So many people today are still afraid of the ever elusive VoIP — Voice over Internet Protocol. What makes them afraid? It’s new technology; technology that might make them step out of their comfortable little boat called POTS — Plain Old Telephone Service into new uncharted waters. No matter what the fear, new technology can be, and has proven to be, a great thing.

Take a look at the history of cell phones. According to Mike Singh’s Ezine article, The History Of Cell Phones — How Did The Cell Phone Come About?, the concept of cell phones started in 1973, by a scientist named Martin Cooper. People were initially apprehensive about cell phones. What? Use a phone while I travel? Preposterous idea! It couldn’t possibly work! But guess what…it does, and now cell phone usage is almost the main source of telephone contact that people use. According to Andrew Clogg in an accuconference blog, “cell phone usage in the US has increased from 34 million to 203 million in the last ten years.” Consumers are now riding the wave of cell phone technology. They can’t live without it, and most people feel naked without their cell phones. Even now if you look, you can see consumers in their cars or walking down the street appearing to converse with themselves, but if you look closely, you will see a little device attached to their ear. What is this device? It is new cell phone technology that allows the consumer to have their hands free for other activity.

How does VoIP compare? VoIP has proven to be a new technology that can make lives even more simple, and consumers are catching on. VoIP News, has stated, “…NPRG [New Paradigm Resources Group] estimates that there are approximately 6 million VoIP users in the United States. It is expected that this number will climb to 9 million users by the end of 2006 and 24 million by the end of 2008.”

VoIP technology was developed in 1973 through ARPANET, the Advanced Research Projects Agency in the Department of Defense. Then, a company called Vocaltec produced the first VoIP phone software that could be used by consumers in 1995 called “Internet Phone.” How does this new technology work? Voice packets run over a consumer’s high speed internet connection to any phone whether it is a call to a VoIP line, cell phone, or POTS line, anywhere in the world.

Why use VoIP? The real question is why shouldn’t you? VoIP is technology that you can take with you anywhere you go and can be used in conjunction with a cell phone or landline. You just plug your VoIP adapter or router into a high speed internet connection, and you’re ready to make calls. You can even take your phone number with you wherever you move to. That is something you cannot do with your traditional landline phone service. Other perks: the monthly cost is so much cheaper than a normal landline or cell phone, the features are better, you can forward all your calls from home or the office to your cell phone or any other phone when traveling so that you don’t miss any calls, there are little to no per minute long distance charges, there are no exorbitant taxes because the service runs over the internet, international rates are extremely cheap, and the list goes on.

There is no need to fear the “Big Bad VoIP.” Just grab hold and enjoy what this new technology can do for you.

© 2008 Mconnect, Inc.

By: Lisa Evanock