Understanding Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Some services using VoIP may only allow you to call other people using the same service, but others may allow you to call anyone who has a telephone number - including local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers. Also, while some services only work over your computer or a special VoIP phone, other services allow you to use a traditional phone through an adaptor. The calls are made over a data network like the internet. VoIP converts the voice to a digital signal that can travel over the internet then converts it back to voice once it reaches the other end. This enables you to speak to anyone with a regular phone number. When placing a VoIP call using a phone with an adapter, you'll hear a dial tone and dial just as you always have. VoIP may also allow you to make a call directly from a computer using a conventional telephone or a microphone. Placing a Call All VoIP Services are a bit different in the way you place a call. If you have an adapter connected to your internet Connection you can-just pick up your phone and dial the number. The call goes through your local phone company to a VoIP provider. The call proceeds over the internet to the called party's local telephone company and the call is completed. You can also plug a microphone headset into your computer, this is a good option it you have a slow (dial-up) connection as it cuts out some of the echo commonly heard in slow connections. Utilizing a headset, the number is dialed using a keyboard & routed through your cable modem.

Equipment Needed for VoIP High-Speed Broadband connection, IP Phones (Softphones will require PC) or Analog Telephone Adapters (ATAs) and VoIP Service Provider, currently there are 505 in the U.S. alone, the best known probably being Vonage.

When you looking for a VoIP provider be sure to check what the they offer, some companies allow you to make calls only to other subscribers of their service. But most companies will allow you to call anyone, land line, cellular, local, long distance and some companies even allow you to talk to more than one person at a time.

Many people today use their cell phone as their primary phone, with VoIP you could eliminate your landline phone altogether. You can call anyone, any where in the world and talk along as you want. VoIP calls do not have to pay toll or distance charges so the possibilties for consumers and small business to save money are the most attractive feature of Voice over Internet Proticol.

Christine is the owner of http://onlinevoipinfo.com<br /> which deals specifically with PC to Phone and PC to PC VoIP. The site includes a comprehensive information on VoIP.

Using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) with Dial-Up

Have you had a chance to try it? Most people that have had a chance to try it have experienced hit or miss quality, dropped calls as well as some speech delays. But there are some steps that you can take to really improve the quality and consistency of you VoIP calls over your internet Connection.

There is a lot of buzz these days around Internet based communication, VoIP, replacing regular/traditional telephone service. Much of the buzz has been created by/around a company called Vonage, who's motto is "Leading the Internet Phone Revolution".

Even if you do not have a broadband connection, you can still save a fortune by using VOIP service for long distance calls. A broadband connection will give you more consistent, reliable call quality, but similar results can be obtained using a dial up account if some guidelines are followed.

All VoIP service providers are different, they do not all support dial-up users. Companies such as Vonage happens to be one that backs away from dial up connections. The providers that do support dial up usually only support dial-up above certain speeds. The two most popular companies that do support dial up VoIP are Callserve and Go2Call.

If you close programs that are running in the background, you will get higher call quality. If you are using windows, just right click & close all open non-essential applications that are shown in your taskbar at the bottom right of your screen. If you are using windows XP & there are other users logged on, be sure they log off before trying to make a call. You also need to be conscience of what you are doing while you are on the call. If you overload the limited data capability your call quality will suffer. Other activities that will compete for bandwith are: Instant Messaging, checking your email, web cameras, surfing the internet or downloading anything.

Scan your system frequently for Viruses and Adware, these programs can tie up your browser and internet connection, slow down your system and affect your call quality. Make it a habit to scan your system every month so your virus software remains uo to date. McAfee or Nortons are good programs, Spybot - Search & Detroy is good for removing spyware.

Use a headset with a boom microphone and this should eliminate annoying voice echoes often associated with VoIP phone calls. If you use a headset, voice signals are limited in volume and thus the chances of your microphone 're-transmitting' those voice signals is greatly reduced.

So if you have dial up you can still enjoy the cost savings of making PC to VoIP call

<br /> Christine is the owner of http://onlinevoipinfo.com<br /> which deals specifically with PC to Phone and PC to PC VoIP. The site includes a comprehensive information on VoIP.

How to choose a VoIP provider

VoIP (or voice over internet protocol) has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional long-distance phone calls. The reason? Cost. A VoIP provider can reduce your phone bills by as much as 80%, more than justifying the initial costs of buying the equipment and monthly or annual fees.

Choosing to go VoIP is easy; which VoIP provider you sign up with is trickier. With the number of companies and the diversity of packages to choose from, it's hard to tell if you're really getting your money's worth. Here are some things to consider as you narrow down your choices:

* How much are you willing to spend? Look at your budgets. How much can you allot for this service? How much do you really save by getting it? * How much of your phone calls are long distance? If you rarely make long distance phone calls then you won't really feel the "savings"; but if you have friends and family around the world, then VoIP is a lifesaver. Look at your previous phone bills and make a rough estimate. Compute the cost of those calls on a traditional phone provider and through VoIP. * How good is their customer service? Customer service is frequently the worst in companies that offer very low rates. They usually have a deluge of subscribers whose needs or quieries they may not be able to handle Check out how their after-salves customer service is by asking friends who use VoiP or VoiP sites that have message boards? * What features are included in the package? Some packages may appear that they are cheaper but It could be because they have a very skeletal list of services. Others have a higher fee but offer so many additional services. But crucial to this is asking yourself which services are most important to you. Do you want call waiting? Do you need 3 way calling? Do you want fax capabilities? By defining what your priorities are you can weigh the overall monthly subscription fees with the kind of value you get for your money. * Can you keep your old number? Some companies allow you to transfer your existing phone number to the VoIP service. This is a very helpful feature that saves you the trouble of informing others or, even more importantly, losng contact with those who were not told about the change. This can be too much of a risk to people who run homebased businesses. * Do they offer emergency services? Not all VoIP services allow emergency numbers like 911. In this case it's advisable that you retain a cell phone or land line. It pays to be safe than sorry! * How many international calls do you need to make? There is a wide variety of packages that appropriate a certain number of minutes for long distance calls. Find out your typical usage and assess how much you need.

Choosing a VoIP provider is an important decision.

For more information on VoIP companies and services, go to the http://www.voipworth.com website.