Select the best VOIP provider in UK

Consider the following points before selecting the best VOIP provider: Comparison of call charges of various VOIP providers:
The most important benefit of VOIP usage is cost savings, which motivates you to use VOIP. So, you should analyse the VOIP call rate list to ensure maximum cost advantage. Some VOIP companies offer plans with minute-rate charges while some offer plans for unlimited usage.

Another factor that you need to consider is the amount of time for which you may use the service in a month. If you do a lot of calling, you need a package from a provider with cheaper rates for heavy usage but if you are a light user, then the provider who offers a smaller package at lower cost will suit you better.

List the value added calling features offered by different providers Look at the value added features offered by various VoIP providers. Some additional features offered are caller ID, call waiting, call transfer, repeat dial, return call, 3-way calling, etc. There are some advanced call-filtering options that allow you to make a choice about how calls from a particular number are handled. You can forward a call to a particular number, send the call directly to voicemail, give the caller a busy signal, play a message, etc using this feature. But not all VOIP providers have this offer. So, select the one that offers the features that you need the most. Check the availability of Local Area Codes in Your Region Consider the states where the VoIP provider is providing local area codes, while choosing the service. The provider may claim to provide you with a number that you can use from anywhere but if the number isn't local, then most of your calls will be long distance. In that case, people in your local area will have to make long distance calls to talk to you. So you need to check the availability of area code in your region. Also, some providers offer access only to a limited number of country codes.

Confirm call coverage to other providers
Some VOIP providers offer services where calls can be made only to other VoIP users while others offer the facility for both VoIP users and those with regular phones. Many offer free calls to those who use the same service provider. So check these offers with respect to the associated costs.

Check the Availability of Access to Emergency Services
Confirm whether VOIP providers offer access to emergency services like 911. These emergency services should be able to trace your call to your physical location so that they can be of use. Confirm which providers are offering this facility before making a choice.

Determine the Quality of Service
Before selecting a VoIP provider, confirm which service provider has good quality of sound and interface. Take a look at published reviews for various VoIP services or talk to other users of the same service. Find out the ease and cost of installation

Lastly, find out what are the needs for setting up and installing the service. See if there are any additional costs or hidden costs. After you have worked on these points, go ahead and start using the service and enjoy the benefits of VOIP.

alen
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The Great Opportunity For VoIP Resellers

Making telephone calls over the Internet using voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) is an efficient and cost saving technology that is in a position to forever change telephone communications. VOIP is not a new phenomenon, having been in use in the business world for quite a few years. In the last couple of years, though, it has begun to catch on with consumers as a way to efficiently combine all their modes communication in their homes, for either their work lives or personal lives, and avoid paying high charges as they have with long distance companies. With the many products and services available to customers, it seems like a lucrative business to be a part of. VOIP resellers have the opportunity to pass reasonably priced products and services on to consumers while at the same time making a great profit and being a part of a communications revolution.

VOIP technology provides the customer with an exciting opportunity to experience low priced telephone service. Subscribers to VOIP services have a bevy of options from which they can choose. The ability to subscribe to VOIP is dependent on the customer having a reliable broadband Internet connection, and will require the customer to either purchase a few new pieces of equipment or software that will enable VOIP to work from the home computer. Customers can choose to use a specially equipped microphone hooked up to the computer, making the experience like that of a speakerphone. The customer can use his or her home telephone with the service, if he or she purchases an analog telephone adapter that converts the analog audio into digital data. They can also buy an IP phone that is plugs directly into the computer and is ready for immediate use. There is also a wireless option, and VOIP cell phones are beginning to make an appearance on the market. It's important for the customer to be aware that VOIP phone service isn't that dissimilar to traditional telephone service, except that the cabling has changed. Once the customer has the necessary equipment for VOIP, he or she then needs to search for a reliable, affordable, and dependable service provider. This is where the VOIP reseller can step in. A VOIP reseller has an opportunity to provide affordable phone service to customers beyond the startup costs, while at the same time getting in on a potential technology and business boom.

