Most Underrated Use of VoIP Telephony.

With the proliferation, affordability, and convenience of broadband Internet and cell phone service, customers are foregoing traditional telephone service all together. Having a cell phone instead of a land line seems like a terrific idea. Cell phone customers do not have to be tied down to a location, they can get phone calls from anywhere, and plus they get long-distance included. In theory it seems like a good idea but actually it does not tend to work out as planned. Cell phones were not designed to be used for regular everyday calls while in your home. They were designed as mobile phones and most service plans treat them as such, with outrageous fees for going over the allotted monthly minutes. Most cell phone only customers find they run out of minutes every month and have enormous cell phone bills as a result. So they would be better off having a land line or paying for enormous monthly minutes on their cell phone service. There is a better way.

VoIP phone service is a wonderful way to eliminate the need for expensive, regular telephone service. With a VoIP adapter and VoIP service, customers can use their broadband Internet service and regular telephone to make local and long-distance calls for a low monthly fee. The monthly fee usually includes such typical services as unlimited long-distance, call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, 3-way calling, call forwarding, and other lesser used features that regular telephone companies charge extra. So for a modest monthly fee VoIP customers can have broadband Internet and land line phone services and still afford to keep their cell phone. VoIP saves money by eliminating expensive traditional telephone service and allows cell phone minutes to be used when necessary.

Visit http://www.cleardigitalvoice.com for more information on how to save money with VoIP phone service.

Sol is the owner of ClearDigitalVoice.com, a new VoIP provider for residential and small business customers. http://www.cleardigitalvoice.com

VoIP

What is VoIP?

VoIP, or Voice-Over-Internet Protocol, is literally a phone call placed via an internet connection. VoIP has been a long time coming and early internet phone calls were not that reliable and a bit garbled. But they were free. Over the last decade, VoIP has increasingly made its way into business and is now making its way into more and more homes, as people find better, more affordable ways to communicate with convenience.

An internet protocol is a way in which data is handled over networks. It is typically a standard method for passing data from one point to another point via network cable. Voice-Over-Internet protocol is the method by which one's voice is translated from an analog signal to digital 1s and 0s then transported over broadband network connections, often still for a fraction of the cost of long distance phone calls.

Advantages

According to many experts VoIP is expected to be the phone protocol of choice for the future, alongside the ubiquitous wireless calls. VoIP is flexible, and affordable. As long as one has an internet connection, some free or inexpensive VoIP software on their PC, and a microphone, VoIP is viable. It is a simple communication method to setup. The major phone companies already use the technology that makes VoIP possible. They must move large bundles of long distance digital data known as packet switching quickly and conveniently.

One of the most attractive advantages to VoIP is the ability to receive internet phone calls anywhere you are, as long as you are accessible to the internet. Like wireless technology, this frees you from the constraints posed by a phone line connected to a wall jack.

What You Need

There are a number of ways to currently use VoIP. The easiest and least expensive by far is the PC-to-PC connection. Requirements are a PC that is connected to the internet, preferably with a cable or DSL connection; a microphone, speakers, and VoIP software that can still be had inexpensively, even free in many cases.

An increasingly popular method for VoIP is the use of the proprietary VoIP phones that are becoming a standard for many businesses. Companies such as IBM and Cisco Systems are well known for their VoIP phone systems that are designed to become a seamless addition to any large or small business network. Many bundle video along with them making long-distance conferencing effective and affordable for business.

Disadvantages

Currently, the disadvantages to VoIP are the reliability of packet switching technology to seamlessly transport important voice data streaming, real time conversations over the long haul of network cable. Businesses that rely on such technology must be willing to accept the risks involved with poor internet connections, lost signals, and dropped data packets. The internet as a real time communication tool is still in relative infancy in comparison to the technology behind the analog telephone system that has been in existence for well over a century.

Sara Chambers is a marketing consultant and an internet content manager for http://www.voipweblog.com

VoIP And Your Broadband Selection

Why is the regional bell operating companies dropping the rates on their DSL residential service? Easy, to gain more customers. Ok, makes sense. But let's look a little closer.

