A cellular or desktop phone that converts human speech to a digital signal and vice versa. Cellphones use the GSM or CDMA technology, whereas the desktop phones that connect to an in-house PBX or key system convert speech to a digital signal (see
sampling).
Digital Phones vs. VoIP Phones
Digital phones are not voice over IP (VoIP) phones. VoIP phones are Internet-enabled devices that convert speech to digital IP packets (see
IP phone). See
digital cellphone and
smartphone.