What WebRTC is, explained without jargon
WebRTC stands for Web Real-Time Communication. It is a set of open technologies that modern browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, among others) have built in to transmit voice, video and data between two points instantly.
Put simply: your browser already knows how to use your microphone, speakers and camera, and it also knows how to send that audio over the internet with good quality. You don't need to install a separate program or an add-on (what we used to call a plugin). A well-built web page asks the browser for permission to use the microphone and, if you accept, you can start talking.
That's why WebRTC isn't a product or a brand: it is the technical foundation on which calling, video calling and customer service applications that run inside a browser tab are built.
A short history: from Google project to official standard
In 2010 Google bought Global IP Solutions (GIPS), a company specializing in processing voice and video over the internet. In mid-2011 it released that technology as open source under the name WebRTC, with the idea that any browser could make calls without relying on external programs.
From there the work was split between two organizations that define how the internet works:
- The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium, the body that standardizes the web) took charge of the instructions programmers use inside the browser.
- The IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force, the group that defines internet protocols) took charge of the rules for transport, security and audio and video formats. That work was captured in a package of technical documents called RFCs, led by RFC 8825, published in January 2021.
On January 26, 2021, the W3C and the IETF announced that WebRTC was officially a standard, when the specification reached the level of W3C Recommendation, the highest category that body awards. The current version of that Recommendation, which includes later adjustments, is dated March 13, 2025.
You've probably already used it without knowing
When the W3C announced the standard, it mentioned services that run on WebRTC, such as Google Meet, Google Duo and Cisco Webex. If you've ever joined a Meet meeting from your browser without installing anything, you've already used this technology.
The same announcement mentions less visible uses: cloud gaming, social networks and even connected devices such as IP cameras and baby monitors. The practical takeaway is that this is not experimental: it is a mature technology that millions of people use every day.
How your business can use it
For customer service and sales, WebRTC opens up several concrete possibilities:
- A "call" button on your website. The visitor clicks and talks to an agent right from the browser, without dialing a number or using minutes from their plan. The call reaches your phone system like any other.
- A softphone in the browser. A softphone is a phone made of software. With WebRTC, the agent opens a page, logs in with their extension and answers, transfers or puts calls on hold from the computer. To connect with the phone system, it typically uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol, the standard protocol for internet telephony) carried over WebSocket, a persistent communication channel between the browser and the server defined in RFC 7118.
- Hassle-free remote work. Since everything lives in the cloud, agents can work from home or from another branch with the same extension, the same service queues and the same call recording as in the office.
- A call center with nothing to install. Setting up a new workstation comes down to providing a user account, a computer with an up-to-date browser and a headset. No IP phones, no extra cabling and no technician visits to each machine.
These features integrate naturally with a cloud PBX (a PBX is the company's phone system) and with a call center platform, where queues, schedules, recordings and reports are managed.
For example: a real estate agency that serves clients from anywhere
For example, imagine a real estate agency in Medellín with five agents who spend much of the day showing properties. Every apartment listing on its website has a "Talk to an agent" button.
- A prospective tenant sees an apartment for rent on a Saturday night and clicks the button.
- The browser asks for permission to use the microphone; they accept and the call reaches the agency's phone system.
- The phone system routes it to the agent on duty, who answers from the browser on their laptop at home, with their headset.
- While talking, the agent sees which listing the call came from and schedules a showing for Monday.
The agency didn't buy phones, didn't install programs on its computers and didn't have to publish anyone's personal cell number. If it hires a new agent on Monday, it can set them up in minutes. And if a customer prefers to write, the same site can also offer WhatsApp as an alternative channel.
Security: encryption is not optional
One of WebRTC's strongest points is that security comes built in. RFC 8827, which defines its security architecture, prohibits sending unencrypted audio or video: all voice and video channels must be protected with SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol, the secure version of the protocol that carries audio), and the keys for that encryption are negotiated with DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security, a variant of the same mechanism that protects websites with the padlock). That combination is known as DTLS-SRTP.
In addition, browsers only allow microphone access on secure pages (with an https address) and always ask the user for explicit permission before turning it on, as documented by MDN Web Docs, Mozilla's technical reference for developers. In practice, nobody can listen to you through a web page without your authorization.
That said, encryption protects the conversation while it travels over the internet. The security of devices, agents' passwords and the handling of recordings remain the responsibility of your business and your provider.
What you need for it to work well
- A good internet connection. Voice uses little bandwidth, but it is very sensitive to stability. A connection with drops or high latency is immediately noticeable on the call. If you can, connect workstations by cable instead of wifi.
- A headset with a microphone. A laptop's built-in speakers and microphone cause echo and pick up background noise. A simple headset greatly improves the experience on both ends.
- An up-to-date browser. Recent versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari include WebRTC. Keeping them current avoids compatibility issues and fixes security problems.
- A phone system that's ready for it. The browser provides the microphone and speakers; the phone system is what connects to the telephone network, routes calls, records them and generates reports.
A point in favor of quality: the IETF requires browsers to support the Opus codec, designed for voice over the internet, and the classic G.711 from traditional telephony (RFC 7874). That makes it easier for a call started on the web to sound good when it reaches the phone system.
Limitations worth knowing
WebRTC is a great tool, but it doesn't work miracles. Before adopting it, keep the following in mind:
- It depends on the internet. If the agent's or the customer's connection fails, the call drops or breaks up. A traditional mobile line is still more reliable in areas with poor data coverage.
- Some corporate networks block it. Certain firewalls restrict voice traffic. In those cases you need relay servers, called TURN, that forward the audio, or network adjustments.
- There are small differences between browsers. MDN acknowledges that support is generally good but some specific incompatibilities still exist, so it's worth testing in the browsers your agents and customers actually use.
- The browser must stay open. If the agent closes the tab or the computer goes to sleep, they stop receiving calls. It's a matter of habits and configuration.
- It doesn't replace every channel. Many customers still prefer to dial a number or use chat. Ideally, calling from the web should be one more channel, alongside your mobile numbers and your messaging channels.
In summary
WebRTC turns the browser into a secure phone, with no apps or extra equipment. For your business, that means putting a call button on your site, setting up service workstations in minutes and letting your team work from wherever they are. At 19 80 TIC Cloud we see the best results when this technology is connected to a well-configured cloud phone system, a stable connection and agents with good headsets.
