Voice Over IP - Understanding What VoIP Has To Offer

By Frank Owen

Advantages and Features of VoIP

Studies suggest that millions of households will soon be using VoIP phone services in the next couple of years. One of the reasons VoIP is catching on so fast is it offers a wealth of features and advantages over traditional phone services. Here is just a brief review of some of the benefits and features VoIP has to offer:

Cost savings

VoIP technology allows consumers to save money. Most companies currently offering VoIP offer plans that are less expensive than many cell phone plans.

Competitive Features

Companies providing VoIP services are offering plans that include standard features like Caller ID, Call waiting, Repeat Dial and Three Way Calling.

Voicemail Superiority

You can check your mail while surfing the Web when using VoIP technology. Better yet you can attach messages to emails using VoIP and send them directly to consumers.

Flexibility

You can call someone from anywhere you have broadband access when using VoIP technology. That means if you travel frequently for business you can take an IP phone with you and access your home phone if you need to. You can also attach a phone to your laptop and place calls from anywhere in the world while connecting to the Net. This is a very appealing option for business consumers in particular.

Last but not least the technology VoIP uses is extremely efficient, meaning your calls are placed through non congested and inexpensive lines. This allows computers to communicate with one another and accept information relatively easily, without long waits or disconnects.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on voice over ip for more information on voip http://www.voipresourcehub.com

VoIP: The New Age Telephone Service

By Alen Wilson

In simple words, VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that allows one to make phone calls over a broadband internet connection. With the help of high speed internet connection and by installing certain VoIP software as well as hardware, people can talk unlimited at limited costs.

To make a call using VoIP technology you need:

Voip hardware :- VoIP hardware is basically an analogue telephone adaptor (ATA) which connects your phone to your broadband modem. This doesn�t require your computer to be on while making or receiving calls. The most popular application of VoIP works only with an ATA. An ATA converts analog signals to digital signals. Most VoIP service providers include the ATA in their VoIP products, but some require you to buy or rent an ATA.

The other hardware based option is an IP phone, which is similar to a standard telephone but includes an in built ATA adapter. The IP phone is connected directly to the router with a standard RJ-45 Ethernet connector. You can purchase calling cards from your VoIP service provider to start talking through this medium.

VoIP software :- Software-based VoIP works a little differently. VoIP software like Skype, Asterik works through your computer with a microphone, and your computer has to be switched on to receive calls. The most basic VoIP software allows two people with the same installed software to call each other over the Internet. Callers can set up a phone book and can make calls to other users.

VoIP services are comparatively cheaper than traditional calls. So, the next time you want to make long distance phone calls or international calls use VoIP.

VoIP Phone service
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VoIP Tutorial - Understanding VoIP

By Paul Hegarty

VoIP is fast becoming the replacement technology for voice communication. However many people still have questions as to how it works? VoIP costs less than your traditional phone service, this is what makes it attractive to most consumers. Not only does it cost less than your traditional phone service it also costs less than the vast majority of monthly cell phone plans.

The number of VoIP providers is increasing giving you more choices and better calling plans. VoIP is still at its developmental stage. The VoIP service is available for both commercial and residential use, ranging from PC-to-PC service, all the way up to phone-to-phone. The following are the basic features of VoIP.

Anybody with an internet connection has the basic capability to use a VoIP service and benefit from the cost savings associated with VoIP. A basic plan that offers a number of long-distance minutes is very inexpensive and if that's what you need then VoIP will work perfectly for you.

VOIP is a method which takes voice phone calls and then encodes them digitally. Basically VoIP is the protocol that is used to send your voice over the internet. The VoIP technology transmits your voice over what is called an IP network.

Most everyone agrees that VoIP is the future of voice and data communications.. By the looks of it VoIP is going to continue to grow and expand. VoIP is the Wave of the Future--�and the Present. Although you may be intimidated by this new technology at present, my advice would be to learn more about this new service as it seems this technology is here to stay.

Paul Hegarty is the owner of The-VoIP-Buzz.com where you can have nationwide calling for as low as $19.95 a month. Start your VoIP, service today.

Learn more about VoIP with the VoIP Tutorial. Read more about voice over or VoIP.

VoIP Phones - Future Of Telephony

By Jayson Pablo

The concept of VoIP phones has climbed up the popularity ladder because of its effectiveness. VoIP is the abbreviated form of Voice Over Internet Protocol. The VoIP phones are just like your traditional phones that are used for making long distance calls. However the difference lies in the cost and the carrier which transfers the signal from one phone to another. VoIP telephony is wholly related to the Internet services. That means your call is made through the Internet. Secondly the cost of this call isn't much and it is cheaper as compared to the traditional PSTNs.

