Nov 5 2022
The traditional landline has long been gone, but phones are far from obsolete. Voice Over Internet Protocol or VoIP combines the technology of the telephone with the internet. The result is a new, reliable way to talk on an office or home phone, complete with advanced features like voice mail, call forwarding, calling directly from mobile devices and computers, and a lot more.
When powered by fast and cheap internet from providers like Comwave, VoIP phones allow you to stay connected reliably, thanks to crystal clear call quality. Do you know the history of VoIP phones? Knowing about its beginnings can help you better understand how VoIP works, and how you can get the best out of it.
Are you thinking of bringing back your home phone? Learn about the history of VoIP phones and find out how they work with Comwave home internet.
Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is a calling technology powered by the internet. VoIP works by transmitting audio, coded as data packets, from one IP address to another. It was first developed in 1995 as a workaround for long-distance and international calling.
Since VoIP relies on an internet connection rather than a landline, it makes calling across regions and countries much cheaper. With VoIP, all you need is a compatible phone, powered by a fast and reliable internet service and a VoIP phone plan. As a result, you can take advantage of feature-rich communications supported by voicemail, call forwarding, auto attendant, call routing, conference calling, Enhanced 911 calling, and a lot more.
VoIP calling was pioneered by Marian Croak, an engineer who worked at AT&T. As a Women in Technology International Hall of Fame inductee, Croak holds over 200 patents, along with several awards. She was also the force behind the technology that enabled monetary donations via text message. Croak is credited as one of the inventors of VoIP and the fundamentals of this communication system.
Marian Croak’s invention of VoIP hails from a long history of innovations in communication systems. Since VoIP combines two technologies—the telephone and the internet—it’s helpful to understand the beginnings of each and how they have evolved, ultimately resulting in Voice Over IP.
Alexander Graham Bell is often credited as the inventor of the telephone, but did you know that prior developments by English philosopher Robert Hooke were also instrumental? Hooke’s Audio Transfer Device, created in 1667, used a string telephone instrument to transmit sound waves using mechanical vibrations.
Nearly 200 years later in 1809, Samuel Thomas von Sommering invented the electrochemical telegraph, ultimately resulting in the transatlantic telegraph cable. By 1876, Bell invented the telephone, which gained wide recognition and reinvented communication.
The decades that followed the invention of the telephone were characterized by further technological advancements. In 1966, Fumitada Itakura and Shuzo Saito proposed the use of linear predictive coding (LPC) to convert speech into digital signals, which became the basis for VoIP. A few decades prior, AT&T and the Western Electric Company founded the Bell Laboratory where VoIP inventor Marian Croak began her career in 1982.
Did you know that we have advances in military technology for the invention of the internet? It was first developed as ARPANET in 1969, a packet-switching network that used the IP network protocol communications suite.
These developments were all crucial to the invention of VoIP phones. In 1974, the first VoIP phone call was made connected through the ARPANET. While the audio was notably clunky and full of static, this was still a major triumph for VoIP, one that would pave the way for the crystal clear call quality that it’s known for today.
By the 1990s, VoIP quickly followed the internet in making its way to businesses. Commercial phone systems required advanced functions to keep up with rapidly evolving market needs. At the same time, the search for fast, reliable, and cheap internet also took off, with the internet keeping businesses and homes increasingly connected.
While VoIP was first introduced as a way to cut down on long-distance calling rates, it quickly became a powerful technology that supported essential communications. It didn’t take long before VoIP phone plans came on the market as consumer-ready applications. Today, with fast and cheap home internet being more accessible, as well as the development of modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) codec that makes it easier to send audio online, VoIP call quality has been reliable.
As a home phone, VoIP plans are also equipped with affordable international calling rates, call forwarding and routing, and Enhanced 911 calling. While internet outages affect the ability to call, E911 does have advanced capabilities compared to traditional 911 calling. Since E911 calls are routed to your VoIP phone operator, they can dispatch emergency crews directly to your listed home address, which enables a faster response.
As internet connectivity continues to advance, VoIP phone calls are expected to improve even more. The advent of 5G networks and their potential integration with AI are poised to enrich the current capabilities of VoIP, resulting in faster and more stable communication combined with analytics and automation. With a reliable internet provider like Comwave combined with a VoIP home phone plan, you’ll enjoy talking on the phone and staying connected at cheaper prices.
If the evolution of VoIP business and home phones has taught us anything, it’s that talking on the phone isn’t a thing of the past. Even better, there are new and better ways to talk and get the most out of every call. From advanced call management features to emergency calling and affordable long-distance rates, VoIP home phone plans are guaranteed to keep you connected where it matters most.
And the best part? When your VoIP phone is powered by fast and cheap Comwave internet, you’ll always be able to count on crystal-clear call quality. You’ll never miss a call, thanks to advanced call features. Get the best of a reliable home phone with a Comwave VoIP plan.
Are you thinking of getting a home phone plan? Get the all-new VoIP home phone from Comwave, powered by fast and cheap internet. Make it a bundle for more savings!
Comwave is Canada’s largest independent communications company, offering home internet, TV and phone services at some of the best prices in Canada.
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