A VOIP reseller does just that, he or she resells minutes to VOIP customers that have been purchased from a VOIP provider. These resold minutes are marked up to allow the VOIP reseller a reasonable profit. The reseller becomes the liaison between the service provider and the customer, providing customer service and resolving issues. It is important to note that for anyone interested in becoming a VOIP reseller, there is often a considerable investment in the beginning. A new reseller will have to purchase software and equipment that will enable his or her to provide service to his or her customers. However, there are services available for the potential reseller that provide their own gateways and servers while giving him or her the opportunity to be their own business owner without the expensive startup costs. These firms provide software that make it possible for a VOIP reseller to establish and maintain a set customer base. Customers can access their accounts, contact the reseller with issues or questions, and view their bills. These firms also help to alleviate the big startup cost by offering not only their servers and gateways, but also billing systems that would normally cost a hefty sum to purchase. All of this is offered in a secured interface.

VOIP is primed to take the place of the traditional telephone system. There are tremendous moneymaking opportunities to be sought for someone that is good at marketing and selling a product. There are opportunities to provide service and support to customers while being self-employed. For a VOIP reseller, the opportunities are tremendous.

Learn the essential information for picking the Voip provider / services at Voip Resellers

Learn About Broadband Phone Service (VoIP) And It's Benefits

Broadband phone service uses your broadband Internet connection to transmit voice signals via IP networks. This technology is commonly referred to as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or IP Telephony. Broadband phone service converts voice signals to digital packets which are routed to their destination and reconverted at the receiving end.

Broadband phone service appears, to the user, to operate very much like the traditional telephone networks. You can use an ATA (analogue telephone adapter) that connects to a router or modem or an IP phone that connects directly to a router or modem. The difference is that with an ATA you can use your existing phones to connect to the network.

Once set up, you can use your broadband phone service to place or receive calls to or from anywhere in the world. One of the most attractive selling points of broadband phone service is the low cost of long distance and International calls. Many IP phones service providers include extra services such as call waiting, voicemail, and caller ID at no additional cost.

There are a few drawbacks that you need to be aware of if you are planning to switch to broadband phone service. You must, of course, have access to a high-speed Internet connection and if your Internet connection is down you lose your phone service until you get back on line. There are still some reliability and security issues but it's likely that these will soon be addressed as consumer and business demand for broadband phone service increases.

Gary Caskennette is the owner of VoIP Place, a news and information site about the rapidly developing technology of Voice over Internet Protocol. More information can be found at VoIP Place

VoIP Options for Business

VoIP makes a great option for business because you can save money. Many providers offer special packages strictly for business use. Different products are available such as fax lines and call forwarding.

When shopping for a service, you will need to take a few factors into account. This includes whether or not you want your provider to also service your internet connection, or if your computers will be on a network. Here is a compiled list of potential service providers to help you find the best package to suit your business needs.

Vonage offers two packages for their small business customers. The Small Business Basic plan is $39.99 and allows for 1500 minutes of calling anywhere in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. The Small Business Unlimited package is $49.99 and includes unlimited calling to those places. Check out their website (www.vonage.com) for information on their additional features and international calling rates.

Verizon has a lot of options for business. They can accommodate small, medium, and large businesses. Their rates vary based on situation and location, so it is best to visit their site (www.verizon.com) to find the options that are right for you. You can also specify packages that include Verizon DSL and VoIP.

Lingo's business packages start at $49.95 a month for unlimited calling to the US, Canada, Western Europe, and any phones within the Lingo system. Service also includes a free fax line and other features such as three-way calling. They offer your first month free as a trial. Simply cancel if you are unhappy with their service. For more information browse their site at www.lingo.com.

Sprint also offers VoIP options for business. They offer options for businesses including home offices, small business, medium businesses, and full scale enterprises. Check out their options and packages at www.sprint.com/business.

Mike Bell is the webmaster of http://www.VoIP-Journal.com, a site devoted to providing users with voip news and information

Benefits Of VOIP Technology

Benefits of VOIP

Voice Over Internet Protocol, commonly referred to as VOIP has arrived as a mainstream technology. Over the last two years VOIP has emerged as one of the hottest technologies in the industry. VOIP allows residents or businesses to send and receive phone calls via a broad band connection. Not only is the technology convenient but also extremely cost effective.

Many small businesses are dipping their toes in the water and trying out this new technology. Not only is the sound quality extremely high, but the reliability is excellent and on par with traditional land line pbx phones. Most businesses like the fact that VOIP can easily mesh with their existing infrastructure. The best part is the enormous savings that businesses see immediately. VOIP is extremely inexpensive with some businesses saving more then 50% on operational costs alone.

