By the end of the 20th century, there were three separate networks. There was the voice network (old copper 'land lines'), there was the data network (modems and the beginnings of the Internet), and there was the TV network (antenna or cable). This was back at a time when most people went to the library in order to do research, the TV was something people turned on a little before and after dinner, and the phone was something that rang in the other room. These three separate systems were great. It was the eighties and Star Wars and all kinds a stuff. Problem was they were all separated. At around the beginning of the 21st century, computer scientists started to integrate these three separate networks into one (the Internet). VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the telecommunications technology that lets users make/receive voice calls over the Internet instead of the old way. VoIP works on devices wherever there is an Internet connection, meaning desk phones, desktop computers, laptops, tablets, KIOSKs, and even plain old telephones (using a special adapter) can all be used for VoIP calling. In addition to greater mobility, VoIP offers more advanced features, a higher level of customization, and significant cost savings compared to traditional phone lines. VoIP is also referred to as Unified Communications or UC. Whereas VOIP is a technology, UC is a theoretical concept. The idea behind UC is to merge voice, video, messaging, and file sharing into one platform. A simple example of this concept is the emailing of a voicemail. The two are now said to be 'Unified'. The goal of UC is to enable your team with a single/consolidated tool (as much as possible) for collaborating across multiple channels, resulting in productivity and user experience improvements.