The traditional phone system includes a power source, switch, dialer, ringer, transistor, and receiver. If you used to work in an office using such a system, you would be familiar with the many challenges that come with it, one of which is high cost. The emergence of the VoIP and ROIP system hardware has offered a more economical and safer alternative to the conventional way of voice communication.
What is VoIP
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology that allows users to make voice calls through the Internet instead of the traditional POTS phone system. Radio over Internet Protocol or RoIP, on the other hand, is the incorporation of VoIP technology in two-way radio devices.
Both are considered to be secure communication systems but bad players always find a way. Thanks to high-tech encryption and identity management, organizations can minimize security threats.
Another advantage of a VoIP and a RoIP system is that they’re more flexible and scalable — all while guaranteeing clear voice quality.
With the portability of the VoIP number and the devices needed for this communication system, it also helps in facilitating a remote work setup. Features like conference calling, instant video calling, and call waiting are capabilities that make VoIP and RoIP technology more productivitive.
Securing Communications While Using VoIP and RoIP for Remote Work
Having secure communication systems is advantageous to organizations and businesses from various sectors. Among its many benefits, these systems are cost-saving, productivity-enhancing, and reputation-boosting.
As stated, you can utilize VoIP and RoIP technology for remote work. You need to have physical VoIP enabled phone or radio devices and a server for your organization to leverage this system. The voice data in this network are transmitted over the Internet and without proper security measures (e.g. The use of virtual private network or VPN and encryption), the following threats can put your voice data at risk:
Interception of voice and control communication. Eavesdropping is a common security threat for voice communication. It’s especially common to users who are connecting via shared wireless internet connections in public spaces. Interception can also affect the very connection between device users and the server, wherein personal information such as usernames and passwords can be breached. In other instances, your voice call can also be tampered with, resulting in voice quality degradation or disconnection.
Viruses and malware. When using the internet, there is always a risk of being attacked by viruses and malware. There are even hackers who use specially designed malware to put voice system security at risk and compromise their overall functionality.
Identity and service theft. Once attackers enter your system, they can steal your services, provide them to other entities, and charge a certain fee. This is a concern that compromises you and your customers’ data and negatively impacts reputation.
While these are big threats, they can be mitigated. Today, there are different types of encryption that you can use so that only authorized personnel and users can receive and understand the data being transmitted (to outsiders, your data will come out only as codes). For instance, highly configurable VPN tools can be used to quickly and efficiently secure private networks and devices.
Apart from protecting your IP network, you should also maintain physical security. Make sure that telecom facilities are only accessed by the right people and that VoIP and radio devices are only distributed to authorized employees.