Also, you can be assured of the voice quality that remains undeterred and it sounds as clear as your normal telephone. The VoIP service proves to be much affective especially for international calls as it cuts much on your telephone bills. And the benefits that are given by these VoIP phones are much better than your traditional phones. Let�s take a look as to how the VoIP phones are more convenient than the traditional phones.

You can receive your incoming calls anywhere around the world, as they are directly routed to your VoIP phones. All you have to do is to keep yourself connected to the Internet. Also it facilitates Instant messenger users, to make calls to anywhere around the world, with the help of VoIP services. The concept of VoIP telephone services have become really helpful for the thriving of call centres as the agents can operate from anywhere around the world using the medium of VoIP telephony.

Recently, Toshiba has launched two VoIP phones, namely Toshiba G500, and G900 which facilitate the concept of VoIP phones even more than before. Incidentally, there are quite a number of handsets that have inculcated the VoIP telephony in them, thereby making this concept known to a large number of people who weren�t earlier acquainted with it.

Surely, these VoIP phones have made things easier for us, and are making waves amongst its users.

Xpert4u offer Cashback Shopping of VOIP Phones.

The Importance of VoIP Reseller Programs

By Kristen Kiya

The telecommunications market is replete with VoIP reseller opportunities. Several factors have contributed to this emerging "market dynamics" - and the increasing popularity of the Internet has been one of the major contributing influences to the same. The Internet has become a part and parcel of our everyday lives. It is increasingly being used in a more innovative manner and with the advent of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony, there has been no looking back for end users. As of now, the making of international calls has become cheaper and more convenient - thanks to VoIP telephony. The importance of VoIP reseller programs can be understood in this context.

The demand for VoIP telephony services is increasing by the day. And the VoIP resellers are in a unique position - they are empowered to make the most of the emerging market opportunities. And the best part is that any interested entity can easily become a VoIP reseller - all that it needs to do is to subscribe to the premium VoIP reseller programs offered by VoIP service providers.

The investment required is low or extremely negligible. The infrastructure and hardware required for call termination are provided by the VoIP providers. Moreover, in some of the VoIP reseller programs, the resellers can resort to branding of the services according to their individual product positioning. However, white label VoIP as well as other virtual reseller programs requires certain conditions to be met.

Certain pre-requisites need to be followed for an interested party to take advantage of the emerging reseller opportunities of VoIP. One could become a VoIP reseller if one has an extensive base of customers. Secondly, an entity could become a VoIP reseller if it is empowered with innovative marketing skills.

It can be said that VoIP reseller programs enable interested entities to accrue maximum profit with the least possible investment. Some VoIP providers offer attractive packages, wherein one is charged for the minutes utilised, which make the VoIP reseller programs all the more valuable. In such instances, resellers could sell services at rates decided by them.

To know more about these services, visit: VoIP Reseller Programs witnessed by one of the leading VoIP Resellers.

Home VoIP Pros and Cons

By Oliver Turner

VoIP, short for Voice over Internet Protocol, is a relatively new technology which enables telephone calls to be made over a broadband internet connection. VoIP services are offered for both businesses and individual customers. A VoIP service used in the domestic context is sometimes referred to as home VoIP.

Home VoIP services offer several advantages over traditional telephone services. Let us look on the major pros and cons of home VoIP services.

One of the major pros of using home VoIP services is its low cost of operation. That is, for the same services-such as making long distance calls or teleconferencing-VoIP broadband phone providers usually charge a much lesser rate than a normal telephone charges.

Another advantage of VoIP is its flexibility. That is, while normal telephones are permanently linked to the telephone lines, ATAs (Analog Telephone Adapter) can be taken anywhere in the world along with you. One can attach it to a normal telephone and an internet connection and make VoIP calls to any other ATA in the same network without any additional cost.

Taxing is also comparatively less for home VoIP services. VoIP services carry no other taxing other than the Federal Excise Tax. This allows customers to use a full fledged VoIP service for very less rates, for example at $20.5.

There are not as many disadvantages of home VoIP to be pointed out. However, the biggest con of home VoIP is that it is directly dependent on power supply like your cordless phone or air conditioner. And hence, if the power goes out, the current solution VoIP also shuts down. Another disadvantage of home VoIP is that any technical problems with the internet connection could also hit the VoIP services hard.

Inconsistent sound quality of the calls can also be considered as a drawback of VoIP. The sound quality of VoIP sometimes fickle and calls have delays and echoes as well. This means that, some calls made with VoIP might not be as clear and smooth as calls over telephone lines.