First off, VoIP is making a major push into our homes. I for one have 2 lines in my home. One for business and one for home use. I use VoIP on my business line and my local provider on the other. I also use cable broadband access. Not only is it faster, but when the time comes I can switch my home phone to VoIP and not effect my broadband connection. Yes, the government is mandating the use of 'naked' DSL or DSL without phone service. Expect that in a few years (maybe).

There's the first gotcha. Choose the local telco for DSL access and eliminate the possibility of using VoIP as your primary phone line. Yes you can get VoIP as long as you continue your local telephone service as well. Remember, DSL comes into your
home on your phone line. Deactivate your phone line and without naked DSL you disconnect your internet as well.

Remember deregulation of the 80's? Now the RBOC's (regional bell operating companies) need to open their territories up to competition. Ok. I was putting together a quote for local/long distance for a small business. Luckily they had no need or want
for internet access. I ran the numbers for both our local RBOC as well as a competitor. The competitors? prices beat the RBOC's hands down. But guess what? The competitor is unable to run DSL (even if my customer wanted it). Gotcha again. RBOC's carry a mighty sword :)

So, if I stick with my RBOC, I can't use VoIP as my primary phone service. If I switch to a competitor, I may not be able to get DSL access. Hmmmm conflict or gotcha?

In all fairness, I've sold DSL service from RBOC's as well as other ISP's. The service is fine. Many of my family members use DSL and are very happy with it. It's really not the DSL service itself that gets me frustrated at times, but rather the lack of choices. Why not use the lower cost DSL access and VoIP as a primary phone line? Because the large RBOC's don't want you to, that's why. Oh sure the government is getting involved, but we'll have to wait a few more years. (Maybe longer)

This short article is not intended solely for the informed. Many people are aware of the conflicts, FCC mandates and issues. The lines between phone usage/internet access/television are becoming more and more blurred. Keep a open mind; don't fall
into the marketing traps of the major players. Understand the impact of your technology buying decisions. One just may effect the other. Go DSL, possibly loose VoIP. Switch to an RBOC competitor and quite possibly loose your existing DSL (or ANY DSL for that matter)

Go for cable internet access? I for one would really like to see the cable companies begin to drop their rates. They offer a good service at faster speeds. Unfortunately with the push for DSL (from come on offers starting at around $17 per month) to standard monthly rates around $21-30 per month, it's certainly cheaper than cable internet, which is about $42-47 per month.

What I usually tell my customers is to look at the big picture. Not long ago customers wanted high speed internet at the lowest possible cost. Now what I usually tell my customers, friends and family is to also evaluate their phone usage as well.

One purchase can affect the other. If there is no pressure or need or want to convert to VoIP, then broadband DSL should be just fine. Then there's the people with teenage kids or kids in college. Their phone bills tend to be higher. In some cases the cost may be much higher. If VoIP is going to be on their horizon, then I would recommend staying away from DSL. Do the math. Yes, you may pay a higher per month cost for cable internet service (say $20 a month more) but what would you save on your phone bill by using VoIP? If your phone bill is $40 a month, which you cut to $20 a month using VoIP, it's a wash. The extra savings on the phone bill offsets the higher cost of internet access. If your phone bill is higher, then you start to save more money.

Look at the big picture when deciding your broadband access needs.

FullService Broadband provider. Our free service is possible through Try Right Technology, Inc. We provide unbiased and informative information on broadband and communication products and services.

VOIP - a Threat to the Industry?

VOIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" and it's going to change the way you think about making long distance phone calls. This technology turns analog audio signals (like the sounds you hear when talking on your regular telephone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet.)

So why is VOIP a threat to communications industry? Because it means that by getting your hands on some of the free software that's readily available, you can totally bypass your telephone company, and start making long distance phone calls for free!

This revolutionary technology has the ability to totally change the phone system of the entire world! Maybe you've seen television commercials for one of the pioneers of VOIP - Vonage. It brands itself as the "broadband telephone company", and offers enticing perks to customers who switch to its service, like low-cost 800 numbers, very cheap international rates (fees are waived from the U.S. to Canada, and how about .03 cents a minute to call Paris?)

