VoIP Technology » Digital Signal

How Does VoIP Work With Your Current Phone?

admin — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:53:18 +0000

Technology is growing and changing everyday. Consider phone service; at one time when people made telephone calls they did so with their phone attached to a jack in the wall and literally “dialed” the number they were calling. Then came the push-button phones; it was great to quickly “dial” the number by pressing the key pad. Soon the cordless phone jumped on the technological scene. This was wonderful; now people could walk around their house and talk without being limited to the phone cord attached to the wall, or worse tripping over the one hundred foot phone cord that they used to walk all around the house and talk on the phone.

Just as people were getting used to the cordless phone, soon came the invention of the mobile phone. It was cumbersome at first but what a thought – being able to use a phone in your vehicle. Now the cell phone is sleek, compact, and can do much more than simply make a call. Enter Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – Internet phone service, how does VoIP work with your current phone?

With this technology, instead of the signals going out over a public network the voice signals travel over your high-speed broadband connection. You do not need to buy a new phone for this service, and you can enjoy substantial savings as you combine both the Internet and phone service into one low monthly rate. The amazing concept of VoIP is that it combines one technology to operate two different types of service; your phone and Internet. Making a call with VoIP technology can occur one of three ways:

* Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) – With the use of this device, you simply plug in your current phone into the adapter and then connect the adapter to your broadband service (possibly a modem). That is it you can now make calls. The way this system works is by taking the analog signal and changing it into a digital signal sent out over the Internet.

* IP Phones – these types of phones look exactly like analog phones the difference being they have an Ethernet connector instead of the standard phone connector and come equipped with the software and hardware needed for VoIP service built into them. You connect directly to your modem and begin enjoying exceptional quality with your next phone call.

* Computer-to-Computer – All you need for this service is high-speed Internet connections, sound card, microphone, and speakers. Typically, you pay a monthly rate from your Internet service provider.

By: Mike Singh

How To Choose A VoIP Broadband Phone Service

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:44:17 +0000

Internet technology is constantly introducing new and better ways to communicate with others around the world, and making telephone calls using VoIP technology is one of those advancements. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it allows a computer user who is connected to the internet through a high-speed terminal to make telephone calls to another computer or telephone without using a standard telephone company.

Essentially, there are two kinds of VoIP applications to consider, either hardware or software based. If you choose the software solution, you’ll have to have your computer turned on in order to both make and receive telephone calls, but the only equipment you’ll need is a microphone and speakers connected to your computer.

If you choose the hardware solution instead, you’ll be using a converter box called an ATA that will be attached to your high-speed internet connection. Your telephone can then be plugged into the ATA. The converter box takes the analog signal from your phone and converts it to a digital signal to be sent over the internet in data packets, which are then reassembled on the other end of the telephone connection. By using a hardware VoIP solution, you computer does not have to be on in order for you to make and receive telephone calls, although your Internet connection will have to be active. Many VoIP service providers are including the ATA at very low cost or even for free in some cases.

In order to make use of VoIP technology for placing internet telephone calls, you will need to subscribe to a service plan provided by one of the major VoIP companies in business today. The service plans are usually very inexpensive, often providing for unlimited long-distance telephone calling for as little as $25 per month. You can even save more by choosing a calling plan that places a limit on the amount of minutes used each month, bringing your total cost down to as low as $15 a month.

In addition to domestic long-distance phone calling, many VoIP providers also allow you to make international telephone calls to persons outside of their subscriber base for a per minute fee, sometimes as low as $.10 to $.15 per minute. Some providers even allow free long-distance telephone calling as long as it is carried out between individuals in their own subscriber base.

If you choose to use a hardware VoIP solution, you can expect to spend some time on the phone with customer support in order to get your system up and running correctly, but most likely you’ll be able to experience uninterrupted service from that point on. Also you can expect voice quality to be excellent in most cases, often rivaling that of land line telephones.

When you consider all the advantages of using VoIP technology to place telephone calls over the internet, it’s no wonder that so many consumers are turning to VoIP for their long-distance telephone calling needs.

By: Steadman Issenburg

Lavish Computer VoIP Phone Calls

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:47:25 +0000

Though the technology has been around for a lots of years, as the traditional phone companies now it is advances in popularity to prolonged to increase their prices. In the process of VoIP an usual analog audio signals, such as the voices that talked or listened on the phone, has been converted into digital data that can be sent to the computer by using an Internet connection.

