Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP as it is commonly called, is a revolutionary technology that has created an upheaval of sorts in the domain of long distance communications. End users can now use their personal computers to talk to friends and relatives – who could be located in another part of the globe. A reliable broadband connection is used for the purpose. The need for conventional telephone lines can be done away with; low cost calling made available through IP telephony solutions is increasingly taking the place of traditional phone networks among residential as well as corporate users.
However, certain requirements need to be met for the most satisfactory use of this high-end technology. The equipment used, for one, has to be of the highest quality. Broadband connection in a computer is necessary for good audio quality, for instance. The experience can also be optimised using PC speakers and microphones.
A basic VoIP requirements list has to be in place for users to make the most of the VoIP phone services. As is well-known, the flexibility of voice over IP makes it more user-friendly as compared to traditional telephone networks. Users are able to make quite a few calls over a single connection. A stable Internet connection is all that is needed – and one can make calls from almost anywhere in the world. Innovative features include video integration, fast and efficient exchange of data files, and audio conferencing. Quite a few security features are in place; and users can be sure of security of their calls. Other functionalities found in PSTN networks are also found in IP telephony. These include caller ID, automatic redialing and call forwarding. And with the latest trends in technology, it has become easy to make VoIP enabled calls through mobile devices as well.
VoIP security is not that difficult to implement. Quite a few voice over IP solutions are supported through encryption which make them very much reliable and user friendly. Security is also implemented through patented audio codecs and compression techniques.
Moreover, one should ensure that the broadband connection through which the calls are routed are not congested. This rules out voice drop-outs and long delays.
One can say that the VoIP phone is perfect for quite a few people – from frequent travelers, bored housewives to high-end professionals and busy executives. People who are not near to any fixed line phones or who are traveling the world find these solutions very much affordable and easy to use. With prepaid VoIP phone cards easily available in the market, there are no problems involved in making such calls.
However, when using VoIP products or subscribing to a VoIP service, users must make some provisions against untoward circumstances such as power failures and the services of broadband carriers going down.
By: Kristen Kiya
Posts Tagged ‘Audio Conferencing’
VoIP Requirements List
March 25th, 2010Audio Conferencing Using VoIP Technology
November 24th, 2009
VoIP is a popular internet telephony service which allows users to conduct audio conferences using the internet. It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. With increasing popularity of audio conferences, the popularity of VoIP is also increasing. It is now a preferred way of conducting audio conference services. The principle behind VoIP is similar to that of a telephonic audio conference. The difference is the way the data is transferred. Plus, internet connection is required to use this service.
To start and make conference calls using Voice over Internet Protocol, you will need broadband connection, an analog telephone adapter, dedicated VoIP phones or a computer. A softphone software that allows you to call without using a dedicated hardware. There are many advantages in using this service.
You can use the existing telephone number or get a toll fee number to make a call using VoIP. You can transmit more than one telephone call using a single broadband connection. You can connect from anywhere to a VoIP service provider. There are no restrictions in terms of calling from a fixed location. Since the internet is the mode of communication, the cost of conferencing using this service is lower than the cost incurred by using telephone. Features like IVR, call forwarding, automatic redial etc which are billed separately in telephone bills are automatically integrated in Voice over internet protocol. It can be integrated into other internet services like data exchange, transferring files, video conversation etc.
The risk of cross connections and other disturbances are lower. If the broadband connection is good, the call can be smoothly made.
By: Vikas S
VoIP Technology, How Does It Work?
October 29th, 2009
VoIP, which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, is a protocol that has been optimized for transmitting voice via the internet or through other packet switched networks. VoIP carries telephony signals as digital audio that are usually reduced in data rate with speech data compression methods, encapsulated in a data packet stream over IP. In other words, VoIP is the routing of vocal conversations over the internet, or any other network that is IP based. VoIP is also known by other names including Internet telephony, IP Telephony, and Broadband telephony.
VoIP services can have two types of public switched telephone networks (PSTN):
1. Access numbers – the caller is required to key in the extension number of the VoIP user
2. Direct Inward Dialing (DID) – directly connects the caller to the VoIP user.
One of the great aspects about VoIP is that it has the ability to facilitate tasks and provide services that a more traditional PSTN might have difficulty implementing, or may charge more for. Some examples of services that VoIP features include:
• VoIP makes it easy to add an additional telephone line for a home or office, because VoIP has the ability to transmit more than one phone call down the same telephone line connected to broadband.
• VoIP automatically comes with popular phone features such as call forwarding, caller ID, automatic redial and 3-way calling. All of these features can be included in a traditional phone line, but usually each service has an additional cost.
• VoIP already has security in place such as digitizing and digital transmission, which traditional phone lines can sometimes struggle with.
• VoIP phones can work form any location that has a stable and fast internet connection.
• VoIP can integrate with other services that are available though the internet including message or data file exchange, video conversation, managing address books, audio conferencing, and so on.
As you can see, there are many features you can enjoy with VoIP. Furthermore, on the whole, VoIP tends to be the cheaper telephone service in comparison to a traditional phone line. However, regardless if you use a VoIP telephony, or are called by an unknown VoIP user, you can still find out more about a phone number and who it belongs to here.
By: Dan Krasky