New devices for VOIP are in the works such as cellular phones that can make VOIP calls over wifi hot spots. With many cities implementing city-wide hot spots, you can use your soon to be released wifi cell phone to make calls for next to nothing. This is a great tool for road warriors.

So check out VOIP for your home or small business, you can enjoy all the benefits as well as the inexpensive costs.

Jay is the web owner of http://www.dsl-in.com DSL, a website that provides information and resources on DSL, DSL Service, and DSL Service Providers. You can also visit his website at: http://www.dsl-service.us DSL Service

How Wireless VoIP Phones Work

The functioning of wireless VoIP phones is similar to that of regular VoIP phones but Wireless VoIP phones combine VoIP technology and Wi-Fi (wLAN) systems. Users need to be in the range of the wireless node in order to make and receive calls. And when they are in the Wi-Fi's reach, they are able to do a lot of the same calling functions enabled by regular desktop VoIP phones. When one is already equipped with a wireless local area network as well as VoIP phones, adding wireless VoIP phones can be a logical step.

Wireless VoIP phones are also known as VoWLAN or voice over wireless local network areas and Wi-Fi phones. The working of wireless VoIP phones involves a data network to which Wi-Fi equipment is connected. The network itself can either be independent, or connected to the Internet or the public phone system. The equipment enables high-speed wireless connection to unlimited access points.

Each access point has an antenna to catch the signal from the Wi-Fi equipment and broadcast it in a 300-foot radius or a hot spot. Within the radius all Wi-Fi enabled laptops, personal digital organizers and wireless phones can tune into the signal.

In wireless VoIP phones, the voice is converted into segments of data for transmission from the phone antenna to the Wi-Fi radio waves and then received by the data network. Here the data segments reverse the process to reach an extension or the traditional phone network. In other words, an extension can be carried around.

Although there is no argument about wireless VoIP phones being advantageous, they have their share of shortcomings as well. Fore one, they can not yet completely replace hard-wire VoIP phones mainly due to lack of reliability and the limited functions of wireless phones currently available in comparison to desktop phones.

However the biggest disadvantage in wireless VoIP phones is the limit on the number of simultaneous calls that can be made. The maximum number of calls in each wireless system cannot exceed five or ten. This seriously undermines its call handling capability in a large corporate environment.

Nevertheless, the dramatic reduction in operational costs has made it possible for wireless operators with high quality compressed VoIP to bring the ease and comfort of cordless calling to the VoIP world.

Punks Johnston enjoys writing about wireless VoIP phones.

VoIP: A Constantly Improving Technology

VoIP internet telephony has been a usable communication technology for many years now, but it is only recently that it has become a mainstream communication tool for both residential and business users.

This is largely because of the huge recent improvements of the technology used by VoIP providers. A few years ago, making a call over an IP network would result in fuzzy voice quality, and end up being an awkward and difficult way to communicate.

In the past couple of years, however, faster internet connections, and better technological specifications have made it possible for a VoIP call to sound just as good as if it were made over a traditional telephone line.

Although Voice over IP technology still has a few quirks to be worked out, it is a constantly improving technology. It is already significantly better value than normal telephone lines, and a higher and higher percentage of users are realizing that all the time, allowing the whole industry to flourish and grow.

Of course, with technological standards constantly evolving, new types of VoIP networks are emerging that don't use wires at all. Wireless VoIP phones operate on special digital networks, and can be a lot cheaper to use than normal cell phones.

Jeremy Maddock is the webmaster of TeleClick.ca, a trusted source of telecommunications news.

Voip Service Review For Business Users

Making phone calls applying a broadband Internet connection,known as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), is becoming so popular with corporations of each size. The prospect of paying a flat fee for unlimited long-distance phone calls is attractive to each company that has struggled to balance the want to conduct business phone calls with the cost of those calls.

Many companies are finding that installation of VoIP phones is simpler than traditional Private Branch eXchange (PBX) systems, since the desk sets can share the Ethernet cables already in place for the desktop computers. Now, I m going to review 3 most popular Voip Services providers who offer full service products primarily aimed at the small to medium sized business telephone market. Such companies typically support multi-line telephone systems, small PBX gateways and hosted VoIP.

