VOIP (voice over internet protocol) has been making a lot of noise in the market today. It is getting its share of popularity and some say that VOIP may even replace traditional phone services in the future. Like any other form of technology, it is valuable to know the present advantages disadvantages of VOIP.
One of the advantages of VOIP use is its low cost. One who owns a computer and has fast internet connection can make unlimited PC-to-PC calls to anybody anywhere in the world, most for a cheap price and some for free. They are usually very helpful when making overseas calls as such calls can be quite pricey if you use traditional phone lines.
Another advantage of VOIP is that it is portable, as the connection isn’t limited to the conventional baseband links. Wi-Fi hotspots have increasingly increased nowadays and they enable portable computers to receive and make calls. With that, a person then just needs to sign-in to his/her VOIP account. This is very efficient if one wants to connect with business partners or a family member while traveling.
There are however, a few disadvantages to using voice over internet protocol at the moment, though they are being addressed. One is that VOIP services, unlike regular phone lines, go down when there is no hint of electricity. So when blackouts occur, VOIP is offline as well. Backup batteries can help, but only for a limited time. Another concern is that most VOIP services cannot be used for emergency calls because internet phones do not have locations. Traditional phones are available on these occasions, as locations for each telephone are fixed, and they do great help when they are needed the most.
By: David Patullo
Posts Tagged ‘Traditional Phones’
Disadvantages and Advantages of VOIP
March 15th, 2010How Does VoIP Work? Understanding The Basics
February 28th, 2010
How does VoIP work? Like many people, you may have already heard of VoIP. If you weren’t born in this decade, you may still wonder what it really is. What can VoIP do for you and how exactly is it useful?
Basic Concept
VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. These days, it is considered an alternative to the typical method of communication involving telephones. Instead of using telephone sets that transmit analog signals, VoIP converts these signals to digital chunks. These are reconverted to audio data when it reaches the recipient. The entire transmission happens over the internet. Although VoIP technology is still far from being preferred and considered standard, some people think that VoIP will eventually replace telephones. It could very well be the next step in communications technology.
The Specifics
So how does VoIP work exactly? VoIP is best understood by understanding typical phone calls first. Regular phone calls make use of what is called circuit switching. When you make a call, your call is passed through a series of switches starting from your phone carrier. Once the other party answers the call, the circuit between the two of you is opened.
Instead of circuit switching VoIP uses packet switching. In this technology, your voice is converted to little packets of data. These packets of data come with their instructions of where they should be sent. They are then sent through a variety of possible routes. They take the nearest router and are passed on to succeeding routers until they reach the recipient. When the packets are received, they are reassembled into a form that can be understood.
Advantages of VoIP
VoIP can offer all the features and benefits of a phone service. Its advantage over traditional phones is that VoIP calls can be made from almost any part of the world. Wherever there is an internet connection, you can have VoIP. The technology can provide cheaper calls than standard telephone technology. This is mainly because VoIP does away with costly circuit switching.
Disadvantages of VoIP
VoIP can be fast, convenient and cheap. It has, however its own disadvantages. These disadvantages are basically due to: (1) the current reliance of present systems on telephone technology; and (2) the shortcomings that plague computer technology.
Telephone Connections – Such services for example as security and cable still rely on telephone connections. Unless the whole country or world agrees to switch to VoIP, these services are likely to stick to their old methods.
This is not the biggest concern though. Since VoIP relies on internet technology, it is also susceptible to the problems that confront the internet and computers. You can therefore expect such problems as viral attacks, crashes and stolen packets.
Now you know the basic answer to how does VoIP work. In reality, this piece of technology does hold a lot of potential. Like everything else, the old ways of communicating over long distances can change. VoIP is the first logical shift that can be taken. It may take a long time however, before VoIP can become a fully integrated and snag free system.
By: Torrie Cantor
VoIP Requirements List – Why VoIP?
February 8th, 2010
VoIP technology will transform your life. It will enable maximum connection with your friends and family members. And it is not difficult to use. There are a few disadvantages to this technology as with all technology. You cannot get something in this life that has only advantages and no disadvantages. I guess this doesn’t require mention, but don’t expect perfection from VoIP. However if you compare with other communicating services, I am sure you can easily say which is better. One misconception is that the quality of calls made by VoIP will not be as good as that made by traditional phones. This is not true at all, as it can be proved that VoIP has very good reliability. It is just as good as traditional phones. In fact, it is better.
It is very important that you first educate yourself about how the VoIP technology works before you start using it. This will give you a very good idea of how reliable it is going to be.
VoIP stands for Voice over internet Protocol. VoIP utilizes the internet to connect with other people. However, the end result is the same and you will not be able to tell the difference between VoIP and traditional phone.
There are certain requirements that have to be done before you can utilize the VoIP service. The first and a very important one is broadband internet access. This is important because it will give you a speedy access to the medium that you are going to use to connect with your friends and family members.
The second requirement is a standard phone with a special VoIP adapter that will convert your phone to VoIP phone. Alternatively, you may want to buy a specialized VoIP phone that does not require any additional adapter.
The third requirement is a router, if you don’t already have one with you broadband connection. You can manage without a router if you connect directly with the LAN.
One advantage of VoIP, and it is a very big advantage, is that VoIP is very cheap. Another advantage is that VoIP service providers usually offer free calls between subscribers regardless of their location.
If you want to save money, go for VoIP. If you want to get in touch with your friends and family members, go for VoIP. If you want to stay connected, go for VoIP.
To get powerful tips on setting up and using VoIP visit e-know.co.cc, a popular website about VoIP
By: Kamran Chy