Find more about Voice Over IP on http://www.LeanderNet.com/Voice-over-ip/Voice-over-ip . More useful content on LeanderNet - http://www.LeanderNet.com

VoIP Technology

By Alen Wilson

VoIP technology seems to be great! But confused about how to go about it? That's the common refrain of people wanting to graduate from a dial-up connection on to VoIP. The applications of VoIP technology are so surreal, so amazing that this dilemma is not exactly uncalled for.

But before we go into the applications of VoIP, let's first understand as to what is VoIP. VoIP (voice over internet protocol) is a technological innovation allowing you to send data, audio & video concurrently over the internet, this transforms into minimal use of the available bandwidth thereby offering mind blowing transmission speeds.

VoIP has the potential to fulfill all your communication needs be it telephony, data transfer, video conferencing� your imagination is the limit. To move onto the big league, you would have to contact a VoIP service provider. These VoIP providers buy bandwidths from wholesale VoIP providers & sell it to individual customers at a premium.

Today the UK VoIP market is flush with a wide variety of VoIP providers, in order to truly enjoy VoIP you must be able to pick & choose the best provider as per your individual needs. This seems easy but it is not so, the VoIP carriers in their eagerness to corner larger chunks of the VoIP market often forgo quality & reliability.

But as it is said that 'to every problem there's a solution', you can get past this hiccup on your way to super fast communication by taking expert advice from independent VoIP link providers. These websites being independent & impartial provide you with instant links to the best VoIP carrier in your area.

This way on one hand you get a broad overview about VoIP services & on the other hand ensure effortless transition in to the VoIP arena.

VoIP for sure is the communication solution of the future, faster you join, more the advantage you get!!

VoIP Phone Service
ALEN
voip-traffic.com

FREE International Calls From Your Own Computer - A How To Guide To VOIP

By Jason McAbul

Did you know that you can make free international calls right from your computer? That's right - all you need is an internet connection, a soundcard with a speaker and a microphone and the right software. For best results, a high speed internet connection is required, but calls can be made from a dial up connection.

Here's how you can make free calls over the internet:

First, make sure that your speakers and microphone are plugged in. You can also use a computer headset with earphones and a microphone.

Next you'll have to download and install the free software from the VoIP (voice over IP) provider of your choice. The most popular service providers are Skype, Gizmo, Net2Phone and WebPhone. It doesn't matter which one you use, but make sure to use the same one as the person you are looking to call. After installing the software, register a free account and be sure to remember the username you choose, as this is how others will contact you.

Once the software is installed and you've registered an account, follow the instructions to configure your equipment and make a free test call to assure everything is set up correctly. Now that you have assured that everything is set up correctly, you can email your friends and family with your username so that they can enter your username into their contacts. They can then click on your name to "dial" you and connect over the internet.

Although if you have a slow internet connect I would suggest doing the call only in cell phones like motorola cell phone.

To make calls, click on the persons username from within your contacts and then click the "dial" icon. You should then hear a ringing sound to denote that you are connecting. When the person you are calling clicks the "answer" icon, you will be connected and able to talk. When done talking, simply click "hang up" to close the conversation.

Jason McAbul is giving away FREE tips, how to's in his blog at Motorola Cell Phone Blog and Treo 700 Blog

Ten Tips For Making Internet Phone Calls (Voip)

By James Bergin

More than 1.8 million people are currently taking advantage of the benefits of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in the UK (Ofcom, 2006). With around three million PC to PC VoIP users predicted by the end of 2007, another million using the new technology to call traditional landlines, and businesses starting to get in on the action, we looked at why internet phone calls are proving so popular.

1. What is it and how does it work?

In its simplest sense, VoIP means using the internet to make phone calls. By taking ordinary analogue signals and turning them into digital signals, it allows you to ring people using your broadband connection. VoIP manifests itself in a number of ways:

• A headphone and microphone headset via an interface like MSN Messenger between two computers. Calls made in this way are completely free.
• A headset plugged into a PC to connect to someone else who is using a normal landline or mobile.
• A VoIP phone or adaptor that plugs into an old phone to make calls in the same way as a landline.

2. Will I get my own number?

Yes. You can get any phone number that you want � so you can get a traditional geographical number for the city that you live in. Then other people can ring you on your VoIP line.

3. What equipment will I need?

If you�re going for option one or two, all you need is a headset and microphone that you plug into the back of your computer (the pink and the green jacks either at the back or the front of your PC).

