VoIP Technology » Traditional Phone Service

VOIP Problems

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:31:52 +0000

VoIP is a means of telephone service made available through the ever-expanding popularity of broadband internet service. VoIP (or “Voice over Internet Protocol”) services enable users to call extremely long distances over the World Wide Web without accruing large conventional long-distance telephone fees. In order to use VoIP, customers must have an existing broadband internet connection in place. The VoIP carrier provides a new phone number, access to the service, and for an additional fee, the phone equipment as well. While companies such as Vonage and Skype helped pioneer the industry by making people more aware of the technology, large conventional telephone carriers are also stepping up in order to offer their own VoIP services, proving that the technology is maturing. However, despite the large backing of major telephone carriers, VoIP still isn’t perfect.

The most notable of existing VoIP problems is the lack of an adequate infrastructure and effective back end system. Though as the companies and divisions that are devoted to VoIP services implement increasing usable standards in place this aspect grows less worrisome. However, in the beginning, billing issues as well as IP concerns had some companies, particularly those that specialized in conventional phone services, reeling.

Another large weakness that VoIP exhibits when compared to traditional home phone service is that VoIP is reliant on a broadband connection (dial-up internet is too slow), service up-time, and power, whereas a traditional phone service combined with an older, powerless phone needs none of them. While broadband internet service has become much more reliable in recent years, it is still not as dependable as conventional telephone lines. This means that if there is a problem with internet service, there will be no telephone service as well. While this can be very inconvenient for home use, it can be downright devastating for businesses that find themselves in a situation with no phones. Additionally, the unavailability of telephone service during a power interruption can leave people stranded with no phone service during emergencies, which can have life-threatening consequences.

Finally, the quality of phone calls that VoIP services offer can range from very good to very unacceptable. While many customers rave about their clear service, others regularly complain of dropped calls, strange sounds, delays, and echo. Delays are commonplace in VoIP phone calls and many expect the problems to become worse before they get better because, as with anything else on the internet, VoIP calling is subject to hacking. Therefore, companies will be scrambling to implement security patches in place, possibly at the sacrifice of quality, at least at first.

However, even though VoIP may not be as reliable as traditional telephone communication just yet, there really should be no surprise. Traditional telephone services have had the better part of a century in which to perfect their networks and it still isn’t perfect, either. For the cost, VoIP cannot be beat if you have a contingency line in case your power or broadband goes out. If you already have broadband internet service then the equipment and monthly VoIP service fees should be affordable enough to utilize the service in spite of its flaws – which are only going to become minuter as the technology matures.

By: Dave Goldstein

Discover the Cost Saving Features of a VoIP Solution

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:39:37 +0000

Today’s society is fast paced and demanding, communication technology combined with affordable pricing and flexibility is paramount. VoIP services are fairly new but have addressed these demands through its evolution.

Remember all the extra features that you have to pay for with your traditional phone service? Well, things have changed with the inception VoIP (voice over Internet protocol).

The reasons why a VoIP solution has become so popular today because it offers a boatload of features combined with huge savings when compared to a traditional phone service. VoIP Solution technology route telephone calls over the Internet eliminating the service that public switched telephone networks currently offer.

Essentially, most VoIP service providers offer free bundled features that virtually all traditional telephone charge for. Comparing service plans is actually quite easy. With the technology being so new each service provider offers different plans and pricing. Take time to review and study the most popular plans and services provided to make the best decision that will accommodate your needs.

Some common features include: Unlimited Minutes, Local Number Porting (LNP), Personalized Voicemail, Free In-Network Calling, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Transfer, Repeat Dialing, Voice Mail to Email, Call Forwarding, 3-way Calling, Call Return, Online Management & Billing, Choose Your Own Area Code, Call Waiting Disable, Do Not Disturb, Anonymous Call Blocking, Distinctive Ringing for Virtual Numbers, Virtual Phone Numbers, Enhanced 911, Works with your Cell phone features, and Toll Free Services.

Businesses can also enjoy the advantage and benefits of an inexpensive VoIP Business solution without the addition of expensive proprietary software/hardware combinations such as PBX units. Inter-office communication systems and long distance calls for an international company can amount to saving tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, in just one year.

