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 ‘Call Forwarding’
VoIP Requirements List
March 25th, 2010VoIP Providers – How To Choose One
March 5th, 2010
When you’ve made the decision to move to VoIP phone, you’ll need to select a VoIP provider. The most well-known is Vonage, largely because of their aggressive advertising campaign. There are, however, several other VoIP providers that you should consider. A large marketing campaign does not guarantee good service.
Vonage is your basic VoIP phone service, with the emphasis on the phone. For a monthly charge, they send you a device to hook up to your phone that does two things. First, it digitizes your analog voice, a must for VoIP usage. Second, it initiates an internet link that runs through your DSL or cable broadband hookup. VoIP-specific phones are perfect to use on Vonage service, and you can use them wirelessly.
You get your local and long-distance phone service for the monthly flat rate, and also a number of services like three-way calling and call forwarding, which few people use. In some plans, you do pay for outgoing calls after a point, but the number of minutes you get before reaching that break point is pretty generous.
Skype is a very different sort of VoIP provider. It started as primarily a computer-based, not phone-based VoIP, and most people originally used headphones with their ordinary computer to access a Skype account. You can get Skype phones today that run through your computer, but most of Skype’s services are more web-friendly.
In addition to phone service, Skype has robust online and computer-based communications technology like chat and user lookups. But the outstanding feature of Skype is the price. If you’re using it to call directly to another Skype user, anywhere in the world, it’s free. It’s also the easiest VoIP service to take with you; if you have a Skype account, you can access it from your computer or any Skype-enabled computer, anywhere in the world.
Lingo is a new entry to the VoIP world, and is ascendant primarily because while it offers Vonage-style services, it also offers dirt-cheap rates. Vonage focuses primarily on the United States, Canada, and Mexico; Lingo’s area of expertise appears to be Asia and Western Europe, where it offers either unlimited calling or a robust calling plan. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have worked out all their bugs, and Lingo does not have a stable calling platform yet.
AT&T CallVantage is another new entry, though it’s from an old company. They, too, are based on similar technology to that Vonage uses, with devices that hook up to your phone et al. Unlike Lingo, AT&T offers excellent quality service, as one might expect. At one point, AT&T had overly-complicated technology for hooking up your VoIP service, but they have improved and now aren’t much worse than Vonage.
No matter how good your VoIP provider is, your telephone stability and reliability when using this service is limited by your high-speed internet connection. If the power goes out, no phone. If your internet service is interrupted for any reason, no phone. If you are confident in your cellular service and aren’t worried about this, that shouldn’t be a problem, but it is something you must consider when you choose your VoIP service.
The bottom line is not to choose VOIP service based on price alone. Look at the features and determine how important that is to you and how often you will use it. Our web site features our Editor’s Choice Best Pick for the best VOIP service available based on a wide range of criteria.
By: Jon Arnold
Advantages and Disadvantages of VoIP
February 22nd, 2010
VoIP technology has resulted in serious changes in the way we communicate with each other. It has succeeded in integrating both voice and data and utilizing the Internet for communication as well. Telecommunication is continually evolving and as people we can only continue to benefit from this evolution. Internet based phones will be the telephony service of the future but are its advantages being overemphasized? All things may not be as they seem.
VoIP has a great number of benefits and advantages. The only requirement that VoIP has is that you use a broadband DSL or cable connection. Provided you have this sort of connection, you can easily use Voice over IP. If you use yours through a PC-to-PC connection calls are usually free just as long as the person you are calling has VoIP as well, other than this most VoIP providers tend to offer unlimited calling plans for calls made outside a certain geographical area for a flat monthly fee. Traditional telephone services are much costlier than internet phones. This technology also offers additional services such as call forwarding and caller id, free of charge.
One other benefit of the integration of voice and data is that the person needs only a single system. It makes it easy to install and save money as well. Each phone is identified by a single IP address regardless of wherever it is plugged into. This makes it easy to move from one place to another or to add it to other networks as well.
These VoIP phones may also be utilized anywhere just as long as they have been connected to an IP network. This assists a lot with telecommuting and international offices as well, saving companies and individuals a lot of money. These devices also tend to be light and very easy to carry.
Regardless of these numerous benefits, there are disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage would be that VoIP is run by a lot of power. If a power outage occurs all voice communications cease, unlike the traditional telephone service which can still be made use of if there is no electricity.
Problems also exist with the calling of 911 emergency numbers. When you usually make a 911 call it is traced back to the sender and sent to the nearest 911 communication center in the area. However with VoIP these calls cannot be traced back to a particular location and cannot lead rescuers to find you.
Voice quality with internet telephony is generally efficient but the use of cable broadband could mean poorer qualities. This is because the data is broken down in order to be transmitted and the delay or a packet of data will sometimes mean that it needs to be dropped. This then results in silent periods.
Phone equipment may also need to be updated since voice over IP only tends to work with newer phone versions. Depending on the number of phones that need to be replaced, this could a substantial expense.
VoIP also has some minor annoyances that have to be sorted out but the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. From all evident aspects this alternative telephone technology is the phone of the future but the future may already have arrived for all we know.
By: Darren Williger
