Via Talk Voip - Any Different From Other Voip Providers?

By Mike Singh

Via Talk (VT) is a provider of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to both residential and business owners. They are a division of a privately owned, multi-million dollar corporation. What is the difference between the Via Talk VoIP and other providers of Internet communications?

The technology to use the Internet for telephone communications is available to any company in the telecommunications industry. What separates one business from the other is customer service. Via Talk VoIP offers excellent technical support and service to its customers. Via Talk has years of experience providing Internet service and has learned what their customers prefer in terms of service.

There are several plans that Via Talk offers starting as low as $9.95 per month. They offer standard features that you would need in your daily telephone use such as call forwarding and waiting and caller ID. In addition, they offer special features for a minimum charge such as virtual phone number, soft phone, fax service, and more.

With a virtual phone number, you have the ability to enjoy more than one number without an additional phone line. The soft phone feature is included in a program provided from Via Talk that allows the customer to make and receive calls directly from their computer or laptop. If you send and receive faxes, you can have a fax line along with your phone line and then send faxes directly from your computer.

VT_500 Plan lets customers call anywhere in the United States, Canada, and starts at $9.95 per month. This plan includes 500 anytime minutes and you can subscribe for as little as 1 month or up to 24 months. With the VT Unlimited Plan, you will pay $15.95 for 24 months. This plan also includes unlimited calling throughout the United States and Canada. If you own a business, consider the VT Business 1500. This plan is perfect if you own a small business or work from home. You receive 1500 anytime minutes that you can use throughout the United States and Canada and it includes a fax line.

Via Talk VoIP offers several plans, which makes it easier for you to match the plan to your telecommunication needs. When you choose your plan you will also pay a one-time activation fee but can be waived if you subscribe to a package that is either 12 or 24 months. If you find that the service package does not meet your needs, Via Talk will charge a cancellation fee.

Check out http://www.why-switch-to-voip.com/ for more articles on VOIP provider and voip systems.

The Importance Of Security In Business VoIP Applications

By Michael Lemm

It's unfortunate that when evaluating business VoIP solutions few mention the word security except in the context of web-based administration. This could be a fatal miscue to your business.

Keep in mind that a big advantage of VoIP is you can have people working from home or on the road. When you're logging in, are the credentials passed in the clear? Don't just take the vendor's word for it, have you tested it using a packet sniffer? If it's a requirement, is the call data encrypted?

Here's a scenario to consider:

You have Sales reps using an open WiFi network at a coffee shop or at a hotel. The call setup information is unencrypted and the IP stream carrying the conversation is unencrypted.

Why should you care about either of these things? Two risks:

#1: Toll fraud. Someone can sniff that authentication information and impersonate your sales rep. Your switch doesn't know the difference. You might not know that the credentials got swiped until your bill shows up with calls to a lot of foreign countries or (if you're very lucky) your carrier calls you and asks why your calling patterns have changed so much.

Good luck trying to get credit for toll fraud. The carrier is going to tell you that they put access to their network in at your premises and it was your responsibility to control it. There's probably language that covers them in your contract and/or tariff.

#2: Confidentiality of trade secrets. Maybe it's a quick call to check on fantasy football standings. But it could also be a call to a supplier to see if they'll do special pricing on a deal. That call could also be followed up by a call to a sales manager to talk about percentage mark-up. An unencrypted VoIP stream may seem complicated but its trivially easy to reassemble and "record" the whole conversation.

The above scenario is just an example of many ways your VoIP system may be vulnerable. I'm not discouraging you from implementing a business VoIP system if it's right for you. I am encouraging not to thoroughly evaluate security implications and be prepared to guard against any potential issues.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Which VoIP Service is Right for You? VoIP Problems Discussed

By Joe Robertson

There are a few problems associated with VOIP. Like, if the broadband connection is problematic, if there is a conversation that is taking place between two VOIP users and a few IP packets get destroyed or there is a delay in its reaching the destination at any point there is a pause for a few moments, rather no voice is heard.

