{"id":5821,"date":"2011-10-11T21:22:29","date_gmt":"2011-10-11T21:22:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/softphone\/"},"modified":"2011-10-11T21:22:29","modified_gmt":"2011-10-11T21:22:29","slug":"softphone","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/9440\/softphone","title":{"rendered":"Softphone"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Does Softphone Mean?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A softphone is an application that enables Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) via computing devices, including desktops, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDA) and services like Skype and Vonage. A softphone functions like a traditional phone and is used with a headset connected to a PC’s sound card. <\/p>\n

Sometimes a softphone is designed to behave like a traditional phone and has a phone image, display panel, keypad and buttons for user interaction.<\/p>\n

Techopedia Explains Softphone<\/span><\/h2>\n

Softphone endpoints must share a communication protocol and at least one audio codec, such as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), which is standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).<\/p>\n

Skype and Google Talk apply proprietary protocols and Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP). Some softphones provide Asterisk\u2019s open-source Inter-Asterisk Exchange protocol (IAX).<\/p>\n

Softphones are used in many call centers or customer care centers, where combined phone and computer usage is required.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Does Softphone Mean? A softphone is an application that enables Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) via computing devices, including desktops, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDA) and services like Skype and Vonage. A softphone functions like a traditional phone and is used with a headset connected to a PC’s sound card. 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