Why Should You Switch To Voip

Writen by Keith Gilbert

By now, you've probably heard about the new technology called VoIP, or Voice Over IP. VoIP is a replacement for a standard telephone and phone line. It uses your high-speed internet connection instead of regular phone lines. Millions of people all over the world are embracing this new technology. Should you?

Let's take a look at the benefits and features. After all, you should make an educated decision and not just an instant decision. So why is VoIP so great?

- Price. VoIP's price, most of the time, will beat standard phone rates. Companies usually offer free long distance and foreign calling – so you could call someone on the other side of the world for the same price as a friend down the street. On the other hand, price would not be a huge advantage if you pay per minute with a standard phone and make only 2 short calls a month!

- Computer compatibility. You can use your computer as your phone instead of using a regular-style phone. Why would you do this? Well, with some computer software, you can share documents, messages, and videos (think webcam plus audio) with friends that also have VoIP.

- More features. VoIP isn't just a normal phone technology. It usually comes with many different features that you would have to pay for or couldn't even get with a regular phone service, like free caller-ID, conference calls, on-hold music, free voicemail, and more.

These are just some of the basic new VoIP features. Some companies even offer unique services and bonuses, so be sure to examine what you get so that you can fully compare between companies.

If, right now, you are thinking that VoIP is right for you, why not try it? After all, many companies offer a 30-day (or longer) money-back guarantee, so if you decide you're not happy with it, just ask for your money back!

Free VoIP Articles on VoIP Services & Solutions

Keith Gilbert is the author and webmaster of http://www.freevoiptips.com.

5 Voip Tutorial Steps On How To Make The Switch

Writen by Juzaily Ramli

Unless you have been living on Mars lately, you might have known about VoIP. VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol is a revolutionary technology that transmits voice or audio files over the Internet. As it uses the means of the Internet to get connected, many people have seized this opportunity to enjoy unlimited long distance calls and also lower monthly phone bills.

To many who have heard of VoIP, they might not know how to get started and how much they can benefit from it. Well, in order to help you get started or make the switch, below is an easy step by step VoIP tutorial that will help you get started in choosing the best plan that is right for you or your business.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

First step before switching to VoIP is in making the decision as to whether you or your business really needs VoIP service. Being human, we tend to get scared of a new technology. If you think that VoIP can be really beneficial, then switching to VoIP is something that you should strongly consider. If, however, for any reason at all you think that VoIP will not benefit you, then you are missing on the greatest invention of all since sliced bread. Ask yourself this, 'Do I really want to miss out on the opportunity to enjoy unlimited long distance calls to anywhere in the world at a lower monthly rate?' If your answer is 'No', move on to the next step.

Choosing the Right Plan

The next step is to decide which plan is the best for you, your family or your business needs. Like most things new and unsure to you, it is always wise to research for the different VoIP providers on the Internet. Get active in VoIP forums and ask questions regarding anything related to VoIP.

Chances are you will get lots of different opinions as to which VoIP provider is the best. However, bear this in mind; even though different providers offer different plans, you will soon discover that it all comes down to being the same but differently packaged plan, in order to differentiate themselves from the pack. So, how does one choose?

You might want to consider your needs, wants and features by making yourself a written list for comparison. This will help you compare the different plans provided by different service providers. In a nutshell, there are a few things you might want to consider:

1. If you want to use VoIP for personal use, such as to call your family members, you might want to consider choosing a Residential Plan. It comes in two forms which are basic (a certain amount of minutes of talk time) and unlimited (for unlimited period of talk time).

2. If you own a small business, choosing a Business Plan will provide you with amenities such as fax, voicemail, multiple phones, unlimited calling plans, and so on.

With that being said, do not forget to check out with the company to find the plan that meets your requirements, as some features included in the business plans are also included in the residential plans for other providers. So, it really depends on the different service providers and how they want to package their offer. If you have questions, write them an email or call them for further information.

Setting up the System

First of all, you have to make sure that your computer system is compatible with VoIP service. If you are using broadband Internet connection you should not worry. If you are using dial-up connection you might want to switch to broadband first. Although, there are some providers that offer dial-up VoIP nowadays.

If you choose a business plan to use for your business or a call center, the best piece of advice is to leave the installation and set up to a professional who knows what he is doing. If you choose a residential plan the setting up is simple enough for most residents to do themselves. However, it is always best to leave it to a professional.