This happens more in networks that are saturated or when the distances of the call are long. The voice quality has improved a lot today though and it will get better with time.

It is considered better to use the media that is 'packeted' in terms of VOIP as these works on multi-path routing or the incoming and outgoing packets take different routes. This reduces the effect of the minute failures.

There are a number of protocols that help in supporting the report of QoS/QoE which are for VOIP calls. Like RTCP XR (RFC3611) or the SIP RTCP Summary Reports, H.248.30 and MGCP extensions. The RFC3611 VOIP metric report support the feedback which is related to the QoS problems.

It is a little difficult to send faxes through VOIP. The voice codec that already exist are not meant to be sending faxes. Everyday technology is changing, everyday a solution is thought of for fixing this problem. Efforts are being made to answer this problem by defining a solution based on a different IP for sending Fax. These include the T.38 protocol.

Other solutions have also been thought of. Treating the system of fax like a system for message switching and it doesn't need a great data transmission, like sending over a fax like an attachment with the email. The system at the end can buffer the fax data that is incoming prior to its display or its being printed.

You may wish to read more at: VoIP Requirement List and Skype Problems and Complaints

Joe, a reporter, has been travelling around the world for more than a decade now and has extensive experience in many fields. Now he has a blog along with other article writers. To know more about him, do visit: Random Rants

How To Do A VOIP Comparison To Find Your Best Value

By Jon Arnold

The first thing you need to do when doing a VOIP comparison or a comparison of virtually any other product or service is to understand that lowest price rarely is the same thing as best value. Even many government contracts these days, where they used to be solely focused on lowest price, are changing to consider the aspect of best value, which is rarely the same thing.

Granted, there is no sense in paying more for something than you need to, and there is also no sense in paying for features of a service that you will rarely if ever use. But for basic functionality, I would strongly encourage you to look for the best overall value for a service instead of merely best price, especially when doing a VOIP comparison.

The first thing you need to consider is what features you want with your VOIP service and why you are considering it. With residential or home office usage, implementing VOIP is almost a no-brainer. With a traditional telephone line costing you $25 a month or more and having no more additional features than just a dial tone, justifying the implementation of VOIP services at approximately the same price which also includes the other standard VOIP features of unlimited long distance calling, calling waiting, voicemail, and others truly makes it a bargain. But then again, consider if you need those features � if you never make long distance calls, you don't need voicemail or call waiting, then it makes little sense to use technology such as VOIP simply for the sake of technology.

Even for the small office, VOIP does not automatically mean cost savings. There is nothing automatic about it in terms of cost savings. If your small office is doing less than about 4000 long distance minutes per month, it may not make financial sense to implement VOIP.

Consider that when doing a VOIP comparison, at least one aspect is going to be the same for all carriers, and that is the reliability of your high-speed Internet connection. VOIP services use your high-speed Internet connection to make and receive your phone calls, and without a very reliable, stable, and otherwise rock solid high-speed Internet connection, you are not going to have a pleasant experience with VOIP no matter which VOIP service provider you choose. Note that the VOIP provider has absolutely no control over how reliable your Internet connection is.

When doing your VOIP comparison, make a list of the features you want to have and make sure you are comparing apples to apples when looking at VOIP service offerings. Is unlimited long distance important to you? If so, make sure that is there. Is voicemail important, or call waiting? If so, make sure they are there.

How is the carrier's customer service? There are some carriers where the customer service is so bad that their VOIP service is not a bargain at any price. If you have ever had to get through to Verizon customer service, you know exactly how frustrating that can be, and I don't know about you, but my time is worth something more than listening to elevator music on hold.

For more insights and a comparison of the leading VOIP service providers, as well as seeing our Expert Pick for the VOIP Comparison please visit our web site at http://www.voipinsideinfo.com

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.

VoipDocument offers more information about phone service and free trial VoIP providers. Get great voip deals and learn more about this useful technology from our VoIP knowledge base. Visit us today!.