Besides all, VoIP is a skilled “reinvention of the phone”. In the three various ways you can put a call by using this technology. Analog Telephone Adaptor is the most abundant and easiest method to practice VoIP technology. This can be immediately assigned through the computer internet to usual telephone. An ATA will received an analog signal and convert it into a digital signal then transfers it to an Internet in small mail boat. Once this small packages reached an other end, the packages were uncovered and transfered back into worth reading data or in an oral expression.

The computer and peculiar software get relief by simply plugged an ATA to your phone. VoIP phone is an other method to unite with VoIP technology, it has a look as an usual phone. The only dissimilarity is the RJ-11 connector is substituted by a RJ-45 Ethernet connector. In VoIP phone the hardware and software previously programmed, so the phone calls get controlled to your router.

Computer to computer is the easiest and ultimate method to unite the VoIP technology. This is where the free long distance phone calls come into play. On Internet various companies provide their software for free download. In this procedure, there should be no other fees overwhelmed except an Internet connection fees.

A power source is a few unfavorable conditions of VoIP. The phone is fully depend upon a power, not similar with an usual phone. At present there is no such method has been introduced to joined other systems such as home alarm system, for these kind of product you would have to keep up an usual phone connection. The other unfavorable conditions of VoIP technology is we cannot dial 9-1-1.

VoIP technology not identify the machine address for communication, so that it is difficult to identified the computer physical address on IP addresses because IP addresses of any computer machine cannot give the physical location of that particular machine which is difficult to identify in an emergency cases.

By: Chris L. Jensen

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

Reducing Costs – VOIP – Can it Really Save You Money?

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:05:33 +0000

Voice Over IP is often cited as a cost-saving technology. But will it really save you money?

What is it?

VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a protocol used to make voice conversations over your organisation’s private data networks and internet connections.

How does it work?

VOIP services convert your voice into a digital signal that travels over the Internet or network as data. At the destination it is converted back to an analogue signal for use with traditional telephony services.

Ready For VOIP?

For organisations with multiple offices, whether it be in the same town or a different country, the answer is ‘Yes’.

How much do you currently spend on calls between your own offices? Using IP handsets or by linking your communication platforms to each other can offer considerable savings. Other scenarios that would indicate benefits from moving to VOIP include:

- Voice recording. If you are required to record voice conversations, VOIP together with a digital recording system is a very cost-effective and flexible solution .

- Remote office reception. Due to the flexibility of VOIP systems, remote office reception provision is easy and cost-effective.

- Re-cabling your building. Eliminating the cost of renewing your voice cabling – and just re-cabling the data network – can be justification for a VOIP deployment.

However, if you are a more centralised organisation VOIP may well not be for you. Where your office to office calls are minimal, or non-existent, the pure cost argument for VOIP will fail.

By: Annabelle Ross

VOIP

admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:28:48 +0000

VOIP is an innovative and pioneering technique to make and receive telephone calls. It engrosses the transmission of regular phone calls over the Net. In the other way, VOIP is made used in order to send and receive voice through Internet instead of passing voice through the standard telephone network. Voice over Internet Protocol is shortly known as VOIP. The main and essential router of voice conversations for any IP stationed network is Internet telephony, Broadband telephony, Broadband Phone, IP telephony and finally Voice over Broadband. Organizations rendering VOIP services are generally pertained as providers. The protocols that are utilized to acquit voice signals over the Internet Protocol network are generally denoted as VOIP protocols. They can be easily reckoned as commercial actualizations of the observational Network Voice Protocol which was contrived for the ARPANET providers.

Functionality

There are certain VOIP functionalities that can alleviate several tasks and which would be difficult to a greater extent to accomplish using traditional networks:

• Inwarding telephone calls could be robotically routed to the VOIP phone, despite where it has been connected to the network. People can receive calls if they take over their VOIP phone at the time of their journey and also they can connect to the cyberspace if they want to surf in the net.

• Disengage telephone numbers for the utility with VOIP are accessible in countries like United States of America, United Kingdom. Few other countries avail it from institutions like VOIP User.

• People working in Call center who make use of VOIP phones can ferment from anyplace with a comfortable and libertine Net connection.

• Quite a number of VOIP service admits PSTN features where maximum telecommunication companies ask for additional charges. Sometimes local companies may not offer services like forwarding calls, caller ID, conference calls and automatic redialing.

