VoIP Technology » Call Forwarding

VoIP Requirements List

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:50:57 +0000

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

VoIP Providers – How To Choose One

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:22:51 +0000

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

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:56:21 +0000

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

How Does VoIP Really Work?

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:49:30 +0000

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. By using a VoIP phone and VoIP technology you can effectively use the internet to make phone calls. VoIP does this by placing the voice calls on network which encrypts the voice in data packets at one end and encrypts it in voice calls at the other end. In VoIP, encryption and decryption is from a analog signal (i.e. your voice call) into digital signal (data packets) and again into the analog signal.

You can make VOIP calls by a regular phone with VOIP adapter or even from your computer using a simple microphone. VoIP applications can generally be used with a simple microphone and computer speakers, but IP telephones or VoIP boxes can also be used, providing an experience identical to normal telephoning. Many VOIP manufacturers are designing phones which are specially meant to work with this technology, called SIP phone, and now extensively used by growing VoIP users.

In the past year, the quality and reliability of VoIP technology has improved to the point that vast numbers of users have abandoned their standard telephone contracts entirely, in favor of VoIP. Local as well as long distance calling is available for VoIP. Rates and plans can vary from one VoIP service provider to another VoIP service provider.

Advantages of using VOIP

Using VOIP you can effectively cut down your phone bills, since you just pay to your regular internet connection and small fees to your VOIP service provider. Setting up conference calls with VOIP is very easy.

You can even set up your own VoIP network and don’t need any special equipment like PBX etc. You can call to any local telephone, mobile, long distance number or any international number through VoIP phones. More importantly, the person you are calling by using VoIP technology does not need any special equipment; just a regular telephone.

Many additional features like call forwarding, call tracing, reminders, caller ID are readily available in VoIP Phones. You can even assign a local telephone number to your VOIP phone set, and just need a fast internet connection to use your VOIP service anywhere in the world.

VoIP Dilemma

VoIP applications and services require data transfer in real time. During a call an interactive data voice exchange takes place. Unfortunately, TCP/IP is not well suited for this purpose. Sometimes you have to wait for a few seconds, to hear the other side answering. But with recent developments streaming the flow of voice signals has improved. PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone calling quality is still not as sharp as regular PSTN calls. However, with SIP phones and a reliable high speed internet connection there is little or no difference….and sometimes the quality is even better.

SIP Phones

SIP Phones are the phones which are specifically designed to work as VOIP phones. SIP phone can be considered as a network endpoint routing voice via its IP address. This allows a DID (direct inward dialing) number to move with a user. With SIP phones you can use advanced features like voice mail to email etc. Using a SIP phone also closely resembles a regular analog phone in look, feel, function, and ease of use.

FCC and VoIP

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates VOIP Services in the USA. They are in charge to create and promote telecommnuication regulations….such as VOIP services….to benefit consumers. In November, 2004 FCC ruled that individual States do not have the jurisdiction to impose taxes on VoIP services, which made the cost of VOIP services even more attractive in relation to standard PSTN phone services.

By: Michael Lemm

VoIP 101

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:11:44 +0000

VoIP is a relatively new type of telephone service that has been gaining more and more popularity in the past few years. VOIP is short for voice over Internet protocol, which basically means your phone calls are made through an internet connection, rather than through regular phone land lines. The rise of it’s popularity could mean that it will be the way of the future for most home phones. What is it that has all these people so excited about VOIP technology? Well, with VOIP you save quite a bit of money, when you compare it to standard land line telephone service. VOIP providers usually have unlimited calling, as well as free added features like caller ID and call forwarding, which would cost you extra with a standard phone service.

Those combined savings can add up to a savings of hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for many people. The biggest group this appeals to, and that stand to save the most, are larger companies or corporations that make a large number of calls on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean it won’t save money for those who only need it for their home phone, just that the more you use your phone, the more you’ll be saving.

Some might tell you that using the internet for voice chat can be choppy or get an echo, thought this can be true, VOIP uses RTP (real time protocol), which greatly limits and often completely eliminates such problems.

VOIP is not just useful for making and receiving phone calls either, it can also be used for other things, such as sending and receiving other types of data. File transfer is possible through a VOIP service, so you can share pictures with friends, or even send important documents instantly. Video chat and instant messaging can also be done through VOIP, when teamed with the right program, such as Google Talk or Skype.

