Not all VoIP devices are VoIP devices.
Wait, what?
If you use an adapter, you can bring analog devices into your VoIP phone system. For phones, the device you use is called an ATA.
In this blog, we answer many frequently asked questions about VoIP ATA Adapters.
Let’s get into it!
VoIP ATAs
We’re going to start with the most basic of basics:
What does ATA stand for?
ATA stands for Analog Telephone Adapter.
What is an ATA?
An ATA is a device that translates between analog and VoIP phone signals. It’s used to integrate analog phones and fax machines into VoIP phone systems.
I’ve heard VoIP gateways do the same thing. What’s the difference between an ATA and a VoIP gateway?
Generally, ATA is the term used when the device only has one or two ports and VoIP gateway is the term used when the device has four or more ports. There’s no functional difference beyond the number of ports.
Wait. Why the two terms?
We don’t know. It just is what it is.
Alright. So why would I want to integrate analog phones with a VoIP phone system using an ATA?
Migrating to VoIP greatly improves feature availability, system control, scalability, and more. It’s also becoming a necessity because analog phone systems using a traditional PBX and the PSTN are being phased out. VoIP phone systems use internet technologies and are the new standard for telephony across every industry.
Why not just buy new VoIP phones instead of using an ATA?
Money. If you already have a bunch of analog phones that work fine and you only require basic phone features, why pay to replace them? ATAs are typically less expensive than VoIP phones. They also save you from having to completely redo existing cabling, which can add up to real savings on material, labor, and time.
How do ATAs extend the lifetime of my existing phones?
ATAs extend the lifetime of existing phones by letting you integrate them with modern VoIP phone systems instead of replacing them.
What kind of ports do ATAs have?
ATAs have FXS ports for connecting to telephones and an RJ45 port for connecting to the IP network.
How do you connect an analog phone to an ATA?
You run a standard telephone cable with RJ11 plug from the phone to the FXS port on the ATA.
How do you connect an ATA to your VoIP phone system?
You connect an Ethernet cable from the ATA to your IP network. After connecting it, you need to provision it like any other VoIP device.
Are there Wi-Fi ATAs?
We don’t know of any ATAs that connect to the IP network via Wi-Fi.
Earlier you mentioned “basic phone features”? What does that mean? What features do ATAs support?
Compared with VoIP phones, analog phones are much simpler devices, so they don’t support the variety and depth of features that VoIP phones do. That’s why we say basic features. These features include caller ID, call waiting, call transfer, block number, do not disturb, and more.
Do ATAs support caller ID?
Yes. ATAs will almost certainly support caller ID. Note that all feature support is dependent on the phone system or service you use.
How are ATAs when it comes to audio quality on voice calls?
Great. It depends on the model but most ATAs support at minimum wideband HD audio.
Are ATAs secure?
Yes. VoIP adapters like Grandstream HT8XX ATAs support encryption like TLS, SRTP, and AES to protect your communications. Note that security is always dependent on how you setup and manage your phone system.
Do ATAs support local audio conferencing?
Yes. ATAs support local conferencing. Poly ATA 400, for example, supports 3-way conference calling.
Do ATAs power the analog phone?
Yes. ATAs deliver voltage for tones, ringers, and so on. If the analog phone requires higher voltage for a specialized reason, however, the ATA will probably not be able to handle it.
How are ATAs powered?
ATAs are powered by an external power supply. We’re not aware of any ATAs that are powered by PoE (Power Over Ethernet).
Do ATAs work with any analog phone?
ATAs work with touch-tone analog phones. They typically will not work with rotary phones or specialized phones that require higher voltages.
Do ATAs work with analog common area phones?
Yes. ATAs are great for analog common areas phones like lobby phones or kiosk phones.
Do ATAs work with analog hotel phones?
Yes. Many hotels already have fleets of analog phones. The number of phones can be quite large. VoIP phone systems for hotels offer better features and PMS integration than traditional hotel phone systems, so migrating to VoIP is desirable.
Rather than replace all the existing phones, using ATAs to connect them to the VoIP system is a great idea. In fact, ATAs work so well for hotel phones that, earlier this year, we wrote a whole blog about using analog hotel phones with a VoIP phone system.
Do ATAs work with analog fax machines?
Yes. The vast majority of ATAs support T.38 Fax Over IP, which is the fax relay standard used in VoIP systems. If you want to integrate an analog fax machine into your VoIP phone system, make sure the ATA supports T.38.
ATAs like AudioCodes MediaPack 20x models also support fax to email, which means you’d receive the fax as a PDF attachment.
Do ATAs work with analog intercoms?
Yes. ATAs can be used to integrate analog intercoms or analog door entry phones. You’ll want to check voltage requirements before purchase to make sure the ATA can handle the intercom.
If you’re using the ATA with an outdoor entry phone, you also need to consider environmental factors because ATAs are pretty much all intended for indoor installation. If you’re using an ATA for a video intercom with an analog CCTV camera, we don’t know of any ATA that also works to translate an analog video feed.
Do ATAs work with analog elevator phones?
While ATAs would work with analog elevator phones, it’s very common for regulations to restrict the use of an ATA with an elevator phone.
Always check your local regulations before using an ATA with an elevator phone.
Do ATAs work with analog emergency phones?
As with elevator phones, ATAs would work with analog emergency phones but regulations might apply.
Always check your local regulations before using an ATA with an emergency phone.
Do ATAs work with analog paging equipment?
Yes. ATAs can work with analog paging equipment. Beyond system compatibility, you will have to negotiate connecting amplifiers for speakers. You might also need to setup the system to tell the paging system when a page is over.
If you’d like to know more, we’ve written an in-depth article on connecting analog paging equipment to a VoIP phone system.
What VoIP phone systems do ATAs work with?
Compatibility is always a tricky question with VoIP devices. ATAs are like VoIP phones — they’re fully compatible with some systems, mostly compatible with other systems, and not compatible at all with other systems.
To determine compatibility, check the support material from your VoIP phone system or service. They might use the term gateway, so don’t just search for ATA.
Do ATAs use SIP?
Pretty much all ATAs these days are SIP devices. That said, always double check compatibility before purchase.
Do ATAs work with Microsoft Teams?
Yes, there are many options for Microsoft Teams ATA adapters. To use them, you need to use Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway. For information about SIP Gateway and for a current list of compatible ATAs, check out Plan for SIP Gateway on Microsoft Learn (external link).
Do ATAs work with Zoom Phone?
Yes, there are many options for Zoom ATA adapters. For current compatibility information, check out the Zoom Phone Certified Hardware page on Zoom Support (external link).
What do I do if I have more questions about ATAs and VoIP gateways?
Get in touch with one our friendly experts! We’ve been helping people with ATAs for decades.