VoIP Service Options - An Overview
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and it is a technology for transmitting voice conversations via the internet. Basically it is a method for taking analog audio signals, the kind you hear when you talk on the phone, and turning them into digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet. This has made it possible for people all around the world to pick up their telephone and call anyone, anywhere, just like they were in the same city.
Of course you can always do this with your land line or cell phone but the main advantage to using the internet software is that you can make calls for free with the software installed and this would be out of the question with the telephone companies whose charges are unavoidable and generally very high. Those who travel may have some package with a mobile cell phone but for anyone who has not set up roaming agreements, the cost of using a cell phone can be incredibly pricey! Even if your are just receiving a call outside your home base, your phone company will charge you for the connection from where your phone is located to reroute the call to where you may be! VoIP allows you to bypass the telephone company charges entirely.
There are three different kinds of VoIP service options generally in use today. The first is through the use of an ATA – analog telephone adaptor – which allows you to connect a standard phone to your computer or your internet connection for use with VoIP. The ATA works as a digital converter and takes the analog signal from the traditional phone and converts it into digital data for transmission over the Internet. You just plug the cable from your phone that usually hooks into the wall socket and insert it into the ATA, and then make VoIP calls.
The second method is through the use of IP Phones which look the same as regular phones but instead of having the standard phone connectors, IP phones have an ethernet connector. These phones connect directly to the router and have all the hardware and software necessary to make an IP call, while Wi-Fi phones will permit callers to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi location.
The third system involves computer to computer and is certainly the easiest and cheapest way to use VoIP. Many people have likely heard of Skype which allows users to make free calls to other Skype users. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers, a sound card and an internet connection - ideally a fast one like you would get through a cable or DSL modem. Using this system you can include the phone call charge as being in the same packet as your monthly ISP fee. Some VoIP providers typically charge a flat rate for unlimited calls—at least within the U.S. and Canada—that's considerably less expensive than what you would pay for conventional phone service.
The average rate for VoIP service is between $25 and $40 although you may be required to be required to commit to a full year of service which is unnecessary if you use Skype or Vonage as you can stop their service anytime and there is no contract and you can pay in small prepaid amounts as low as $10. VoIP is still a relatively new technology when you compare it to the standard traditional phone system and while it is certainly reliable and efficient it is still operating with a different technological approach than that used on your land line.
As it is dependent on the internet connection, then you must always remember that when the internet connection goes down, so does your VoIP service. But if you have a solid provider then the benefits of using VoIP far outweigh the disadvantages once you understand the parameters and the possible downsides that may be encountered.