Telephonation VOIP Information Archives

Introduction to VoIP


What is VoIP?

First things first, VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. At a base level that means phone calls over your broadband connection. You really do need a high-speed connection to take advantage of VoIP to get phone calls comparable to a normal landline phone. Traditional "dial-up" connections are not really sufficient.

VoIP works in a different way to your home phone. Your home phone is based on an analogue network, whereas VoIP is based on a digital one. Essentially when you speak into a VoIP enabled phone or headset your voice is converted into digital packets; it is then compressed to help your Internet connection run more efficiently and then it is transferred down the connection much like an email. Once it reaches its destination the process is reversed.

Why might I want to switch to VoIP?

It's a good question. We all have a working phone in our homes or business, why should we change? Lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP

Advantages

Well to put it simply - cost. VoIP makes calls significantly cheaper. And (Depending on your package) for a low cost monthly subscription local and national calls can be made for free, and international calls made at a significantly lower rate.

When you subscribe to a VoIP service it is possible to get a phone number for life. You will be able to take your number with you whenever you move (or even travel) with obvious benefits.

The contract packages that companies who are offering the service contain for the most part all the features and more that your current phone service supplier offers. You are likely to find most VoIP companies offering free voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting ID, 3 way calling, speed dialling and much more.

VoIP is very much in it's infancy; the technology is progressing all the time. Future benefits that we may not be able to envisage yet are certain to appear, you current analogue phone system will not be able to compete.

Disadvantages

Your VoIP phones system will be exclusively based on your broadband connection, if you ISP has a period of service downtime then you will not be able to make calls. Additionally if your electricity supply has a power out then you will not be able to make any calls, this includes calls to the emergency services. Some providers have already got a work around with the emergency calls, so make sure when you decide on a supplier they provide this.

A further disadvantage currently is the set up of the VoIP is not the simplest procedure to undertake, though many suppliers will assist with installation.

The quality of the call via VoIP can be slightly less than your current analogue phone, but the technology is steadily improving, and before long you will not be able to tell the difference in call quality between the two mediums.

© Mike Bromley 2005

The author runs a site about VoIP Service Providersat http://www.speakonline.co.uk


MORE RESOURCES:

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US county deploys emergency VoIP system
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A new emergency notification system which uses VoIP solutions has been installed in a US county. Spokane County, in Washington, has adopted the ALERT ...
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Overcoming VoIP Reliability Fears: ITEXPO West Speaker Aelea Christofferson
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At the ITEXPO West event, Christofferson plans to show how new telephony carriers can increase sales by overcoming fears regarding the reliability of VoIP. ...

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North Yorkshire VoIP solutions could profit from broadband pilot
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VoIP solutions in North Yorkshire could benefit from a government initiative to provide broadband to rural areas. The county has submitted a bid to be one ...

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FeatureTel Launches Program to Support DonorsChoose.org Giving Program
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Sep 09, 2010 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- FeatureTel, offering hosted VoIP business telephone service over private networks, recently launched an employee ...

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IntoMobile (blog)

Google plans to Expand Voip Services in Middle East
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Google plans to launch its localized versions of Voip services in Middle East. Earlier, on August 25th, 2010, Google has launched its Voice over Internet ...
Google denies Mideast VOIP roll-out rumoursArabianBusiness.com
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The Sacco Hospital of Milan Standardizes on Brocade IP Solutions to Increase ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Having reliable network performance allows the hospital to plan the implementation of new services such as VoIP, in addition to an increasingly wide range ...

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3CX Releases Free VoIP Phone for Android: 3CXPhone
NewsBlaze
8 /PRNewswire/ -- 3CX, developer of the popular Windows softphone 3CXPhone and VoIP PBX 3CX Phone System, today announced the release of a free SIP phone ...

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VoIP Equipment: Service Provider Router Market Witnesses Double-Digit Growth
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According to a newly published report on the service provider router market, Dell'Oro Group, a provider of market ...



DTMF Networks Announces 50 Percent Discount on vBOSS for VoIP Wholesale Operators
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vBOSS is a hosted VoIP billing and VoIP wholesale management solution developed by DTMF Networks to cater to the needs of wholesale VoIP operators. ...


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