Difference Between a Video Call and Voice Call

In any organization,communication is the key to success and increased productivity. In an era where most of the employees work remotely,getting in touch with them quite often is necessary to check their work progress. With the advent of computers,internet connection,and efficient virtual communication solutions,it is possible to have real-time communication with an individual or a group of people from different locations.

Today,people have countless options for real-time communications over the internet thanks to platforms such as ezTalksMeetings. Most of these solutions support both video call and voice call. However,you may find tools that support only voice call or video call. Generally,these two types of communication standards are quite common when it comes to virtual communication world,but are there any difference between the two? When do you use a voice call rather a video call and vice versa? Well,let's try answering some of these concerns by looking at the definition of each and find out if there is any difference between a video call and voice call in the latter sections.

Part 1: What is a video call?

A video call is typically a phone call using an internet connection,often called Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP),which uses video to transmit live pictures of the person initiating the call. Today,there are various solutions available that have made it possible to make video calls without the need of a phone. That is,video calls are made using a computer that has a webcam or other pieces of electronic devices with a video-capable camera,like a tablet,smartphone,or a video-capable phone system. With this,the caller and the recipient can see and hear each other.If you want to make a video call,technically,some things need to be put in place. First,good internet connection is required. It is highly advisable that you make use of strong Wi-Fi signal before calling. Secondly,you have to ensure other support peripherals are working properly. For instance,the camera and microphone should be turned on. If you are using a computer,then headphones or speakers should be plugged into the computer.

Part 2: What is a voice call?

Unlike video call,with a voice call,you cannot see live pictures,but you just hear what the other person is talking. The principle of communication with voice call is more less the same as that of a video call. In fact,many virtual communication solutions,ezTalks Cloud Meeting,for instance,allow users to choose either to make video calls or voice calls. That means,with voice calls,cameras are turned off,while speakers or headphones are on. Besides that,when making voice calls,you will need a good internet connection if you are using a computer and a dedicated virtual communication solution. Of course,most mobile phones support voice calls,and so you will require having enough credit (depending on the service provider’s calling rates) to initiate and make a voice call.

Part 3: Difference between a video call and a voice call

The difference between the two standards of virtual real-time communication is apparent from their definitions. In general,video calling allows the two endpoints (caller and recipient) to see and hear each other as soon as they join the call. On the other hand,voice calling is a typical phone-calling scenario where those speaking hear each other,but cannot see live pictures. Other difference in the two terms can be explained based on their applications,requirements,and costs.

Based on requirements

Although both video call and voice call can use the same communication device or virtual communication tool,voice call requires basic things like a phone with credit. However,voice calls require more than that. You will need a good internet connection,perhaps 3G or 4G to stream videos and images. Besides that,video call requires additional devices like cameras,headphones,and of course,well-lit rooms.

Based on uses

Voice calls are basically used for communication that is deemed simple. On the other hand,a video call is suitable for situations where the participants need to share or demonstrate complex processes or when the caller wants to show a customer how to use a newly launched product.

Based on cost

Since voice call does not require large bandwidth and additional devices,it is relatively cheaper than a video call. Besides,if you are subscribing for virtual communication tools,you will notice that it is cheaper to use voice call than a video call.Picture source from pnglot,netclipart,clipartwiki.

Conclusion

Both video call and voice call are vital for increased productivity in an organization. Having known the difference,you can now choose the standard the perfectly fits your daily communication needs. If you do not mind about seeing your callers/recipients,then the voice call is your choice; otherwise,the video call is for those who desire to see live pictures or images from the other end(s).