Posts Tagged ‘Internet Technology’

VOIP Telephones – Connecting You to the World Within a Budget

January 22nd, 2010



It would be an understatement to say that we are under hard times. Economic or financial problems plague many of us and we cannot deny the fact that the number of people who are getting directly affected are increasing by the day. Despite all of these troubles, we have to accept them as reality. We have to face these problems and attempt to survive each day by not only tightening our belts around our waists but also by being wise when it comes to the way we spend money. Thanks to a lot of technological advances, we can now save not only time but also money. One such example of this kind of technological advancement are VOIP telephones. These modern-day phones set the big difference between spending big for communications on one hand and spending just a fraction of the usual cost on the other.

Here are some important facts that you need to learn about the VOIP technology:

1. VOIP means Voice over Internet Protocol.

The main concept behind voice over internet protocol is the use of internet lines to connect one person to another. This is mainly used in place of the traditional telephone lines that are connected via wires and poles. It is also different from the cellular phone technology.

2. VOIP technology are improving day by day.

You do not have to worry about a kind of experimental technology that can go bust anytime. Since VOIP uses internet technology and connections, you can expect it to be as reliable as the internet connection you have in your area. The best thing about it is that you can expect it to become better every single day as the internet still plays a major part in our lives.

3. This kind of technology is downright affordable.

What puts VOIP telephones ahead is the fact that they are highly affordable. In fact, the amount of money you pay for a VOIP phone and service is a very small fraction of what you pay for either your home phone or your mobile phone. In some cases, you only get to pay for your internet service and the handset price. This means that you can make any kind of calls without paying as much as the price you pay for your regular home or mobile telephone bills.

4. This kind of technology brings you closer to anyone within your area, within the country or even abroad.

There is practically no limit to the location of the person you can connect to. You can contact those who use regular home phones, mobile phones and even other VOIP phones. You can make long distance and international calls. For any of these calls, you are free from any high fees.

5. Your budget will always be enough.

You will not have to think of a telephone bill that would take much of your monthly budget. You would not even think of limiting your calls just to cut back on calling bills. With the use of VOIP telephones, you can be assured that your budget, however small, can fit without having to sacrifice the number of calls you can make or the quality of the calls you have.

By: Derrick Richardson

Modern Ways of Communication – VoIP

January 16th, 2010



People feel the need to communicate, either to share information or just to have fun. As usual, technology is there to give a helping hand to people and make their lives easier. Communication was made very simple when the telephone was invented. Sounds were transmitted over long distances in a matter of seconds. Now something better is here to help us communicate faster and cheaper: VoIP – the future of voice communication (especially because of the prepaid phone calls!)

If you haven’t stayed in touch with computers and internet technology (which is quite difficult these days), then you might not know what VoIP is, even if it’s very popular nowadays. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol which basically means that you can make phone calls over the internet. VoIP first started out as computer to computer calls. Putting the earphones on and talking into the microphone was easier for those who used the internet on a daily basis. Of course, they needed and had an internet connection (broadband or DSL modem connection) and special VoIP software.

At first people tried to use the classic 56K dial-up connection, but the signal was poor and one couldn’t understand what the other person was saying. This kind of connection didn’t have enough speed. Today technology has improved and VoIP doesn’t only mean computer to computer calls. Today, if you have a computer and a broadband connection, you can place computer to phone calls which means you can call someone who owns a regular phone from your computer. VoIP specialists paid attention to other options as well and worked on a new technology that now allows people to make computer to cell calls. This means you can call someone on their cellular phone from your computer.

The idea of VoIP becomes more and more attractive because of one thing: it’s cheaper than regular phone calls. PC to PC calls are usually free and PX to phone calls are very cheap. Even the PC to cell phone calls are affordable, all through a prepaid phone calls system. VoIP technology transforms the sounds from analog to digital data. The method is different than the traditional way and some might say it’s not transmitted over a secure channel. For those who fear that anyone who has the tools can listen in on your conversations, just remember your local phone calls are not very safe either and the advantages of VoIP communication are more attractive than anything else.

A big plus for the VoIP system is that today you don’t need a computer to use it. All you need is a modem and a broadband or satellite connection and a phone. This means that you can take your phone with you wherever you go. For example if you go on vacation to your house on the seaside you don’t need to have two phone numbers. All you have to do is take your modem and phone to your house on the seaside. You will have the same number so people can reach you just as easy. It may look the same, but it can be cheaper.

Another advantage of the VoIP system is the prepaid phone calls option. What are prepaid phone calls? Well, it’s simple. When you buy a VoIP system and you set everything up you will buy some credit. Out of this credit you can make all the phone calls you want. That’s why it’s called prepaid because you pay in advance for the services you profit from. One of the aspects you might not enjoy so much when using prepaid phone calls is that, after you use all of your credit, you won’t be able to make any phone calls. However, the good thing is you set yourself a limit and spend as much as you consider fit on communication. You can economize if you use prepaid phone calls and obtaining more credit is a very easy and fast process with the help of your internet connection. This kind of system for prepaid phone calls is only available when you use a VoIP system to a phone or cell. It’s not available for computer to computer calls because those are usually free.

VoIP is the next evolutionary step in communication, so you should really be thinking about letting go of the memory of your phone and direct your attention towards the computer. The only trick in getting the best deal is to be well informed and eager to make use of modern ways. You should really consider prepaid phone calls also because the advantages are more than pleasing. This goes for the whole VoIP system – it’s an investment that you won’t regret.

By: Amelie Gam

Learning the Basics of VoIP

January 10th, 2010



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