VoIP is a technology useful for both consumers and businesses, as it typically includes other features that can’t be found on common phone services. These features can include call recording, custom caller ID, or voicemail to e-mail. It is also helpful to organizations as a way to unify communications.

The process works similarly to a regular phone, but VoIP uses an internet connection instead of a telephone company’s wiring. VoIP is enabled by a group of technologies and methodologies used to deliver voice communications over the internet, including enterprise local area networks or wide area networks.

A VoIP service will convert a user’s voice from audio signals to digital data, then send that data through the internet.

If another user is calling from a regular phone number, the signal is converted back to a telephone signal before it reaches that user.

VoIP can also perform routing of incoming and outgoing calls through existing telephone networks. However, some VoIP services may only work over a computer or VoIP phone. VoIP consolidates communication technologies into one unified system — meaning that VoIP can allow for a number of audio, video or text-based communication methods.

This can be particularly useful for businesses, so teams don’t have to work with multiple different applications to communicate with one another effectively.