Which devices are commonly affected when switching to VoIP telephony?

When switching to VoIP telephony, certain devices are commonly affected due to their reliance on traditional analog telephony. Fax machines, medical alert consoles, and point-of-sale (POS) terminals are examples of devices that may face compatibility issues when transitioning to VoIP systems.

Fax machines typically use analog signals to transmit documents, and many VoIP services do not support these analog signals directly. This can lead to difficulties in sending or receiving faxes unless additional equipment such as an analog telephone adapter (ATA) is used.

Medical alert consoles often rely on dedicated phone lines that could be disrupted with the switch to VoIP, as these devices may require constant connectivity to function properly for patient safety.

POS terminals, similarly, can struggle with VoIP if they rely on analog lines for transaction processing, leading to disruptions in service and needing adjustments or alternative methods of connectivity.

In contrast, standard telephones and answering machines generally can be used with VoIP technologies if properly adapted, making the impact on these devices less pronounced. Therefore, the chosen answer accurately identifies the devices that are specifically impacted in the context of transitioning to VoIP.