Computer technology- and the Internet in particular- is changing the way we conduct out lives in some pretty dramatic ways. One of the most dramatic changes that the Internet has brought us is the ability to take more control over how we communicate with each other by telephone and how we spend our money on phone service.

The specific technology that allows this is called Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VOIP for short. Voice Over Internet Protocol takes advantage the fact that data moves across the Internet without any of the constraints of conventional telephone calls when it comes to geography and distance. Just like you can send an email to anyone, anywhere in the world and download a web page from anywhere in the world without incurring long distance charges, Voice Over Internet Protocol technology allows you to call anyone in the world either without long distance fees or with sharply discounted long distance fees. Basically, VOIP converts both ends of a phone conversation into data that can be streamed back and forth across the Internet without any loss of sound quality or noticeable time lag. This revolutionary technology also makes it possible to for users of VOIP to call phone numbers that don’t use VOIP technology as well as the other way around.

VOIP technology has actually been around since the late twentieth century. In those days though, the service was rather limited. For example, calls were only made using computers and, though calls between users of VOIP services were free, there was still a long distance charge for calls made from a VOIP user to a conventional phone number. Users of VOIP technology still saw the benefit of the service when calling conventional phone numbers in the form of reduced long distance rates.

Now there are a number of services offering calling plans based on Voice Over Internet Protocol technology, including well known companies like Verizon and Vonage, as well as lesser known companies like SunRocket and Lingo. While there is a fair amount of variation in their services, these companies have a lot in common, including the improvements that they’ve made over the original VOIP services. Generally, these modern VOIP services offer free long distance inside the United States- often with Canada and Puerto Rico included- to any phone number whether it’s conventional or one that also uses VOIP. There’s still a long distance fee for most international calls, but most services will waive that fee if the number you’re calling uses the same service. Another big improvement over the original services is that most of these newer companies will let you use your own phone rather than a computer.

In fact, in most cases, you don’t even have to have a computer at all! Although a computer is helpful for changing account settings on the service’s website and you can still make phone calls from a computer, all you really need is a high speed Internet connection and your own phone. The service will supply a special router that plugs into your Internet connection and that you can, in turn, plug your phone into. Such a set up is also very practical in the sense that allows you to use your phone just like you would with a conventional phone line. Both DSL and cable high speed Internet connections are ample for this service, but if you happen to have a cable connection, you can save even more money by getting rid of your phone line completely. Most VOIP services add even more value by providing all of the features free of charge that you would ordinarily pay extra for from a conventional phone service and charging a monthly rate that’s equivalent to- and often lower than- a basic phone line from a conventional telephone company.

If you’re looking for a flexible way to keep in touch while saving money, then VOIP may be exactly the technology that you’re looking for.

By: Julia Hall