Choosing Your Own Phone Number

First, you have to decide whether you want to keep your old phone number or pick a new one. One of the best features that VoIP offers is the ability to keep your old phone number by transferring your old phone number to your new VoIP system.

Then you can select a different area code. The advantage of this is that, if you live in another state, by choosing the same area code as that of your family members and friends who do not have unlimited long distance callings, their calls will be charged as if it were a local call. This saves them money whenever they contact you.

If you are using VoIP for your business, you can benefit a lot from this too. Let's say that your company is in New York and you have customers all over the country, by selecting your customer's area code, you can increase your sales, as well as your productivity by having a local number for your customers to call. Nobody wants to call New York if they live somewhere in Texas. They might as well call a local company in Texas.

Installing the Features and Accessories

As mentioned before, different VoIP providers offer different plans. Therefore, it is important that you always check with the service provider of your choice for a detailed listing of all the features provided by them. For residential customers these include Call Forwarding, Caller ID, Call Block, Do Not Disturb and Voicemail. For small businesses these include free fax lines, multiphone users and web integration. So, choose your VoIP provider wisely by taking into consideration the features and services that best fit your needs.

As VoIP technology advances, many other features will be introduced on the market, not to mention accessories that you can incorporate with your VoIP service such as VoIP phones, headsets and videophones.

Choosing the right VoIP plan is not that hard. All that is required is a little bit of research yourself and choosing the one that fits your requirements. You can always upgrade it later once your requirements change. One thing for sure is that VoIP technology is continuing to advance and revolutionize the way people communicate. It is such a shame if no one is taking the advantage of this great service. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and jump on board the VoIP wave.

Juzaily Ramli started writing about VoIP upon discovering that a lot of people have no idea of how to switch to VoIP.

His site on VoIP tutorial is dedicated to exposing to the world about the wonders of VoIP technology and how to join in the VoIP revolution.

Find out more about free VoIP, business VoIP and the benefits of VoIP at his website http://www.voip-revolution-info-site.com

How Safe Is Your Voip Service

Writen by Ugur Akinci

The day begins and ends. Do you know where your unused VoIP (Voice-Over-IP) minutes are?

That's a fair and urgent question we all must ask ourselves after a Florida businessman down in Miami is accused of stealing the unused minutes of unsuspecting VoIP customers and reselling them to pocket a cool profit of $1 million dollars.

VoIP technology allows people to carry phone conversations over the Internet, and usually at rates much cheaper than the regular phone companies. The VoIP company that I use, for example, allows me to talk within the United States for 1.8 cents a minute. A lot of overseas destinations, including China, cost between 2 to 5 cents a minute.

The alleged crime in question involves hacking into a company's network and using its IP connection to route the stolen VoIP calls without paying any network fees.

The Florida man is accused of selling 10 million phone minutes and is facing 20 years in jail and a fine of $250,000 if the charges are proven to be true.

Seems like after the ubiquitous e-mail viruses, IM spam and denial-of-service attacks, now it's VoIP's turn to bear the brunt of these criminal attacks to scam the consumers and held businesses hostage.

Seshu Madhavapeddy is the chief executive of Sipera Systems of Richardson, Texas, which markets security applications to protect against similar VoIP attacks. Quoted by eWeek.com, Madhavapeddy said the threat is very real and the people "need to know that older data-oriented security systems will not adequately protect their VoIP infrastructure."

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Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation.

He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

You can reach him at writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

You are most welcomed to visit his official web site http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials.

While at it, you might also want to check the latest book he has edited:http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

Select The Best Voip Provider

Writen by Alen Wilson

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
xpert4u.co.uk
UK mobile phone directory

Voip Problems

Writen by Michael Weaver

Well of course there's VoIP problems, although I think problems is too strong of a word. Instead I would call this VoIP issues. (Just semantics? maybe, read on!)

Some may be old enough to remember making long distance calls where there was static or crackling on the phone line connection. Maybe you remember having to speak LOUDER in order to be heard on the line. Was that a problem? Maybe to you it was but to the companies providing the service, it was a merely a technical issue that needed to be addressed. The issue was addressed and resolved. Now you expect this high quality service right?

Ok, what about cellular phones? Maybe you're old enough to remember when calls were dropped or barely audible. Maybe you remember lugging around those heavy phones. This was a time when a cellular phone was just that, a phone! Was this a problem? Maybe to you it was but to the companies providing the service, it was merely a technical issue that needed to be addressed. The issue was addressed and resolved. Now? Well, there's not too many cellular phones that are 'just' phones. You can surf the internet with them, take pictures, record short video clips, change the ringers, store your address and phone numbers, etc.

