A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a security application that creates a tunnel between the Internet and the device you’re using to access it. VPN networks redirect your IP address and request through their thousands of different private servers, masking your true IP address, your current location, and other sensitive data. In that way you can’t be tracked online, offering not only privacy but, more importantly, better security. While VPNs can be used for personal privacy, it’s what they can provide for your workplace and VoIP phone systems that really make a difference – especially given the advantages that Voice Over Internet Protocol phones offer over traditional landlines. Using a VPN for VoIP calling adds extra layers of protection and privacy that help workers to stay secure.
The Advantages of VoIP VPN
VPNs can prevent website applications and sites from accessing your business VoIP phone system and customer data, help you to escape pesky targeted ads, and ensure that hackers can’t access things like credit card information or account logins they could use to impersonate your company.
Additional VPN VoIP calling benefits include:
Bandwidth throttling brings higher voice call quality
Data throttling prevention to have faster and more consistent service
Network scalability
Secure business communication software access from anywhere
What To Look for In A VPN for VoIP Provider
Large Server Network
The more servers the provider offers, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to find one that’s close to your true physical location. Which helps securing high speeds.
Data Encryption
Encryption disarranges your sensitive data into meaningless strings of letters, numbers, and special characters so that even on the off chance that a hacker can access your accounts and data, they won’t be able to decipher and use them.
As a part of their encryption strategy, each provider should offer several different protocols.
These can often include: AES 256-bit encryption, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, L2TP, SSTP, SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security).
A No-Log Policy
Essentially, these policies make it clear that, although the VPN provider has access to some of your network’s data, they routinely delete it, don’t share or track it, and certainly don’t sell it.
Split Tunneling
Split tunneling allows you to route a portion of your VoIP traffic through an encrypted VPN tunnel while allowing some other applications or devices to access the Internet without a VPN.
High-Speed Connections
High-quality providers will have circumventions to prevent a lag. Make sure you ask your provider the specific steps they take to address potential latency and ensure your internet speed is not negatively impacted by their VPN.
Kill Switch
The “kill switch” feature protects your team and your privacy in the event of a disconnection, and shuts off your ability to access the Internet and can block VoIP services until the connection has been re-established.