VOIP vs Every Day Phone Service - Free Trial VOIP Solutions

By Ivan A Cuxeva

As you may know, VOIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. This useful technology has brought together people from all over the world using the most extensive network there is, the World Wide Web. The use of the internet allows us to connect with users all around the globe. The web is no longer seen as a plain structure which only allows exchange of text-based data.

In the earlier days the web was known to bring excellent offers from companies who started to explore their possibilities by extending their business to virtual locations on web servers. As time went by, the Internet was used more and more not only to purchase goods but to exchange information, this is why when many hear the word "internet" they are immediately reminded of "chat rooms". That is actually how the internet started to gain ground and popularity. People liked the way this emerging a new technology let them connect with they didn't know, with friends, family, etc.

Most web users at some point or another thought "Email and chat rooms are OK but it doesn't beat verbal communication". This fact remained true for quite some time until software developers created software applications which allowed users to communicate verbally with each other through the web just like if they were sending data packets. In reality, text, voice and video can be turned into computer data and sent over fiber optic cables or phone lines. This is how most people think of VOIP, and that's in-fact very close to the way VOIP enabled devices work.

The only problem at the time was that such software programs were unable to place actual phone calls but rather all communication conducted through a PC to PC interface which is still used today by may applications. Phone companies became aware of the possibility clients would turn their backs on their service and started offering Voice Over IP communications as an alternative choice.

Other companies emerged such as Vonage, Packet8, VOIP, BBtelsys, Cordia, etc. These companies used this technology to offer alternatives to consumers. Many people have decided to use their VOIP solutions because they are cheap compared to regular phone services, which sounds good but since it is a new concept many people are not sure if this kind of technology is for them.

That's why finding VOIP companies which offer free trials is very useful. Some of them provide the service for free as a second line which can be tested side by sides against the user's existing phone service and after thirty days the user can decide which way he/she wants to follow. As you can see this is very convenient because if the service turns out to be not what you expected, you can just cancel and owe nothing.

This technology is also used by businesses because it cuts their communication expenses by more than half. But aside from being a financially smart decision, voice over IP solutions have all the features we use every day such as: caller ID, call waiting, conference calling, call forwarding, redial, call transfer and logs, message waiting, hold and speed dial. So as you see it is not that different from our current service which makes voice over IP an easy to adapt and understand technology.

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VoIP Phone Basics - Using VoIP With Your Existing Phone

By Kevin Nelson

If you're like most people considering switching over to VoIP phone service, you already understand the great value VoIP can provide as well as the cost savings. Let's face it, that's one of the main reasons people make the switch to VoIP.

But one of the things that often times holds people back is that they're worried about not being able to use their regular phone, perhaps being tied to a computer in order to make calls or having to buy expensive hardware that's compatible with their new phone service. Neither of those is a good option but you can breath a sigh of relief in knowing that your existing phone will work just fine with most of the major players in the VoIP market.

Connecting Your Existing Phone

When you sign up with you VoIP phone service provider, they will give you an adapter that allows you to use your existing phone with the new VoIP system. This means you don't have to worry about being tied to your computer or shelling out more money for additional hardware. The adapter will have several plugs for you to connect items to, including your phone, your computer and your Internet connection. The adapter does all the hard work of converting the phone signal so it's VoIP-compatible.

Activating Your VoIP Phone Service

Once you have your phone all set up, all you have to do is activate your service. Of course each provide has different ways of doing this so it's best to check their user guide to get the full details on this part, but usually this can be done via the Internet or over the phone. In addition, they can provide any troubleshooting tips if you hit a snag, but that's doubtful because regardless of which company you choose, the setup process is quite easy.

Enjoying VoIP Phone Service

Congratulations, you've just entered the exciting world of VoIP! After your service is activated, you can begin using your phone like normal. The only difference is now you'll probably have way more features and better service than you got from your local phone company.

Once you experience what it's like to have access to unlimited long distance calling anytime of the day, discount rates on international calls, voicemail, caller ID and other features all built-in to most VoIP calling plans, you'll quickly understand why millions of other consumers have switched to VoIP and why this new phone technology is increasing in popularity every day.

How long can you afford to pay higher phone bills each month? Find out more about how to choose a VoIP phone service that can help you keep more money in your pocket while you enjoy enhanced calling features your local phone company would nickel and dime you for. Find money-saving links to top-rated VoIP providers by visiting http://www.BuyersGuideToVoIP.com

VoIP Phone Reviews

By Bob Hett

VoIP is the fastest growing internet communication service. With features and services not normally found in traditional landlines, it is fast becoming the number one choice of people.

At first, people have been skeptical to use VoIP but soon found out the effectiveness and convenience of VoIP.

VoIP phones are now changing people�s perspective on the use of telephone. If you want a phone, it can be a good choice.

VoIP offers standard features that regular landline phones often charges extra. For instance, free or low cost long distance calls are often not available in regular landlines. This is because VoIP uses the internet to make a call. Since the internet offers free information, and fast communication, VoIP phones take advantage of this feature to transmit the calls free.

