We’re hearing a lot about Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) these days. I for one am a big fan of this technology. Did you know that you could actually use VoIP in 3 different ways? That’s right! There are really 3 different ways that you can ‘make the call’. Ok, you can actually receive the call 3 different ways as well.
First up is probably the most popular. I use this way myself and most of the residential providers out there today use this as well. What is it?
ATA – Analog Telephone Adapter
Your normal phone plugs into an ATA that you received from your VoIP provider. This is the most common way to get hooked into VoIP. This device takes care of all the magic that occurs when you make and receive your calls over your broadband connection. Your analog phone signal must be converted to digital to be routed through your broadband connection and this ATA does the job.
IP Phone – Internet Protocol Phones
As the name would imply, these are ‘special’ phones. You wouldn’t know it by looking at them. They look like normal phones. What is different about these phones is the electronics inside them and the fact they don’t take a ‘regular’ phone cable (RJ-11). Instead these phones take an Ethernet cable connection (RJ-45) and also come equipped with the necessary electronics to plug directly into your router.
Computer-to-Computer
This is the oldest and possibly the easiest way to get plugged into VoIP. Here instead of using your normal phone or IP phone to make calls through your broadband connection, you use your computer itself! (You could do this over dial-up, but broadband is certainly better) There are a number of services available that offer no cost or low cost service. You’ll need the software and a microphone to speak into and speakers to hear from and of course your computer and a high-speed internet connection. Some providers offer this service for free when their software is being used on both ends of the call.
Watch out for Wi-Fi (using IP phones) and other advancements in VoIP technology. We truly are on the verge of a major breakthrough in telecommunications. So, what are you waiting for? Make the call!
By: Michael Weaver
Posts Tagged ‘Voip Provider’
VoIP – 3 Ways to Make The Call
March 13th, 2010VoIP Providers – How To Choose One
March 5th, 2010
When you’ve made the decision to move to VoIP phone, you’ll need to select a VoIP provider. The most well-known is Vonage, largely because of their aggressive advertising campaign. There are, however, several other VoIP providers that you should consider. A large marketing campaign does not guarantee good service.
Vonage is your basic VoIP phone service, with the emphasis on the phone. For a monthly charge, they send you a device to hook up to your phone that does two things. First, it digitizes your analog voice, a must for VoIP usage. Second, it initiates an internet link that runs through your DSL or cable broadband hookup. VoIP-specific phones are perfect to use on Vonage service, and you can use them wirelessly.
You get your local and long-distance phone service for the monthly flat rate, and also a number of services like three-way calling and call forwarding, which few people use. In some plans, you do pay for outgoing calls after a point, but the number of minutes you get before reaching that break point is pretty generous.
Skype is a very different sort of VoIP provider. It started as primarily a computer-based, not phone-based VoIP, and most people originally used headphones with their ordinary computer to access a Skype account. You can get Skype phones today that run through your computer, but most of Skype’s services are more web-friendly.
In addition to phone service, Skype has robust online and computer-based communications technology like chat and user lookups. But the outstanding feature of Skype is the price. If you’re using it to call directly to another Skype user, anywhere in the world, it’s free. It’s also the easiest VoIP service to take with you; if you have a Skype account, you can access it from your computer or any Skype-enabled computer, anywhere in the world.
Lingo is a new entry to the VoIP world, and is ascendant primarily because while it offers Vonage-style services, it also offers dirt-cheap rates. Vonage focuses primarily on the United States, Canada, and Mexico; Lingo’s area of expertise appears to be Asia and Western Europe, where it offers either unlimited calling or a robust calling plan. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have worked out all their bugs, and Lingo does not have a stable calling platform yet.
AT&T CallVantage is another new entry, though it’s from an old company. They, too, are based on similar technology to that Vonage uses, with devices that hook up to your phone et al. Unlike Lingo, AT&T offers excellent quality service, as one might expect. At one point, AT&T had overly-complicated technology for hooking up your VoIP service, but they have improved and now aren’t much worse than Vonage.
No matter how good your VoIP provider is, your telephone stability and reliability when using this service is limited by your high-speed internet connection. If the power goes out, no phone. If your internet service is interrupted for any reason, no phone. If you are confident in your cellular service and aren’t worried about this, that shouldn’t be a problem, but it is something you must consider when you choose your VoIP service.
The bottom line is not to choose VOIP service based on price alone. Look at the features and determine how important that is to you and how often you will use it. Our web site features our Editor’s Choice Best Pick for the best VOIP service available based on a wide range of criteria.
By: Jon Arnold
The Use of VoIP at Home
January 21st, 2010
It would be silly to say, that most individuals have not heard of VoIP by now. VoIP technology is being widely advertised both on the Internet and television. If your still wondering what VoIP is or how it works?VoIP allows the user to communicate by phone over the Internet which is becoming hughley popular with both businesses and people at home.
Even though VoIP technology has been around for a fairly long time, it is not till recent that VoIP has matured enough to be able to replace everyday standard telephone use. As VoIP technology allows for cheaper calls between local and global networks businesses have started to use it to drastically reduce costs in call centers and to communicate by fax, video and other means of technology.
As VoIP is a technology that is benefiting the user, it is probably the case that at a household level you are now interested in embracing the technology for your own home. But like all others, there are many questions to ask. This article will hopefully be able to answer your basic questions on price, difficulty and necessity.
To use VoIP technology an Internet connection is needed. As explained in this article, the necessity of a good Internet connection for data transfer is vital. Though don’t worry, you don’t need some outrageous connection just to use VoIP. As I expect, most of you already have a broadband connection which is capable enough to handle your phone calls.
A Gateway is also needed to make and receive calls. Gateways act as a point between your phone and the Ethernet connection and also act as a point for your phone line to be plugged into. Gateways act as a safety point to your phone calls. As computers can often malfunction, it may be the case that you are in a phone call at the time. Gateways prevent computer malfunctions such as crashes from interrupting your phone calls.
As for home convenience, it is often best that you check with your VoIP service provider for functionality in the services they offer. At home, it is best that 911 emergency calls can be made and that some of or at least all of the services below are available.
Your own local VoIP telephone number Call waiting Voice messaging 3 Way Calling Online account managment Redial Caller ID identification
At VoIP we have generated a list of individual VoIP service providers for you. These are our recommended choices which we have all personally reviewed and written about for you.
By: Joseph Victory
