VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) - Overview

You probably at least heard the word “VoIP”, even if you didn’t quite understand what excitement is. VoIP means “Voice over Internet Protocol” and is about to change the way you think about further phone calls. In principle, VoIP technology turns analog audio signals (that is, the sounds that you hear when talking on your regular phone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet).

So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry?

Because it means that by accessing the free software that is available right now, you can completely bypass your phone company and start free calls over long distances! This revolutionary technology has the ability to completely change the telephone system of the whole world! You may have seen commercials for one of the pioneers of VoIP - Vonage. Vonage is a “broadband telephone company” and offers attractive benefits for customers switching to this VoIP service, for example, low-cost 800 numbers and very cheap international tariffs (no charge from USA to Canada and international calls are 0.0 cents per call a minute abroad, for example in Paris). But Vonage is not the only company interested in using VoIP capabilities. AT & T is setting up VoIP calls in several parts of the United States, and there are other large VoIP players, such as Skype, that rely on viral advertising to get the word out. Even some regional cable television companies now offer VoIP telephony services with deep discounts to their customers.

One of the interesting components of VoIP is that there is not only one way to make a VoIP call. There are actually three ways to make a VoIP call:

1) VoIP over ATA: this is the most commonly used VoIP method right now. Using ATA (analog telephone adapter), you connect your regular phone to a computer or to an Internet connection. ATA is an analog-to-digital converter, and it takes an analog signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and transmits it over the Internet so that you can make VoIP calls. This is how Vonage and AT & T CallVantage handle VoIP calls. ATA free with its services. And using ATA for VoIP is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, connect the cable from the phone to the ATA instead of the wall socket, and you are ready to start VoIP calls. Depending on your computer, where you live, and what type of Internet connection you have, you may also need to install VoIP software on your computer, but this should not be too difficult for most people.

2) VoIP over IP phones: VoIP phones look just like a standard phone. They have a telephone, carrycot and buttons. But the VoIP phone uses an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 connectors. VoIP phones connect directly to your router, and all the hardware and software is already built in to handle your VoIP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones that will be available in the near future, allowing you to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi access point. This will allow you to take a VoIP phone with you when you are traveling and stop at any internet cafe, hotel or other place where you can use your Wi-Fi-laptop and you can use VoIP technology for the “house phone” of any place in the world.

3) VoIP via computer-to-computer: this is probably the easiest way to use VoIP. There are no long distance charges, and there are several companies offering free or low-cost software right now to use VoIP technology. All you need is software, a microphone, speakers, a sound card, and a broadband or cable DSL connection to the Internet, and you can immediately start using VoIP services. An exception to your regular monthly ISP fee, free of charge for any VoIP call from computer to computer, no matter how far they are. http://www.skype.com is one such VoIP service. Most likely, you have already used VoIP technology, even without realizing it, at any time when you recently made a long distance phone call. Many of the major telephone companies are already using VoIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth. This is a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a switch and an IP gateway. After receiving VoIP calls on the other side of the gateway, they are decompressed, reassembled, and redirected back to the local switch.

VoIP telephony is the wave of the future.

VoIP technology makes sense in terms of return on investment, both economically and in terms of infrastructure. This may take some time, but eventually all existing circuit-switched networks that are used today will be replaced with packet-switched VoIP technology. More and more companies are already installing VoIP systems, and as VoIP technology penetrates our everyday language, our life and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity. According to Forrester Research, by the end of 2006, about 5 million US households will have VoIP telephones. The two biggest advantages of VoIP for home users are price and flexibility. Currently, most VoIP providers offer tariff plans similar to mobile phone plans, commonly referred to as “tariff rates,” for as little as $ 30 a month. As with cell phones, you can also receive unlimited plans for about $ 79 per month.

With the elimination of long distance expenses, unregulated expenses and all the free tariffs that come with standard VoIP service, this can actually provide significant savings for you. For example, you can pay for additional features, for example:

· Call waiting

· Three way call

· Call Forwarding

· Caller ID

· Redial

· Last call from VoIP

These services are standard. In addition, there are some additional features that make VoIP interesting. With some VoIP carriers, you can configure call filtering options and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers are handled. For example, you can:

· Forward a call to a specific number

· Send call directly to voicemail

· Give busy signal to caller

· Play a “not in service” message with most VoIP services.

You can also check your voicemail on the Internet or attach messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or PDA. (By the way, if you are interested in any of these functions, not all VoIP companies are created equal, so first make a small purchase, because prices and VoIP services change).

The second advantage that makes VoIP so attractive to home users and small business users is flexibility. With VoIP, you can call anywhere you can get broadband. Since VoIP or ATA phones transmit information over the Internet, they can be controlled by any provider. For business travelers, this means they can take their VoIP phone or ATA with them on the road and never miss a home phone call.

VoIP Frequently Asked Questions

How does a VoIP / Internet Phone work?

VoIP converts voice from your phone into a digital signal that travels over the Internet. If you call a regular phone number, the signal is then converted back to the other end. VoIP allows you to make calls directly from your computer. If you make a VoIP call using an adapter-enabled phone, you can dial as always, and the service provider can also provide a dial tone. If your service assigns you a regular phone number, a person can call you from your regular phone without using special equipment.

Should my computer be turned on for VoIP to work?

No, if you are making VoIP calls from a phone and an adapter or a special Internet VoIP phone, however, your broadband Internet connection must be active. You can also use your computer while talking on the phone.

Is there a difference between making a local call and a long distance call?

Some VoIP providers offer their local services for free, usually only to pay for calls to non-subscribers to the VoIP service. Some VoIP Internet telephony providers charge long-distance calls to numbers outside your call area, similar to existing traditional wired telephone services. Other VoIP providers allow you to call anywhere at a fixed rate for a fixed number of minutes. Your VoIP Internet telephony provider may allow you to select a region code that is different from the region in which you live. This means that if your VoIP provider charges for long distances, then the payment may be based on whether you call in your regional code, and not in a geographic area. It also means that people who call you may charge long-distance charges depending on their code and service.

Can I bring an internet phone adapter when I travel to use VoIP?

You can use your VoIP service wherever you travel, as long as you have a broadband Internet connection. In this case, the VoIP service will work just like in your home.

How do I know if I have a VoIP phone?

The phone will ring like any other call.

Additional considerations for VoIP service:

If you decide to replace traditional telephony with VoIP, there are some possible considerations you should be aware of: some VoIP services will not work during power failures, and the VoIP service provider may not offer backup power. Some VoIP services may also have difficulty connecting to the 911 emergency dispatch center or locating VoIP 911 subscribers. In May 2005, the FCC ordered Internet telephone call providers to confirm that their customers could contact the emergency dispatcher when they call 911

Dispatchers should also be able to identify the number and location of the caller. You can view additional information about VoIP and 911 considerations at [http://www.911voip.org] VoIP providers may or may not offer reference information / white list pages. Aspects of these considerations may change with new developments in Internet voice technology. You should always check with a potential VoIP service provider to confirm any benefits and limitations to the proposed VoIP service.