If you’re a homeowner browsing online marketplaces for a new house phone or a businessman looking for a new business telephone system, the first place to start is to choose between an analog or digital phone system. To make the best decision, you might need to have some basic awareness of the technical and functional distinctions between the two types. Doing so will help you find the optimal combination of features and capabilities to satisfy your personal or business objectives.The following paragraphs will show you the main differences between analog and digital phones so you can make an informed decision before committing to your purchase.

Understanding Analog Technology

Analog technology is the act of converting an audio or video signal into electronic pulses. Most modern landline phones are analog. These devices can be connected by wires and don’t require the same digital conversion to transmit voice information.

While they can perform conversions on the spot, they sometimes still require a modem or other device to convert the voice information into digital data for transmission.

Innovating with Digital Technology

On the other hand, digital technology converts your voice signal into binary code, which is a series of 1s and 0s. The technology then sends it to the other end and reassembles the code into the original signal by another device, which is usually a phone, modem, or TV.

The advantage of digital over analog is that it can fix any problems that can occur during the data transfer as it reaches the end of the transmission—meaning you will receive a clearer signal. In most circumstances, you’ll receive crisper TV images and distortion-free calls.

Also, because of the nature of digital technology, it can compress a lot of these 1s and 0s into the same amount of space that an analog signal takes up, which means more features can be squeezed into the digital signal.

Explaining Phone Lines and Cordless Phones

Standard phones, fax machines, and modems are all supported on analog lines, sometimes known as POTS or Plain Old Telephone Service. These are the types of lines you’ll find in a normal house or small workplace. However, digital lines are used in large, corporate phone systems.

Because of the nature of digital technology, cordless calls are clear and distortion-free. Cordless phones that use digital technology can also encrypt all of those 1s and 0s during transmission, keeping your discussion hidden from prying ears. Furthermore, because digital signals may be given more power, your cordless phone talks will have a longer range.

Comparing The Analog-Digital Connection

Despite the fact that digital lines carry lower voltages than analog lines, they can still harm your analog equipment or device. Your phone, modem, or fax machine should not be connected to your office’s digital phone system because your equipment may not work properly—at the very least. In the worst-case scenario, there’s a possibility you’ll find your communication tools fried and useless.

If you really need to, there are digital-to-analog adapters that let you utilize analog equipment in a digital environment and protect your phone, fax, modem, or laptop’s internal circuitry from being fried.

You can also use a universal digital-to-analog converter. It can be paired with any analog communication system. It’s also battery-powered, so you won’t have to worry about extra cords strewn about your office.

Conclusion

If you’re running a business, the digital solution of VoIP (Voice-over-Internet Protocol) is a more efficient and cost-effective means to interact with business partners, customers, and vendors. VoIP systems rely on high-speed internet connections to make and receive phone conversations.

Suppose you’re still utilizing an older analog business phone system, especially for long-distance and international calls. In that case, VoIP can help you save money while also giving you and your employees more mobility. You can ask a reputable telecom and internet provider to assess your present requirements and recommend options for replacing or improving your current business phone system.

You can also use a universal digital-to-analog converter. It can be paired with any analog communication system. It’s also battery-powered, so you won’t have to worry about extra cords strewn about your office.

Let Canquest take care of your digital phone service in Chatham. We provide one of the best high-speed internet and digital phone services on the market today. Contact us today for a free consultation.