With a VoIP phone, you can take your personal number wherever you are. You can make and receive phone calls from your number even if you are traveling as long as there is an active internet connection to where you are going.

There are many VoIP broadband phone provider in the market today, choosing the right one would be very beneficial for your business or personal for your use.

Here are some of the things you should look for when choosing VoIP service providers:

Audio Quality

Recent advancement in technology allows better sound quality with reduced noise. This means that a VoIP service provider should have excellent audio quality when making calls. If you experience lags or delays in your phone calls, you should think twice before subscribing to the company another time.

Little or no delay transmission is needed for your voice to reach the person you are calling. A one-second delay can mean the difference of making a simple answer of �yes� or �no�. Remember that voice delays can mean misunderstanding, and precise answers are extremely important in businesses.

Reliability

Imagine making an important business deal or talking to your family and friends and your call is suddenly cut off. This is a bad sign that your service provider is not making sure that you get your money�s worth.

Get a VoIP service provider that offers maximum reliability and free try out periods to ensure you that they give the best service to their subscribers. Although cheap rates are attractive, try their services first before committing.

Customer Service

VoIP service providers should offer customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This can help you if you ever have problems using VoIP.

The customer assistance service should be quick and take care of their subscribers immediately after making the call. Know if the VoIP service providers you are planning on subscribing have customer assistance. Customer service can be found in the VoIP service providers or by calling them.

Features

VoIP service providers should offer standard features like; free long distance calls, emails, fax, web conferencing, and videophone and others for no extra fee at all. Still quite a few VoIP service providers out there charge for these extra features. Get a VoIP service provider that offers maximum standard features free.

Price

VoIP is supposed to be free or cheap. Get a VoIP service provider that offer free long distance and low monthly payments. Make sure that not only it should be cheap but also offers quality service. Most providers offer trial periods, use this to determine if it is worth spending you hard earned cash.

However convenient it might be to own a VoIP phone, there are still drawbacks for it. For example, you should have a high-speed internet connected.

Since VoIP phones depends on your internet connection, this means that disconnected internet, no VoIP service. Slow internet connection is also a factor. With slow internet connection, expect audio delays.

It is wise that before getting a VoIP phone, you should determine that the internet connection in your area is broadband and reliable.

Here are some of the top VoIP service providers:

Vonage

Sunrocket

VoIP.net

Time Warner Cable

Packet8

If the following companies do not cover your area, you can always find VoIP providers in your area. Just make sure they offer quality services and choose one used by your family and friends so you can call them free, wherever they are.

Bob Hett has extensively covered the VoIP Service Provider industry as an analyst and has researched the various companies for factors based on price, reliability, support and overall quality. Learn more at VoIP Phones.

Voice Over IP Frequently Asked Questions

By Julian Marcellino

What is VoIP?

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the process of making voice calls over an internet connection as opposed to a traditional landline. VoIP calls can be made from both a computer, and a regular (VoIP enabled) phone (the regular phone also connects to the internet). With a regular VoIP enabled phone, no computer is required!

Why is VoIP relatively inexpensive?

VoIP is cheaper because it uses the infrastructure of the internet to make calls. For that reason, it is just like Instant Messaging or any other internet-based application. As you can imagine, it is cheaper to connect to someone via the internet than via landline routing. Also, VoIP is completely free if two people with VoIP connect to each other!

If VoIP is similar to email and IM, why isn't it free?

VoIP (as mentioned above) is free if you're connecting to someone else with VoIP. However, using VoIP to connect to a cell phone or landline still requires connection to that line, which is the part that costs money-although it's still usually cheaper.

What are the advantages of VoIP?

The shift towards VoIP is driven by the significantly lower cost of the service as opposed to traditional landlines. However, there are also a tonne of other benefits when using VoIP. For example, VoIP being an internet service means that you can take your 'phone number' wherever you go. VoIP also allows increased flexibility with the number you have whereby you can may be based in the UK but you can have a local NYC number (good for business users).

What are the disadvantages of VoIP?

Although VoIP has many advantages, it also has some disadvantages. The major one being that VoIP services don't work during power outages. However, it's possible to purchase backup systems for VoIP, and many large companies do so. Also, some providers don't offer phonebook listings with their VoIP services.

Want to find out more?

Thanks for reading Voice Over IP Frequently Asked Questions. Want to find out more? Visit entirelyvoip.com for more information on Voice Over IP and VoIP providers!

VoIP in India Phone Market

By Preeti Doval

The VoIP phone market is growing at a phenomenal rate globally and the India phone market could not be left far behind. VoIP is picking up in the India phone market and it is expected to be the second largest market in the APAC after China. Looking at the numerous advantages that this technology offers this trend was certainly expected. The huge cost savings and the feature rich communication solution that this technology offers cannot be matched by traditional telephony.