For both these 'problems' above, it was a relatively short time frame between 'issue' and resolution. We can draw comparison after comparison between technology and technology issues. I could start talking about echo cancellers, VoIP gateways, multiplexors, etc. and the current circuitry vs. the research and new circuitry on it's way, but that's not the point of this article. The point is simply that 'yes' there are issues with VoIP but also, 'yes' issues are to be expected and 'yes' issues will be resolved.

Some of the most common quality issues are echo and delay. I myself use VoIP over my residential broadband connection and frankly I think it's just fine. I like the service and quality of calls, but yes, at times, the echo and delay can be annoying. This is usually infrequent and not worth me canceling my service. The point I'm trying to make here is that, for me, it's acceptable. Why? Because I understand that this is 'relatively' new. I understand that equipment manufactures are building better technology to address these issues. I understand that the popularity of VoIP will expedite the issue resolution. I've worked in information technology for over 20 years now and certainly understand this progression in technology.

Other issues are in the E911 service and of course there's issues with most residential DSL subscribers. Both these issues are directly with the existing phone companies. The FCC is already involved in both these cases and I believe it will be sooner rather than later for these to be resolved as well.

I for one do have E911 service and I am not a DSL subscriber. So E911 for me is a non-issue and using cable access eliminates having to keep my local telephone company for my primary phone service.

The bottom line, for me, is the cost savings. The cost savings over shadows the occasional echo and delay. E911 has already made its way into my area and using cable internet access removes my dependency on the local telephone company.

VoIP can be a great way for you to save money on your phone service, but don't go into this blindly. Most consumers are intelligent enough to understand the progression that occurs with any technology. It's pretty good as it is and yes I would agree it needs to be better. I also know, heck I'm confident that the quality of service will continue to improve.

So what's the bottom line? Go for it. Find a service that will provide you with a free trial period. Take it for a test drive, kick the tires, etc. The higher your existing monthly phone bill is, the sooner you should try out this service.

It's ok to demand perfection, but perfection takes time. Change is hard and change takes time. Change is upon us and VoIP, in my humble opinion is here to stay. Give it a try, be realistic. Get the information, get your quote, get your free trial period, you really have nothing to loose and quite possibly money to save!

Provided by the http://www.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 Basic Assumptions

Writen by Michael Weaver

I thought I'd outline some of the basics of VoIP. I use this service myself and have sold VoIP services to my customers. What I didn't understand until last night is how much I assume. You see my business is mostly web based so my customers read up on VoIP and have a general understanding of the technology before making a purchase.

What I came across in my conversations last night was that some people attracted purely by the cost really don't understand what the trade off's are, what is required and their level of expectation is, in my humble opinion, to high. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of VoIP. However, I understand what's involved, how to hook it up as well as the pros and cons of using such a service. For me the cost factor did weigh in when comparing the pros and cons to the cost savings. My level of expectation was brought inline with what VoIP can offer me.

Here are some basic assumptions I was guilty of:

• When using your broadband internet connection for your computer and VoIP a router is necessary.
• During a power loss the phone doesn't work unless there is a UPS system in place.
• ISP goes down, your phone line goes down.
• Those phone jacks in the house don't work with VoIP.
• The phone base plugs into the VoIP converter/adapter box which then plugs into your router. If you want multiple phones in multiple rooms, you will need a cordless phone or cordless phone system. (Multiple handsets)
• E911 is not automatic. You need to check availability
• Fax machines may not work
• There can be call interference (echo). Voice quality is good, but not yet as reliable as POTS lines.

Naked DSL or DSL without phone service is not widely available. As such, if your broadband connection is via DSL you may not be able to use VoIP as your primary phone service. Simply put, if your goal is to switch to VoIP and then cancel your existing phone service, you may loose your broadband connection as well.

During my conversation last night their assumptions were much different than mine. Their assumptions were

• Existing phone jacks will still work with VoIP
• My corded phone will still work during a power outage just like they do now.
• I can send/receive faxes without any issue
• I can plug my VoIP into any room I want
• 911 service is automatic. Everyone has this.
• The quality of calls is as good if not better than POTS lines because after all it's coming through the internet right?
• I don't need any extra equipment - it's just a phone.

After our discussion they were more educated in what VoIP can and cannot provide for them. In the end they choose not to get VoIP service and that's OK. A bundled POTS package was more to their liking and frankly fit them much better than VoIP would have.

