USB Phones: VoIP's Best Kept Secret

February 7, 2006

Millions of people are now active users of Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. While VoIP can often allow one to save money on phone calls, people have very mixed reactions to the technology: some report that it is wonderful, while others complain of poor audio quality and the awkwardness of using a PC to place telephone calls.

The reason is that VoIP is often presented and promoted in two very different ways. Some users of VoIP use services from broadband VoIP providers that employ analog terminal adapters (ATAs) that allow one to connect a standard telephone in order to place calls. Such systems provide what appears to be a virtually perfect replacement to the traditional phone. The telephone handset provides reasonable good protection against "echo" and the quality is usually carefully managed by the service provider by routing calls into a purpose-built voice IP network.

On the other extreme are the users of PC-based VoIP applications. This is the class of users who have complained most about VoIP and they certainly have good reasons. Microphones and speakers are simply horrible "tools" for VoIP: audio quality is generally very poor and there is no privacy when using PC speakers to listen to phone conversations.

The technology companies have been working behind the scenes to address this very issue and the solution that has been developed is called a USB Phone. The USB Phone is really quite amazing, as the user simply plugs the phone into an available USB port and is immediately able to use it for VoIP calls. The technology works by creating a new audio device on the computer, very much like the existing audio devices installed in computers already. The difference, of course, is that the audio device in packaged inside a "telephone", giving the user the quality and privacy desired when making telephone calls.

USB Phones come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and features. Some USB Phones simply provide basic audio functionality, while others have a backlit display screen that allows a user to scroll through an address book, review recently received or placed calls, etc. Some models are single piece handsets that plug into the computer and others look and act just like sophisticated desktop telephones.

For a selection of USB Phones, visit www.packetizer.com/products/.