VoIP solutions are something worth while looking into, regardless if you are trying to reduce your budget for home or business, the features and huge savings that VoIP provide huge rewards for all.

By: Roy King

My VoIP Reviewed

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:58:28 +0000

I have written several articles concerning VoIP. I
personally use a VoIP company called Broadvox, who has since
merged with another VoIP company and is no longer available
as Broadvox. I have used VoIP for a year now and I have to
say I am still thoroughly impressed by the quality of
service, low rates and enhanced calling features.

As with many people, I at first was a bit skeptical about
using VoIP service. We all know there are always little
quirks with new technology. Cheap calling rates for VoIP is
what finally won me over, and enticed me to give it a try.
In the beginning, there was no 911 service with my VoIP and
it would drop calls from time to time.

Without exaggeration, VoIP has saved me around seven hundred
dollars in phone service in 2005 in comparison to what I
paid the previous year. Wow! Say that out loud, seven
hundred dollars. Not only has the VoIP service saved me a
ton of money, the quality of service has increased ten fold
during the past year, including new 911 service.

One catch to VoIP is you need to have broadband Internet for
VoIP to work. I had written several articles on this topic
as well, and based on my own personal experiences. Fact is,
the combined cost of broadband Internet such as DSL or cable
broadband plus VoIP are cheaper than dial up plus
traditional phone service, hands down and case closed.

What I paid for start up cost, and the very insignificant
inconvenience of installing the telephone router a year ago
are but a distant memory. I am very pleased with VoIP
service and no longer have any use for a traditional phone
line in my home. That’s right, no traditional phone
companies for me, ever again.

VoIP is a product I highly recommend to anyone without
hesitation. VoIP is a product which once installed people
enjoy emencely. No more telemarketers trying to beat your
long distance rates. No more hidden fee’s, taxes or
expensive sir charges. As a customer of VoIP phone service I
am indeed bias. In short, I love my VoIP phone service.

By: Daymon Hoag

The Present and Future of WiFi VOIP Phone Technology

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:45:15 +0000

VOIP, or voice over internet protocol, has already changed the way that many Americans communicate with friends and loved ones. With VOIP it became possible to make seemingly regular phone calls – even long distance phone calls that would have cost a fortune with regular phone services, for free.

In today’s world, with the current state of the economy, everyone is looking for ways to cut their costs of living and to save money in any way possible. Eliminating high phone bills all together would be a tremendous way to save money, but there was one problem with using VOIP that severely limited its value in its original state – the user had to be close to a computer to use it.

People today have grown accustomed to portability, almost everything that we communicate on these days is portable – cordless phones and cell phone let us communicate with friends and loved ones no matter where we are or what we are doing, so it was almost like taking a step backward in terms of convenience in order to save some money.

Saving the money on all phone calls is great, but are people really willing to give up the portability of their cordless phones and cell phones to save the money – sure the VOIP would be good for calls if you new you were going to be just sitting and chatting for a while, but not being able to move about while conversing is a pretty big inconvenience for saving some money.

Enter the WiFi VOIP phone

Looking to advance the technology even further and to make VOIP a serious threat as an alternative to traditional phone service, manufacturers began to look in a similar direction to wireless modems for VOIP to operate on. The WiFi VOIP phone will allow users the same convenience and portability that they enjoy with a wireless internet connection in their homes. What this does is to give the user the same portability with their VOIP service in their homes that they would have with a regular cordless phone. With a WiFi VOIP phone, the user honestly won’t even be able to notice a difference in a switch over from the phone that they had been using to make all of their home phone calls – in fact the only difference there will be will occur in the absence of a bill from the phone company.

The Future

As technology improves and further advancements are made, there is almost no limit to what users will be able to accomplish with a WiFi VOIP phone. As more and more cities begin to adopt city-wide wireless networks, which residents can pay a monthly fee to have access to, there is a strong potential that VOIP technology will allow users to all but replace their cell phones with VOIP phones. Users would pay the monthly fee to have access to the wireless network which would cover their regular internet access, but also give them city wide access to the network on their portable VOIP phones.