VOIP services convert a voice signal into a digital signal that moves over the Internet. If a person trying to call to a veritable phone number, immediately the signal is converted to a regular telephone signal earlier reaching the destination. VOIP can permit the user to create a call directly from a computer or from a special VOIP phone or also through a traditional phone attached to a special adapter.

VOIP Requisites and Technology

• The major magnetism of a VOIP is the capability to minimize the expenditure, as telephone calls pass through over the data network to a certain extent than the phone company network.

• IP communications comprises business appliances which improves the quality of interactions to facilitate several features like integrated contact centers, unified messaging, and robust-media conferencing with voice, video and data.

• IP telephony includes the complete collection of VOIP enabled services together with the interconnection of telephones for interactive services like placarding and phone plans. It also includes some fundamental boasts like transfer, forward, conferencing and hold.

By: Nila Priya

Learning the Basics of VoIP

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:21:24 +0000

If you have been paying large long distance phone bills, it’s time to introduce you to the VOIP basics. Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP or VoIP) is the latest telecommunications internet technology. It will allow you to make long distance calls over your internet connection, bypassing most, or all of you your long distance provider’s charges.

However, several large telecommunications companies have caught on to the growing trend for consumers to bypass their charges, and have reacted by offering packaged services that include your regular, local phone line service and the VOIP service that will let you place calls over the internet.

When discussing VOIP basics, it’s important to realize that there are actually 3 types of VOIP technologies that are currently in use. The first is called ATA or Analog Telephone Adapter technology. The ATA technologydoes exactly what it sounds like; it takes the analog signal on your regular telephone line and translates it into a digital signal. T

hat digital signal is then sent via the internet. This is the type of service that the large telecommunications providers are offering. They will mail you the ATA and you can set it up easily on your own.

Another of the technologies that is necessary for understanding VOIP basics still has to do with the phone itself. Instead of using an adaptor to change a regular phone into a VOIP compatible one, you purchase a phone that is designed for making VOIP calls. But that phone won’t plug into a regular phone jack (RJ-11). It will have to be plugged into an Ethernet connection (an RJ-45 jack or a spot on your router).

The necessary hardware and software to make a VOIP call is included in the phone itself.

The third technology involved in learning VOIP Basics is the most exciting for the average consumer, as it doesn’t require a monthly service charge from a provider in order to make free business long distance calls. It is computer-to-computer VOIP service. In this case, you download free or purchase low-cost software that turns your computer into the phone.

In addition to the software, you’ll need speakers so you can hear the other party, a microphone so you can speak to them, a sound card in your computer, and a preferably high-speed internet connection so the signal can travel fast enough to avoid delays in what you or the other party hears.

The person you call doesn’t need to be talking to you over a computer; a regular phone will work just fine. You can use the service on your end to make calls to anyone, anywhere without a charge.

Now that we’ve looked at the VOIP or also know as voice over internet protocol, you might be interested in trying it for yourself. But what you don’t realize is that you most likely already are.

Telephone companies have been using the technology for several years in order to route the mass number of calls they receive more efficiently over their networks.

But to try VOIP at home, download software at sites such as skype site. If you already have the needed items mentioned above (speakers, microphone, sound card and high-speed internet connection), you can be making calls in as little as 5 minutes.

By: Van Theodorou

Ways to Use VoIP Technology

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, uses your broadband internet connection to place phone calls. By converting your voice (or analog) signal into a digital signal, this makes for a more efficient way to talk on the phone and can save you money.

There are three ways you can use VoIP. You can either connect using your regular phone and an adapter, a special internet phone, or download software and use your computer. Here are the methods, in greater detail:

Using your home phone. If you would like to switch from your regular phone line to VoIP, many people opt to continue using their home phone. To do this, you must use an analog telephone adapter, or ATA. This device converts the analog signal (your voice) to a digital signal. Once the signal is converted, it goes through the internet connection. When shopping for a service provider, ask them if they include this adapter with their packages. Most do.

Connect using an IP phone. When using a special IP phone, you don’t need a separate ATA. Everything you need to use your broadband internet connection as your telephone service is included with the hardware. Instead of using a regular phone jack and connector, it uses an Ethernet connection to plug into your router.

Connect using your computer. If your computer has speakers, microphone, a sound card, and a high speed internet connection you can use your computer for VoIP. Companies offer free or low cost software downloads which allows you to use your computer to make phone calls. Using this method is either free, costing only the price of your internet connection, or nearly free. Earthlink’s Vling software is both free to download and free to use. The only hitch is that you can only talk with other Vling users.

