VoIP Technology » Voice Conversations

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

VoIP Guide- Some Guidelines for VoIP

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:19:19 +0000

VoIP refers to voice over Internet Protocol. This latest technology provides voice conversations over Internet or via IP-based network. In VoIP technology, protocols are used to carry voice signals over Internet Protocol network. VoIP is also known as IP Telephony, Internet telephony and Digital Phone.

Nowadays VoIP technology is very popular. People generally like to use this technology because its costs are less than traditional phone. Several large corporations use this IP technology to increase their working area. Everyone is currently familiar with voice chat software. Internet protocol telephony has some additional advantages over traditional phone lines.

VoIP technology enables you talk to several people simultaneously. You can also send some other types of data like files, with the help of VoIP. It offers different services with developing technologies. VoIP enables you to send any type of data at higher speeds of Internet.

Several devices can easily receive IP calls. It doesn’t require hardware but some software programs like Skype are required to install on your computer. Some national companies such as Verizon and AT&T also offers VoIP services. Vonage was the very first company that offered voice over Internet protocol services at reasonable rates.

Due to developing technologies, it is said that VoIP has a great future. It has gained a large number of clients in a short period. Its installation procedure is very simple and anyone can easily handle it with a little knowledge.

By: Sardool Sikandar

Introduction to VoIP Technology

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:37:07 +0000

Voice over Internet Protocol, also called VoIP or Internet telephony, is the transportation of voice conversations over the internet or through any other IP-based network rather than the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

Protocols which are used to carry voice signals over the IP network are commonly referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP protocols. Some cost savings are due to utilizing a single network to carry voice and data. Users that have existing underutilized network capacity can use VoIP at no additional cost. VoIP to VoIP phone calls on any provider are typically free, while VoIP to PSTN calls generally costs the VoIP user.

There are two types of PSTN to VoIP services: DID (Direct Inward Dialing) and access numbers. DID connects the caller directly to the VoIP user, while access numbers require the caller to input the extension number of the VoIP user. Access numbers are usually charged as a local call to the caller and free to the VoIP user, while DID usually has a monthly fee. One can also find DID that are free to the VoIP user but charge the caller instead.

Key features of VoIP:

VoIP can facilitate tasks that may be more difficult to achieve using traditional networks, such as:
• Routing phone calls over existing data networks to avoid the need for separate voice and data networks.
• Incoming phone calls can be automatically routed to your VoIP phone, regardless of where you are connected to the network. Take your VoIP phone with you on a trip, and receive incoming calls whenever you are connected to the Internet.
• Free phone numbers for use with VoIP are available in the USA, UK and other countries from several organizations.
• Call center agents using VoIP phones can work from anywhere with a sufficiently fast and stable Internet connection.
• Many VoIP packages include PSTN features that most Telcos normally charge extra for, or may be unavailable from your local Telco, such as 3-way calling, call forwarding, automatic redial, and caller ID.
• VoIP allows users to travel anywhere in the world and still make and receive phone calls.

Flexibility:

• VoIP service users can make and receive local phone calls regardless of their location. For example, if a user has a US phone number and is traveling in Europe and someone calls the US phone number, it will ring in Europe. Conversely, if a call is made from Europe to US, it will be treated as a local call. Of course, there must be a connection to the internet, for e.g. Wi-Fi, to make all of this possible.
• Users of Instant Messenger based VoIP services can also travel anywhere in the world and make and receive phone calls.
• VoIP phones can integrate with other services available over the Internet, including video conversation, message or data file exchange, in parallel with the conversation, audio conferencing, managing address books and passing information about whether others (e.g. friends or colleagues) are available online to interested parties.

By: Waqas Taimoor

Use VOIP Technology to Make Cheap Calls

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:58:43 +0000

Scared of making ISD calls, to friends and relatives in India, or do you have to pay huge landline or mobile bills as you have business contacts in other countries? The latest technology of VOIP will help you make cheap and unlimited calls over the Internet. All you need is a dial-up or broadband connection. VOIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol which is a technology that helps transmit voice conversations via the Internet.

The best way to use this technology is to download Skype, which is free and offers great individual and business packages. Their monthly subscription charges are reasonable and will help you save a lot of money in comparison to landline or mobile phone bills.

Skype will allow you to make free calls to any part of the world, to any landline or mobile number. An added advantage is that if you and your friend have both downloaded Skype, then both of you can talk over the Internet for as long as you want, absolutely free. For business purposes, your colleagues can contact you on an online number whenever they want.

The process of using VOIP technology is actually quite easy and inexpensive. There is a guide inside Skype that will enable you to dial the right ISD code and you can chat right away.

There are two plans to make calls using VOIP: you can choose to pay a monthly subscription which will allow you to make unlimited calls to landlines in selected countries and regions, with an additional 50% discount on an online number. This plan will be best suited to those who make frequent business or personal calls to any one country.

There is another scheme: Pay As You Go. This will require you to add a minimum amount to your account and then you have to pay for as many calls that you make. The calling rate is a flat rate of 2.1¢¹ per minute to over 30 destinations, which is quite cheap, considering that you have such a wide range of countries to choose from.

The additional advantages of using Skype are that you can set up your mobile number or online number to appear if you are calling someone, which helps in caller identification. This technology is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Windows Mobile, WiFi phones, Cordless phones, Skype To Go. You can SMS or even Voice Chat with friends and family, using Skype. There is a VAT of 2 euro cents on the online service and a connection fee and fair usage policies are conditions that apply to Skype. Forward calls to your mobile when you are offline, use a webcam to chat, set up an online number to get the feel of calling a local number-send text messages: the options are endless with Skype.

So, jump on to the Skype bandwagon and make the cheapest ISD calls to keep in touch with loved ones and with business colleagues.

By: Erick John