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 Tutorial - Things You Need To Get Started With VoIP

By Juzaily Ramli

Now that you�ve decided that VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol is right for you, there are a few things that you have to do to get started. The following are steps you can take to immediately enjoy the benefits of VoIP.

Updating Your Computer

First on your list is to update your computer. You need to have a High Speed Internet connection. Also you would need to have updated video and audio Codecs as well as the latest version of DivX. Updating your computer is easy by utilising tools or programs such as your Windows Update.

Deciding on a Service Provider

The next step is for you to decide on a service provider that can offer you the right VoIP service plan. As there are many companies offering such services, you could make the decision easier by writing down a list of your needs, wants, as well as features in that fit your needs. Compare the many plans available and make your choice.

One thing to remember is that there are normally two plans available: Residential and Business. Residential plans can either be a basic plan which provides a certain amount of talk time, or an unlimited plan which provides unlimited local and long distance access. On the other hand, a Business plan can provide services such as multiple phones, longer talk time, better unlimited calling plans, added business features, voicemail and faxing features, as well as other extras like listings in the yellow pages. Make sure that you choose a plan that is catered to your needs. The service provider that you finally decide on can also assist you in determining what other computer requirements you will need to have. Again, it is important that your computer be up to date and complies with the service provider�s requirements.

Getting a Telephone Adapter

The telephone adapter will be given to you by your service provider. With this adapter, you can now convert your everyday household phone into a phone that works with your VoIP service. Using an Ethernet cable, connect your telephone adapter to your Cable or DSI modem. Then connect your telephone to the adapter with a phone jack. Besides a regular phone, you could also opt to use a portable phone to the adapter, and have the ease of a portable phone that works with your VoIP service. However, this is just the standard portable phone used indoors, not to be confused with a cell phone.

Choosing Your Own Telephone Number

Now you have the option of choosing your own telephone number, one of the best features that VoIP offers. If you are contemplating on keeping your old number with your new VoIP system, discuss this with your service provider first. Most VoIP service providers will allow you to do this. However, keep in mind that selecting a different number or area code has many advantages. To start with, for family members and friends who do not have unlimited long distance calling options, choosing the same area code as theirs can immediately save them money. They will definitely thank you for having being given the opportunity to call you as if it were a local call.

On a larger perspective, this option is very advantageous to those who own businesses that are aiming at specific regions. Say you own a business in Florida, yet at the same time, you would like to expand to Los Angeles, California. In choosing the Los Angeles, California code, you could easily increase sales and productivity as you now have a local number that customers can call. This would also reduce the need for a toll free number.

Installing and Activating Your VoIP Features

Your VoIP service plan comes with an array of added features. For residential plans, these could mean Caller ID, Voicemail, Call Forwarding, Call Block and Do Not Disturb. Constantly check with your service provider to get a full listing of features that come with your chosen plan. If you opt for a business plan, you would enjoy services like free fax lines, multi phone users, and integrated VoIP and web features. VoIP also provides the same features in the basic plans. Again remember that when deciding on your service provider, compare the various plans available and choose one that best fits your needs.

Accessorising

As VoIP gets more and more advanced, a whole new group of accessories are introduced in the market. Today, you have the luxury of choosing from many types of VoIP phones, headsets, even VoIP videophones that incorporate your audio with video.

Enjoying Your VoIP Service

Now that you have everything you need, you can start enjoying your VoIP service. Regardless if you choose the basic or unlimited plan, you will realise that with VoIP, you now enjoy more freedom, reliability and greater standards of quality, not to mention the most cost effective method in meeting all of your telecommunications needs than you ever thought possible.

Juzaily Ramli is the owner of the site that provides VoIP tutorial to get people to switch to and get started on VoIP. He also writes about business VoIP targeted to those who are running their own business to increase their productivity. His site can be found at http://www.voip-revolution-info-site.com