What this would mean for end users who use their cell phones for nothing more than connecting with friends, family and associates is that they could effectively eliminate those cell phones and the bills that come along with them. So what we could see in the future of VOIP could conceivably be a device that would very effectively allow end users to do away with their home phone service as well as their cell phone service and allow them to do all of the connecting that they need to (local and long distance, day and night) without spending a penny more than they would already be spending for a wireless internet connection.

By: Amy Nutt

VoIP Tutorial – Understanding VoIP

admin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:47:03 +0000

VoIP is fast becoming the replacement technology for voice communication. However many people still have questions as to how it works? VoIP costs less than your traditional phone service, this is what makes it attractive to most consumers. Not only does it cost less than your traditional phone service it also costs less than the vast majority of monthly cell phone plans.

The number of VoIP providers is increasing giving you more choices and better calling plans. VoIP is still at its developmental stage. The VoIP service is available for both commercial and residential use, ranging from PC-to-PC service, all the way up to phone-to-phone. The following are the basic features of VoIP.

Anybody with an internet connection has the basic capability to use a VoIP service and benefit from the cost savings associated with VoIP. A basic plan that offers a number of long-distance minutes is very inexpensive and if that’s what you need then VoIP will work perfectly for you.

VOIP is a method which takes voice phone calls and then encodes them digitally. Basically VoIP is the protocol that is used to send your voice over the internet. The VoIP technology transmits your voice over what is called an IP network.

Most everyone agrees that VoIP is the future of voice and data communications.. By the looks of it VoIP is going to continue to grow and expand. VoIP is the Wave of the Future–”and the Present. Although you may be intimidated by this new technology at present, my advice would be to learn more about this new service as it seems this technology is here to stay.

By: Paul Hegarty

VOIP Considerations

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:37:52 +0000

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is changing the way that we look at phone service. The relatively new technology is quickly becoming the norm in many homes across the world. But a variety of VOIP considerations should be explored before you take advantage of the technology.

It allows a caller to make long distance calls without having to pay much, or anything for them. Combine the VOIP technology with a broadband, or high speed, internet access line, and VOIP provides an easy, inexpensive way to make phone calls all over the world. However, there are still some disadvantages of VOIP – especially when it comes to using the technology for functions beyond the one caller to one caller scenario.

VOIP considerations for you to examine start with understanding how the technology works in comparison with traditional phone service. With traditional phone service, your long distance phone calls are routed from your local provider’s network to your chosen long distance provider’s network, where it is routed to the receiving party’s local phone provider’s network and finally, to their home phone line. Since multiple providers are involved, multiple providers charged a fee for the call, which the long distance provider passed on to you in the form of an often hefty per-minute charge.

But VOIP has changed all of that. It removes the long distance company from the equation, making a long distance phone call virtually the same as a local phone call. How? By using the internet as the routing method that passes the call from your local phone provider to your receiving party’s local phone provider. You initiate the call, and your analog voice signal is translated into a digital signal. That signal is then sent via your internet service to the internet, where it is routed to the receiving party’s local phone provider’s network, translated back into an analog signal and sent to the receiving party’s phone.

The disadvantages of VOIP should be part of what you understand regarding VOIP considerations, but they are relatively limited for the average consumer. The main complaints regarding VOIP have to do with providing the level of quality of service that customers are accustomed to with regular telephone technology.

The reason for this is multifold. VOIP requires a large amount of data to be compressed and transmitted, then uncompressed and delivered, all in a relatively small amount of time. Problems develop in VOIP conversations when this process takes too long and the callers experience one of two problems; echo or over-talk.

For businesses, VOIP considerations have more to do with how to manage the traffic over their network. Since they may be using their bandwidth for internet and even voice conferencing, they will need to analyze the amount of bandwidth that is necessary to handle all of their activities.

But for the average consumer, the greatest advantage of VOIP is the cost – or rather, the lack of cost. If you have a computer with a sound card, modem, speakers, a microphone and a (preferably) high speed connection, and you download software from companies such as skype.com, you can be making free long distance and international phone calls using VOIP in as little as 5 minutes.

By: Van Theodorou