 1. High speed With a single-tenant infrastructure, your website will experience high speed. There are no other websites to slow down your website when there are traffic spikes. You also get to benefit from some hosting providers offering the fastest storage using SAS technology that spins the disk at 15000rpm. It helps load web pages ten times faster than before. Your website’s performance will affect when traffic spikes and if you fail to use an appropriate hosting service. With a dedicated server, you can easily deal with sudden traffic spikes and avoid site downtime and revenue loss. 2. Install anything you want With complete root-level access, you are permitted to install any plug-ins, library, applications, and server components. Thus you can change the hardware and software configurations by adding more storage space, processing power, and bandwidth and customize the server to suit your website requirements. 3. Have advanced security If you want customers to come again to your website, you need to ensure that your website is secure. Opting for a dedicated hosting service, you get to have advanced security. Most hosting service companies offer Distributed Denial of Services (DDoS) protection, which safeguards your online store or website from downtime. 4. Quick scalability A dedicated server allows you to shift to a larger server space, as well as a smaller space, seamlessly without moving files and reconfiguring applications. To conclude, if your business profits from shifting to a dedicated server, you should consider it. Additionals: SEO Website Design Tips for Small Businesses7 Advantages of Using Website Design TemplatesThe Beginners Guide To Dealing With Website DowntimeHow do you choose an SEO-friendly theme for your website?

SIP Vs. VOIP, What’s The Difference?: An Introduction On The Two Technologies And Their Main Differences To Choose What’s Best For You

An Introduction To SIP