This costs from around ฃ5 upwards. Check out Amazon.

You will also need to download an instant messenger. Try Skype, Google Talk, MSN Messenger or Yahoo. Then you (and your friends) need to sign up and get an account. Simply add each other to your contact lists, request a �voice conversation� and you�re ready to chat. But don�t forget to make sure you have plugged your headset in.

If you�re more comfortable using a traditional handheld phone, you will need to buy a VoIP phone or adaptor. VoIP phones look and behave exactly like normal phones, and both the phone and the adaptor allow you to make calls as you always did.

BT and Orange, now offer VoIP as part of their broadband packages, making the whole process much easier.

If not, VoIP phones start from around ฃ10, and adaptors from around ฃ20 from Amazon.

4. What will VoIP cost me?

Once you have bought your headset or phone, you have to decide which pricing option is best for you.

• Vonage offer an anytime calls package with inclusive UK minutes and international calls starting from 0.02p a minute for ฃ7.99 a month. There is an activation fee of ฃ9.99 but they do give you a free adaptor for your home phone.
• BT offer an anytime plan from ฃ4.99 a month for BT Broadband customers. Calls to international landlines are charged from 1.25p per minute (with a 3p set up charge). Mobile phone call charges vary from 5p a minute at weekends up to 13p a minute at peak times.
• Orange offer VoIP with their Broadband Unlimited package (ฃ19.99 a month). To make calls you just plug your normal phone into your Orange Livebox modem, and it works even when your computer is off. Calls to 01 and 02 national numbers are free, calls to UK mobiles are 10p a minute and calls to 100 international destinations are free too. If you are also a pay monthly Orange customer, calls to other Orange mobile phones are free too.

But VoIP can also be completely free. If you know what time your friends will be online you can make your calls PC to PC and you won�t have to pay a penny.

5. How does it compare to using a standard landline for cost?

The fact that 70 per cent of UK households rely on a landline that costs around ฃ11 a month for their broadband (Ofcom, 2006), does cause some problems for specialist VoIP companies like Vonage as you don�t want to be paying two line rental costs.

Also, the fixed line telecoms business has become very competitive, so a great as it sounds, it�s also a good idea to check the fixed line market before committing to a VoIP line. Click here (link to www.homephonechoices.co.uk) to compare fixed line prices.

6. Reliability and quality issues

Despite Ofcom estimates of the number of active VoIP households, actual user volumes are difficult to track; early users suffered with poor quality connections, echoes and delays. The quality of your call can also be affected by your bandwidth, so if you have an ADSL line with a contention ratio of 50:1, your connection might not be as good during peak times.

But while these issues have improved, your broadband still needs to be switched on to make calls, increasing both your electricity bill and the chance of your network being infiltrated. In addition, you will have difficulty making calls any time you�re experiencing broadband connection problems.

7. VoIP in an emergency

Because you need electricity to make VoIP calls, since your broadband connection must be on, and, because you cannot ring emergency services from all VoIP networks, the chances are that you will still need a normal phone in an emergency.

Even if you are able to call emergency services, Ofcom still recommends that you check with your provider to see whether or not they will automatically know where you are calling from. Click here to see if you can ring 999 from your VoIP provider.

8. Call features

If the last two paragraphs have put you off, VoIP has some great call features that make up for its early teething problems.

Apart from the obvious cash savings, you can also make easy three-way calls � great if you have friends in different parts of the world.

A host of other features include online message centres for retrieving messages, a facility that allows you to send voicemails via email and the excellent benefit of being able to take your landline wherever you go. With VoIP you can make free and very cheap calls from any PC, any time you have access to a broadband connection � even from your mobile if you have a Smart Phone.

9. Should I bin my landline?

Unfortunately, most of you can�t since you still need your traditional line for your broadband. However, if you have cable, it�s worth comparing the cost of the calls you make against the costs of a VoIP provider.

Even if you can�t get rid of your landline, using VoIP for PC to PC calls is also a great way of getting a second landline without paying for another line rental at ฃ11 a month.

In the USA, where you can purchase a pure broadband connection without a phone line or having to pay line rental (known as a naked DSL), VoIP is a much better option. At the moment though, Ofcom has decided that it is up to service providers to decide if, and when, they will offer naked DSL in the UK without a cable connection.

10. The future

BT is now offering a VoIP cross-over phone. This �intelligent� mobile phone uses the mobile network when you�re outside, and then switches to your VoIP connection when inside your house, allowing you to make calls from 5.5p for an hour. Orange should also be offering something similar soon.

Read our long form internet phone to find more about making calls using your broadband connection.