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Simple, clear explanations of phone and VoIP terms. No technical mumbo-jumbo - just straightforward definitions that help you understand your business phone system.
Find terms organized by what you need to understand
Essential terms every business owner should know
How internet phone service works
Features that make your business phone system powerful
Terms related to business phone systems and management
Every term explained in plain English
A short number (like 101) that dials directly to someone's desk
Instead of giving out individual phone numbers for each employee, extensions let callers reach the right person by dialing a short number after calling your main business line. For example, "Press 1 for Sales" or "Dial 101 for John."
"Your main number is (816) 555-0100, and your sales team is extension 1"
Messages people can leave when you can't answer the phone
When you're busy or away from your desk, callers can leave a message that you can listen to later. Modern systems can also send these messages to your email as audio files, so you never miss important calls.
"Customer calls after hours and leaves a message about a service question"
Automatically sending your calls to another phone number
When you're out of the office, call forwarding sends your calls to your cell phone, home phone, or a colleague's phone. You can set this up so you never miss important business calls, even when you're not at your desk.
"Forward your office calls to your cell phone when working from home"
A phone call with multiple people talking together
Instead of separate calls with each person, conference calls let your team, customers, or partners all talk together at the same time. Modern systems make it easy to add people to calls or schedule conference meetings.
"Weekly team meeting with 5 people calling in from different locations"
Voice over Internet Protocol - making phone calls using your internet connection
Instead of using traditional phone lines, VoIP sends your voice as data over the internet (like email or web browsing). This typically costs less and offers more features than traditional phones, while maintaining the same call quality you're used to.
"Making a business call through your internet connection instead of a phone line"
Phone software that runs on your computer or mobile device
A softphone app turns your computer, tablet, or smartphone into a business phone. You can make and receive calls, check voicemail, and use all your business phone features without needing a physical desk phone.
"Using an app on your iPhone to make business calls with your office number"
Session Initiation Protocol - the "language" that VoIP phones use to communicate
Think of SIP as the behind-the-scenes technology that makes VoIP calls work. Just like your web browser uses HTTP to load websites, your VoIP phone uses SIP to make calls. You don't need to understand it - it just works.
"The technical standard that lets your desk phone talk to the VoIP system"
How much internet speed you need for clear phone calls
Each phone call uses a small amount of your internet connection (like streaming a song). Most businesses need about 100k per concurrent call. If you have 10 people on calls at once, you'd need about 1MB of bandwidth dedicated to phones.
"A typical business call uses less internet than watching a YouTube video"
The technology that compresses your voice for internet transmission
A codec converts your voice into data that can travel over the internet, then converts it back to voice on the other end. Different codecs balance call quality with internet usage - some use more bandwidth for better quality, others use less for slower connections.
"Like how a JPG compresses photos, codecs compress voice for internet calls"
When voice data arrives at slightly different times, causing choppy audio
Internet traffic doesn't always travel at exactly the same speed. When voice data packets arrive at inconsistent intervals, it can make calls sound choppy or robotic. Good VoIP systems have jitter buffers that smooth this out for clear conversations.
"Poor internet connection causing voice to sound choppy or delayed"
Quality of Service - giving phone calls priority over other internet traffic
QoS makes sure your phone calls get priority over other internet activities like web browsing or file downloads. This prevents calls from becoming choppy when someone in the office is streaming videos or downloading large files.
"Ensuring phone calls stay clear even when employees are using lots of internet"
An automated system that answers calls and directs them to the right person
Like having a digital receptionist that never takes a break. When someone calls your business, they hear a professional greeting like "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support." This ensures calls always get to the right department, even when you're busy.
""Thank you for calling ABC Company. Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support, or stay on the line for our operator.""
A waiting line for callers when all your phones are busy
When all your sales or support people are on calls, new callers are put in a queue (like waiting in line at the bank). They can hear hold music and get updates like "You are number 2 in line" until someone becomes available.
"During busy periods, customers wait in line to speak with your support team"
A way to ring multiple phones at once to find someone available
When someone calls your sales line, a hunt group can ring all your salespeople's phones at the same time, or ring them one by one until someone answers. This ensures calls are answered quickly and don't go to voicemail.
"Calling the sales line rings all 3 salespeople until one of them answers"
Getting your voicemail messages sent to your email inbox
When someone leaves a voicemail, the system automatically sends you an email with the voice message attached as an audio file. You can listen to messages from anywhere and never miss important calls, even when away from your desk.
"A customer leaves a voicemail at 5 PM, and you get an email with the message to listen to at home"
Private Branch Exchange - your company's phone system
A PBX is like the "brain" of your business phone system. It manages all your extensions, routes calls to the right people, and provides features like voicemail and call forwarding. Modern "cloud PBX" systems are hosted online, so you don't need equipment in your office.
"The system that connects all your office phones and manages your business calling"
Direct Inward Dialing - giving each person their own direct phone number
Instead of everyone sharing one main number, DID gives each employee their own direct number that customers can call to reach them directly. People can still call your main number and get transferred, but important contacts can reach individuals directly.
"John in sales has his own direct number (816) 555-0101 that goes straight to his phone"
Keeping your existing phone number when switching providers
When you switch to a new phone service, you don't have to get new phone numbers. Number porting lets you keep the same business numbers your customers already know, so you don't lose calls or have to update your marketing materials.
"Switching to KCVoIP but keeping your current (816) 555-0100 business number"
Bring Your Own Device - using personal phones/computers for business calls
Instead of buying desk phones for everyone, BYOD lets employees use their personal smartphones or computers to make business calls. They install an app that gives them access to all business phone features while keeping their personal and business calls separate.
"Sales reps use their personal iPhones with a business app to make calls with the company number"
Backup system that takes over if your main phone service goes down
If your internet or main phone service has problems, failover automatically routes your calls to backup systems (like cell phones or alternate internet connections). Your customers can still reach you even during outages.
"If office internet goes down, calls automatically forward to your cell phone"
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