As per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), approximately 160 million minutes of VoIP communication took place from June 04 to July 05 as compared to approximately 84 million minutes over the same period in the previous year. This growth rate is expected to speed up further in the coming years.

Growth of VoIP in the India phone market can be attributed to a large number of factors. Cheap and easy availability of broadband connections is one of the major factors that is driving this growth.

Today all major telecom operators in India are offering broadband connections at affordable rates thus empowering the user with high-speed Internet connections and favoring VoIP usage. According to the Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), there were 5.9 million Internet subscribers and 3.9 lakh broadband connections, as on June 2005. The revenues from the Internet and Internet Telephony services for the first quarter in financial year 2005-06 amounted to approximately Rs 550 crore.

Another important factor is PC penetration, which has grown tremendously over the last decade in the country. Moreover, user awareness and acceptance has led to increased usage of VoIP.

The individual market in India is still gearing up but many of the large enterprises have already migrated to VoIP to make long distance calls and for internal communications.

Though VoIP usage is growing in the India phone market but a major factor that has restricted its growth is that use of this technology is still not fully legalized in India. VoIP in India is allowed for PC in India to a phone abroad, PC to PC anywhere and a SIP/H.323 device to a similar device in India or abroad. This means that the call cannot terminate at a normal phone within the country.

These restrictions have been imposed to protect the interests of International and National Long Distance operators who have paid huge license fees and continue to pay for their services.
Currently organizations like ISPAI are seeking unrestricted telephony access that would allow users to make calls from both mobile and landline numbers. Industry experts also feel that in rural areas, where laying cable is not possible, technology like Wi-Max should be allowed and ISPs should be given the flexibility to offer these services.

Once the government removes these restrictions and legalizes VoIP fully in India, the India phone market will undergo a major change. The service providers will be able to capitalize on the tremendous potential available in the country. The users and the industry will rejoice and reap the benefits of this new technology.

Copyright 2005 Bart Bartolozzi
About The Author :
Bart Bartolozzi is a strategic VoIP consultant with Blueskyphone and an expert on VoIP technology with over 15 years experience coordinating the development and marketing of new telecom and IT services and solutions. Mr. Bartolozzi has been dedicated to the development of the Voice over IP industry since its inception and has been responsible for expanding the use of IP technology for international arbitrage, PBX replacement, call center applications, and voice enhanced services for carriers, retail consumers and enterprise customers.
bart@eztelusa.com Article Source: http://www.blueskyphone.com

Make Free Internet Phone Calls With VoIP And Save A Ton Of Money On Phone Bills

By Clair Sandra

Have you heard all the buzz about VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an emerging technology which allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet � many times for free. It is already starting to replace existing telephone networks, with many people and businesses choosing to cancel their traditional phone line and use VoIP instead. Why? Price. Consumer are finding that they can save a lot of money using VoIP technologies.

Originally developed to provide voice communication between computer users in different locations, in recent years, VoIP has been further developed into a telephone network in its own right. People using VoIP can call any telephone anywhere in the world and can receive calls on telephone sets connected to the Internet.

Currently, there are quite a few VoIP services available for consumers to choose from. Some of these still rely on PC-to-PC connections but many VoIP providers offer other services such as PC-to-phone and phone-to-phone connection.

In order to use VoIP, both parties need a broadband connection. This is a high-speed Internet connection usually provided by a cable or DSL modem- broadband modems are usually used to connect computers to the Internet.

The simplest form of VoIP is a computer-to-computer voice connection. This is also the type of connection which allows users to make free phone calls over the Internet.

All that is required to make your first free call over the Internet is a computer, a headset consisting of earphones and microphone, and VoIP software. The VoIP software can be downloaded from the service provider�s site. The best thing is that most software packages are free and allow you to connect to any computer running the same software.

There is no charge for this type of connection and calls can be made to anywhere in the world free of charge. If you choose you could also use an Internet telephone that plugs into the sound card or USB port on your computer. However, this is an additional expense which is really not necessary.

Until recently, the major disadvantage with computer-to-computer calls was that both parties had to have the same kind of software installed in order to make a connection; but things are changing now and emerging technology is beginning to allow users to make calls to users utilizing different VoIP software. Almost every software package, however, has the ability to connect with landline or cellular phones.

How It Works

Although each VoIP software package is different, most VoIP software function the same way. Usually, you can call another person on the network by typing in their user name or number. If that person is online they will see a popup box alerting them that you want to talk. The other party can see who is calling and can choose to either accept or reject the call.

Before the popup appears, however, there has already been some communication between the two computers. The VoIP software has information about the speed of your Internet connection and the type of code that can be used to compress and decompress audio data. When a call request is made, both computers negotiate which code is going to be used to make allowances for the connection speed.

Other types of VoIP Services are available which allow you to make PC-to-Phone connections, and also calls that do not involve the use of your computer at all. Although these premium services vary in price, in most cases by using VoIP technology you will be saving a significant amount of money on your phone bills each month.

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