08/11/2020 What are IP Telephones/ IP Phones
https://www.3cx.com/pbx/ip-phones/ 1/2
VoIP FAQ | What are IP Phones / IP Telephones?
What are IP Phones / IP Telephones?
An IP Telephone, very broadly speaking, is a telephone designed to work with an IP PBX. The popularity of
the SIP standard, however, means that the IP PBX of today has evolved, almost universally, into a SIP-based
PBX.
This is good news for businesses and end-users because it means that PBX vendors can’t force you into
locking in with their proprietary software or hardware. Phone manufacturers can produce SIP phones, and as
long as the phones can support the SIP standard, then your investment is protected, and the phones can be
used with virtually any SIP-based IP PBX. 3CX tests its software against all major brands to ensure
compatibility.
The brands we test against are:
Cisco
Fanvil
Grandstream
Htek
Polycom
Snom
Yealink
An IP Telephone, very broadly speaking, is a telephone designed to work with an IP PBX. The popularity of
the SIP standard, however, means that the IP PBX of 3CX also has a softphone for Windows and a Web
client which are both free. You can use it to make and receive VoIP phone calls from your PC. The advantage
of using the 3CX softphones is that you can leverage low cost or free VoIP calls. There is no contract with it,
so it still gives you choice in your providers.
Today’s modern SIP Phones are also able to work without being constrained to a particular office or location.
Mobility is the new norm for businesses. So we now can have on-premise phones and remote ones working
off of the same systems. Collaboration between team members is made simple with the ease of connectivity
that IP Phones bring. Also, today’s mobile phones can run SIP software-based phones, allowing you to take
your extension with you anywhere! Whether it is a mobile phone or a desktop IP phone in a new location your
phone number remains the same and the connectivity to your clients unchanged.
08/11/2020 What are IP Telephones/ IP Phones
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IP Phones are sometimes called VoIP telephones, SIP Phones or Softphones. These are just different names
for a device / software client that is designed to support the transmission of voice over the internet, or what is
better known as VoIP (or Voice over Internet Protocol) technology. In almost all cases, the supported protocol
will be SIP.
IP Telephones come in several types, and your choice will typically depend on the role of the user. Learn
more about the different kinds of IP phones.
Most popular IP Phones are supported by 3CX.
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