But Vonage isn't the only company who is interested. AT&T is setting up VOIP calling in several areas of the U.S. and there are other major players on the scene as well, such as Skype, who is relying on viral advertising to get the word out.

One of the really interesting thing about VOIP is that there's not just one way to make a call. There are three:

1) ATA (analog telephone adaptor) - is the most commonly used VOIP method right now. Using the ATA, you connect your regular telephone to your computer or Internet connection. The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter and it takes the analog signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and transmits it over the Internet.

This is how Vonage does it, and AT&T 's CallVantage will be doing it. The ATA is free with their services. And using an ATA is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug the cable from your phone into the ATA instead of the wall socket, and you're set. Depending on your computer, and where you live, and what type of Internet connection you have, you might have to also install the software onto your computer, but even my grandmother knows how to do that these days.

2) IP Phones - They look just like the phones we are used to. They have a handset, cradles and buttons. But IP phones use an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. They connect directly to your router and all the hardware and software is already built inside to handle your IP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones to be available in the near future, which will allow you to make VOIP calls from any Wi-Fi spot. (Can you see the power of that? Just take your IP phone with you when you travel, and stop in at any Internet caf?, hotel or other location where you can use your Wi-Fi laptop, and you can "phone home" wherever home happens to be!

3) Computer-to-Computer. Arguably the easiest way to use VOIP. Not only do you not have to pay for long distance calls, there are several companies that are offering free or low-cost software right now for you to make use of the VOIP technology. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers a sound card and a broadband or cable DSL Internet connection, and your loved ones sound as if they're in the next room. And, except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is no charge for any computer- to-computer call.

Most likely, you have been using the VOIP technology without even being aware of it, any time you've made a long distance telephone call recently. Many of the major phone companies are already using VOIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth. It's a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. Once received on the other side of the gateway, the calls are decompressed, reassembled and routed back to a local circuit switch.

IP telephony is the wave of the future. It makes sense in terms of ROI, from both an economic and infrastructure point of view. It may take some time, but eventually all of the current circuit-switched networks that are in use today will be replaced by packet-switching technology. More and more businesses are already installing VOIP systems. And as the technology makes our way into our everyday language our lives, and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity.

Forrester Research predicted that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VOIP phone service by the end of this year. The two biggest advantages for home users so far are price and flexibility.

Currently, most VOIP phone companies offer plans similar to that of cell-phone companies - what are commonly called "minute-rate" plans for as little as $30 a month. And as with cell-phone plans, you can also get unlimited plans for around $79 a month. With the elimination of long-distances charges, unregulated charges, and all the freebies that come standard with your VOIP service, it can actually amount to a significant savings for you. For example, you may be paying extra for features like: call waiting, 3 way calling, call forwarding, caller I.D., repeat dial & last call return

With VOIP, they come standard. And then there are some advanced features that make VOIP something worth looking into. With some carriers, you can set up call-filtering options, and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers are handled. For example, you can: forward the call to a particular number, send the call directly to voicemail, give the caller a busy signal, play a "not in service" message and send the caller to a funny rejection hotline

With most VOIP services, you can also check your voice mail on the Internet, or attach messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or handheld. (By the way, if you're interested in any of these features, not all VOIP companies are created equal, so do a little shopping around first, because prices and services do vary).

The second benefit that makes VOIP so attractive for home and small business users is the flexibility. With VOIP you can make a call anywhere you can get broadband connectivity. Since the IP phones or ATAs broadcast information over the Internet, they can be administered by any provider. For business travelers, this means they can take their phone or ATA with them on the road, and never miss a home phone call!

By using a softphone, (which is client software that loads your VOIP service onto your desktop or laptop), you can make calls from your laptop anywhere in the broadband-connected world, with just a headset and microphone.

We could easily see here that tremendous opportunities also abound for the industry participants. It just depends on how you see VOIP a threat or an opportunity.

Alan Ocab is the Chief Knowledge Officer of VOIPService.Visit http://www.thevoipservice.info

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