With all these great features and the savings included, many people are making the switch. So much so, that even some standard telephone companies are starting to offer VOIP service to their customers, a sure sign that it’s here to stay.

By: Joanne Greco

What is VoIP Technology?

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:32:51 +0000

You may have heard the term Voip used a lot in the media, but are not sure what everyone is so excited about. Here you will find the answers to your most sought after Voip technology questions.

What is Voip technology?

Technically, VOIP is Voice Over Internet Protocol, or voices traveling over internet lines and wires like other information would. So, what does this mean to you? A lot. Even if you don’t have a clue what Voip technology is, you may still be utilizing it everyday if you have a digital phone line or if you use a microphone hooked into your computer to speck to others while you are connected to the internet.

What is Voip technology going to do for me?

Digital phone and services like it keep costs down for the company, which is passed on to the
consumer. It is usually much cheaper then a traditional land phone line, especially if you want extras such as caller ID and call forwarding.

What is Voip technology going to lack?

As great as Voip technology may be, there are some drawbacks that one using it for your phone service should realize. First, most digital phone companies do not provide access to emergency assistance numbers, such as 911 for those in the US. This may leave your household vulnerable if you use digital phone. Some consumers overcome this by keeping a basic plan with there traditional phone company provider or have a cell phone available in case of an emergency.

Another drawback to Voip technology in the form of digital phone is that if your power goes out, so does your phone. When you have a service through a traditional phone company, you can still access your line even during power outages as long as you do not need a second power source to run it (ex: cordless phones need a second power source to run, so when the power goes out so does your phone). This is not so with digital phone. However, once again having a basic plan with your traditional phone company or having a cell phone on hand may remedy this problem.

What is Voip technology overall?

Voip technology can be an asset to anyone. It keeps the cost of having a land phone line cheap while still allowing us to communicate verbally without having to rely solely on cell phones. The next time you are taking a look at your high-price phone bill from your phone company, take another look at digital phone and Voip technology in general. You may rack up savings that you never even knew existed.

By: Sandra Stammberger

VOIP Technology – the Next Step in Phone Industry

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:52:13 +0000

Most likely, voip will replace telephone service in the near future. VOIP is becoming very reliable and thus, receiving acceptance. Phone companies are already taking advantage of the technology to provide inexpensive long distance rates.

Voip generally has low costs, which is one big indicator of its growing popularity. You can sign up with a voip service provider for a monthly fee and get unlimited calls within a specified geographic area. There are some voip services in the United States that allow connections for no extra charge.

There is another benefit of having voip as opposed to a regular form, and this comes in the form of portability. You can make and receive phone calls wherever there is a broadband connection by simply signing in to your voip account.

When you are traveling, you simply pack a headset or Internet phone. Internet phones are small and light enough to take anywhere. When you sign up with a voip service provider, the Internet phone or adaptor used by that service is assigned a unique number. This ‘phone number’ remains valid, even if your voip service is in San Diego and you are connected to the Internet in Spain. When plugged into a broadband connection, anywhere in the world, you can make and receive calls as though you were at home.

Call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, caller ID and 3way-calling, are included with Internet telephone at no extra charge. While you are talking on the phone, you can send pictures and documents at the same time.

Although there are many attributes to a voip phone, there are also some things to consider that could fall on the negative spectrum. For one, services are not useful in emergencies. Traditional phone equipment can trace the locations of calls. Emergency calls are diverted to the nearest call center where the operator can identify your location, in the event you can’t talk. With voip, there is no way currently to determine where Internet calls are originating.

Standard phone service continues by the current supplied through the phone line during a blackout. This isn’t possible with Internet phones. When the power goes, there goes voip service. Battery backups and power generators that provide electricity are solutions to the problem.

In addition, you should keep in mind that voip has sound quality and reliability problems. Data sent across the Internet usually arrives at its destination scrambled. E-mail and documents can be reassembled in the correct order when it arrives. Voice data also arrives scrambled, but it’s more complicated because of the real-time nature of VOIP. Some data packets may have to be dropped when they don’t arrive in time, in order to make voice connections with the least delay. Distance and speed of the connection determine the amount of data lost. Some networks receive more traffic and thus are more likely to cause audio dropouts.

By: Groshan Fabiola

VoIP Technology, How Does It Work?

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:27:27 +0000

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