Running Down the Three Flavors of VoIP Phones

Unlike older telephones that must be hardwired to a PBX, VoIP phones connect directly to the LAN, just like a computer. LANs use a different type of cabling than traditional telephony systems, so VoIP phones have a built-in network interface card (NIC) that provides the connection port for the LAN. VoIP phones also have their own MAC address, which is required for peacefully connecting to an Ethernet network.
Some models of VoIP phones come with extra Ethernet ports. You plug the phone into the network, and then plug the computer into the phone. The benefit is that you need only a single network connection to connect both phone and computer. This can save your company money.
Many makes and models of VoIP telephones are available. As was the case with cell phones a decade ago, discounts, rebates, and other inducements are often offered to customers to entice them to buy VoIP phones. Some VoIP providers reduce the cost of the phone or give it away in return for a long-term service commitment of two years or more.
VoIP phones can be plain-Jane and basic, or they can be full-featured and support videoconferencing and Web surfing. You can even put free VoIP software on your computer and eliminate the VoIP phone altogether. VoIP has introduced a new way of viewing the telephone.
Following are the three distinct categories of VoIP phones:
Hard phones Soft phones Wireless phones
Phones in these categories vary depending on many factors besides price, as you discover next.