ATA System For VoIP

What is an ATA VoIP system?

An ATA is an analog telephone adapter. Basically it's a box that has two ports--an internet port on the back and a telephone port or RJ11 jack. So the Ethernet port connects to the internet your standard internet connection Ethernet and the RJ11 is where you plug in your standard phone into and that's going to emulate your normal phone network so you'll be able to have dial tone and be able to call out. You don't need a computer for an ATA device to work because the ATA device is independent of your computer it operates on it's own and if your computer's off line it doesn't matter it just continues to communicate with the phone system.

Who can I call using the ATA VoIP system?

An ATA system is going to emulate the traditional phone system, so you'll be able to call just like how you normally called on your traditional land line. So, when you pick up your phone, you're going to hear a dial tone, and you'll be able to make calls long distance and internationally just as normal as your service provider allows.

How does an ATA VoIP system work?

The ATA system works this way. So you have an analog phone. It plugs into your ATA device. And then from there it's plugging in to your Internet. So what it's doing is, it's emulating a phone system to your phone. So that way when you pick up the handset you hear a dial tone. You make the call and as you make the call the phone system ATA will make that outbound call to the service provider, and you can have a conversation with the end point. Whether that be another ATA device or a traditional phone. But the ATA will convert that signal into digital. It will go over the Internet to the service provider, which will handle that call processing.

How much does an ATA VoIP system cost?

Typical ATA systems will run about $29.95 for the monthly service from their service provider and then there is a one time fee for the hardware ATA device itself and those run typically around 45 dollars.

What are the advantages of using an ATA VoIP system?

The advantage of using an ATA system over traditional phone lines is being able to bypass your phone company. You can subscribe to a cheaper service such as Bon Age or Skype and be able to make phone calls using their service and save money in the long run.

Where can I use my ATA VoIP system?

You can use your ATA system pretty much anywhere. All you have to do is plug it into any internet connection. You are going to be connecting to your service provider that you subscribe to. So just as long as you bring your analog phone that you've plugged into it, and your ATA device, you can go anywhere, as long as you have that internet connection, and make phone calls.

What are the disadvantages of using an ATA device, as opposed to an IP phone?

Well, on the ATA system, you're using your analog phone, so you might not get all the features with a PC phone that has, they might have more buttons like hold and transfer. On ATA, you're getting your standard phone so you have to get a feature turned on, you have to use either star codes or the flash hook to switch over to another call. So you're using the standard ways you would use your phone to activate features.

What equipment do I need to get an ATA VoIP system?

Typically all you would need is an ATA device to run an ATA system. You are going to be plugging in your existing phones into the ATA device and then you would need a switch, an Ethernet switch, to plug the ATA device into. So, you know you need an Ethernet switch, an ATA device, and your standard phones that you would use in your household.

What companies offer an ATA VoIP system?

Most ATA devices can be purchased from a computer store. I mean it's basically in a little box. Some of them actually come packaged with a voice over IP service provider. Or if you buy the ATA, you can choose the service provider by comparing their rates, and you can hook up this ATA device with that service provider.