Final answer:
VoIP functions by digitizing a voice signal, dividing it into packets, and then sending these packets over a network. The division into packets makes it more efficient to send over the internet, and algorithms are used to compress the data for more effective transmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, operates by converting a voice signal into digital format. This process involves digitizing the voice communication into binary data, which represents the sound in a format that computers can process. Once digitized, the data is then split into smaller, manageable units known as packets. These packets can then be transmitted across computer networks or the internet, in a way similar to data transmission methods used for email and other forms of digital data.
To ensure efficient and clear data transmission, even when signal strength is weak, computer algorithms are used to compress the digital data. This compression allows more data to be sent over each frequency range without a loss in quality. It's also worth noting that not just voice, but also cell phone conversations and television voice and video images are transmitted in this binary format, with each binary digit, or bit, representing a one or a zero.