By: Michael Bell

VoIP Technology is Breaking the Chains of the Traditional Phone Companies

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:41:22 +0000

Before companies like Magic Jack and Vonage we were slaves to the traditional land based phone systems. Big phone companies like AT&T and SBC (just to mention a couple) had us at a disadvantage and they knew it. With traditional land lines, every feature had a fee, even keeping certain features off you phone cost money. After adding up all those fees, along with your local and long distance, your phone service could cost $40.00, $50.00, $70.00 a month or much more depending of what features you tacked on and how many long distance calls you make a month.

Well I’m probably not telling you anything you didn’t already know. So how about something you may not know about – VoIP and companies like Magic Jack, Vonage and Skype are paving the way for this money saving communications technology. VoIP like Magic Jack and Vonage is finding their way into homes, not only here in the US, but around the world.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) – allows and analog signal from your phone to be converted into a digital signal that can be then be sent over the internet (much like a email) instead of over a wire network like the ordinary land line. This allows the user to make long distance phone calls for free or at a much cheaper price depending on the service used. Vonage is a pioneer and one of the most popular of this new telephony technology.

There is now a small host of companies offering VoIP services that will continue to grow as (VoIP) is the future of communications. Magic Jack is such a company and is growing in popularity as more and more people are becoming aware of this new technology. Magic Jack is the only service that has its own network system which is one of the most compelling reasons the service is so inexpensive.

While other VoIP companies are offering good products for reasonable prices, none can beat the price or can offer the simplicity and the flexibility of Magic Jack. The Magic Jack device plugs directly into an available USB port (2.0 or higher) the software in the device makes contact with the Magic Jack home base and after only a few minutes it takes to set up your account and phone number, you are ready to go. You can then take your phone that had been plugged into the land line wall mount and plug it directly into the Magicjack, lift the receiver, hear a dial tone and start making calls.

Companies like Vonage must pay for the network they use, so it comes with a low monthly bill. Magic Jack has one low price you pay annually which is less then one month’s bill of a traditional land line. Magic Jack will let you opt in for a multi year agreement that saves you even more money. Skype is another popular VoIP company that is much better then the traditional landline but has limitations such as phone calls are only free if you are calling other Skype users and must purchase credits in order to call someone using phone services other than Skype. This would kind of be like buying minutes for cell phones.

Magic Jack is not a phone or software installed on your computer; it is a device with the software installed in it that plugs into your computer or any other computer with a broadband internet connection. This means you can take the Magic Jack with you on long trips or even out of the country and make free long distance phone calls back to the US or Canada for free. How’s that for flexibility?

By: Tim Wedin

A Basic Insight Into The Technology Behind VoIP Phones

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:37:30 +0000

A VoIP phone can be defined as an entity that is used to make telephone calls over the internet. A VoIP phone utilises the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology wherein our voice is converted into digital signal that is transmitted over the Internet. VoIP phones enable you to enjoy the benefits of VoIP technology.
The VoIP technology is based on protocols, such as SIP, H.323 or proprietary ones like Skype.

How is voice transmitted using the VoIP technology?

VoIP phone—>broadband router—> Internet—> voip service provider

Well, if you do not wish to spend on purchasing a new VoIP phone, just connect your existing analogue telephone to a VoIP phone adaptor and enjoy the benefits of VoIP. There are many VoIP service providers who allow you to use the service on your analogue telephones. With the VoIP phone adaptor, you do not need a VoIP phone or a computer to avail the VoIP service. The analogue telephone connects to the broadband router through the adaptor. The router connects to the Internet.

standard analogue telephone—>voip adaptor—>broadband router—> Internet—> voip service provider

The UK phone users may need an RJ11 adaptor to convert their standard BT Connector to an International Connector. RJ11 adaptor may be bought with a VoIP Phone Adaptor.
Broadband routers have built-in VoIP and can also be used as VoIP Phone Adaptors. You can buy these routers online.

What are the things required to avail the benefits of VoIP service?
VoIP hardware: voip phones can be plugged it straight into a network or a broadband router voip adaptors used when you need to avail voip service through an analogue telephone voip-compatible router provide access to the Internet for multiple devices (can be wired or wireless) softphone a software-based phone that operates from a PC uses Internet connection to make VoIP calls can be used with a USB Phone or PC Headset
Internet connection subscription to a VoIP service

VoIP is indeed a cutting-edge technology that has revolutionised the telephony system to a great extent.

By: Dennis Jaylon