Vonage will bring VoIP service without routing calls through your PC. When you sign higher for its DigitalVoice service, the company gives you a phone number in the area code of your option and sends you a free ashtray-size devices device known as an analog telephone adapter or even ATA. You easily plug the adapter into your network router and attach your phone to the adapter, and you're ready to produce calls. If you like, you are able to plug the adapter to a wall jack, connecting each phone in the home.

For corporations that want extensions and services that are even more closely identified with PBXs uncovered in the corporate globe, Vonage isn't a very good option. Its Microscopic Business Project is built on a lone line, similar to a residential line, and does not provide facilities for multiple extensions, call transfers, administrative functions, and the more tasks virtually all corporate users take for granted. 2 more vendors are better suited for the corporate environment.

Vonage Features:

Equipment required: Broadband telephone adapter (included in activation fee) , Motorola VT1005V
$30 activation fee. No contract.
$39.99 termination fee after 14 days (refunded if you return the adapter)
call waiting, caller ID and conference calling.
911 service

TalkSwitch 48-CVA

The TalkSwitch uses your phone company's existing phone lines and phone numbers to connect to the outside world, but uses your Internet connection to connect to other TalkSwitches in your company's remote offices. This setup is simple to install and lets you keep your existing phone numbers and lines. It also lets you keep your existing phone bills, since your long-distance calls still travel over your phone-company lines. (Of course, you could replace your traditional phone lines with Vonage lines if your long-distance volume dictates such a move.)

Where TalkSwitch shines is in its features as a PBX and its ability to connect remote offices and treat them as a single phone system. When two or more TalkSwitches connect through the Internet, the company has a virtual PBX. The offices can make calls to one another by dialing extensions that may be in the same office or at a remote office without incurring long-distance charges.

The same connection can be used to make standard calls to phone numbers that are local to the remote office but long-distance from the calling office. I found this feature worked well, but it requires the person making the call to know whether the number is local to the remote office. That's something many callers won't make the effort to deal with.

TalkSwitch 48-CVA Features:

Price: $1,795
4 lines in
4 VoIP trunks
8 local extensions
8 remote extensions
Expandable to a 16-line, 32-extension phone system by networking up to four 48-CA or 48-CVA units on the LAN
9 Auto Attendants
26 voice mailboxes
Built-in traditional and VoIP trunks for combined network access
Full-featured PBX telephone system
Customer installable and configurable via PC interface
Works with standard analog cordless or corded phones and TalkSwitch TS 100 phone sets

Packet8 Virtual Office

Packet8 is a service provider. It will bring a "virtual office" by means of a hosted PBX that you are able to attach to from any broadband connection. The equipment consists of 1 DTA and 1 phone for every extension. Minimum configuration for a Packet8 system is 3 extensions, however there appears to be no upper limit to the number of extensions. Every DTA and phone combination costs $100, and there exists a $40 activation fee per line.

Because all the extensions attach to the equivalent PBX, calls to extensions and calls to outside amounts are processed just as they usually are in a corporate office. The phones have a huge LCD with soft-buttons for voicemail, don't disturb, and each feature you would expect in a corporate PBX. I personally discovered the system elementary to utilise however as well incredibly flexible. Phone functions are managed applying the phone's LCD and its buttons, while extension assignment, routing, auto-attendant, and system-related functions are managed through the PBX's Web interface.

Packet8's sound quality was incredibly fantastic. Calls between Packet8 VoIP lines were clear with no noticeable delay. Calls between Packet8 VoIP phones and standard phone lines were equally clear. The quality of the overall system was even more than acceptable.

This is the kind of system that fits any virtual office whose employees require to produce lots of long-distance calls. The Packet8 system is particularly well suited to today's distributed virtual businesses. The fact that all the extensions are section of the equivalent system and operate as a seamless phone system puts a consolidated face on the distributed office.

Packet8 Virtual Office Features:

Price: $40 per extension per month, plus setup costs of $100 for equipment and $40 activation fee per line
Unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada
Full-featured conference bridge for up to 20 participants
Auto-Attendant
Voicemail with message forwarding and e-mail notification
Call transfer and automatic call forwarding
3-way conferencing
Music/messaging on hold
Distinctive ringing for internal/external calls
Caller ID and call-waiting caller ID
Stutter tone notifications
Call park/call pick-up
Rashme Wong has been an Commuciation and Network Analyst for 5 years whose articles on Voip business have appeared on many major Voip websites. You can find more of these at:

www.1voipphoneservice.info