Yes, I am a fan of VoIP and yes I believe this technology is here to stay. Having said that, I do not think VoIP is for everyone. Some consider routers, cordless phone(s), checking 911 availability, etc. to be a hassle. They just want to use their existing phone and achieve the 'exact' same results. Well, VoIP is almost there, but still has a way to go. If the cost savings can outweigh your own pros and cons by all means go for it. If not, wait, watch and read up some more.

Ready to give it a go? Good for you, (hope to see you at our web site). Not yet ready? That's OK too. (Still hope to see you at our web site for possible cost savings on your traditional POTS line or cellular plan)

Ok, perhaps a shameless plug in that last part. Use our web site, use someone else's, use a library, do whatever is necessary to educate yourself to make more informed purchasing decisions. It's better to be a little prepared than completely disappointed especially with something you'll use everyday such as your phone service.

Provided by the FullService Broadband Provider - http://www.fullservice-broadband-provider We provide unbiased and informative information on broadband and communication products and services. Our free service is possible through Try Right Technology, Inc. http://www.trighttech.com

Ways To Use Voip Technology

Writen by Michael Bell

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, uses your broadband internet connection to place phone calls. By converting your voice (or analog) signal into a digital signal, this makes for a more efficient way to talk on the phone and can save you money.

There are three ways you can use VoIP. You can either connect using your regular phone and an adapter, a special internet phone, or download software and use your computer. Here are the methods, in greater detail:

Using your home phone. If you would like to switch from your regular phone line to VoIP, many people opt to continue using their home phone. To do this, you must use an analog telephone adapter, or ATA. This device converts the analog signal (your voice) to a digital signal. Once the signal is converted, it goes through the internet connection. When shopping for a service provider, ask them if they include this adapter with their packages. Most do.

Connect using an IP phone. When using a special IP phone, you don't need a separate ATA. Everything you need to use your broadband internet connection as your telephone service is included with the hardware. Instead of using a regular phone jack and connector, it uses an Ethernet connection to plug into your router.

Connect using your computer. If your computer has speakers, microphone, a sound card, and a high speed internet connection you can use your computer for VoIP. Companies offer free or low cost software downloads which allows you to use your computer to make phone calls. Using this method is either free, costing only the price of your internet connection, or nearly free. Earthlink's Vling software is both free to download and free to use. The only hitch is that you can only talk with other Vling users.

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

Discover Why You Should Switch To Voip

Writen by Juzaily Ramli

We have heard of VoIP. We know what it is. But why should we switch from our Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to VoIP? Why should we join the many major corporations clamouring to transform their business needs to VoIP? Why should we jump on the bandwagon of the many households who are confidently switching to VoIP?

The answers all come down to the many benefits that VoIP offers. The advantages of VoIP have been proven time and time again. The most appealing of all the benefits is that it is cost efficient. VoIP transfers voice into digital data over the Internet. As the data is smaller compared to a standard electric unit, users save on valuable bandwidth. Ever wondered how you could be hooked up to a computer sending messages all across the globe, but yet not having to pay long distance charges? That's how VoIP works. Just think, you will never have to pay for long distance calls ever again!

It does not matter if you plan to use VoIP for your business or for your personal use at home, it is just plain cheaper. Costs for both local and long distance calls can be minimised through VoIP. Many VoIP service providers offer plans that enable you to make unlimited local as well as long distance calls. Check with your provider to ascertain the extent of the coverage of calling areas. With VoIP in your homes, there will be no need for additional phone jacks and wires, just add on to your system, thus saving you money.

Not only will VoIP save you telephone costs, it also integrates all your telephone needs with your computer applications like e-mail, fax, video-phone, and web conferencing. By combining all these into one basic application, you will save on energy and money. Not only that, allowing you to access all the other programs at the same time will provide for greater freedom. This way, even a homeowner will find it simple to utilise all these different products.

Imagine being able to use your own telephone number anywhere that you can access an Internet connection, even overseas. Yes, with VoIP that is now possible. A perfect solution for those always on the move and for those who travel frequently. With VoIP you can cut down on your cell phone expenses. All you need to do is to take your telephone adapter with you anywhere you go. As long as there is a high Internet speed, you can take phone calls on your regular telephone number. This means that you can even take calls while staying overseas or even while going camping. Talk about tremendous flexibility!

Another benefit that comes from using VoIP is the option that allows you to pick your own area code. This is especially good news for those who have family and friends living in a particular area out of state. If you choose your friends' area code, you are giving them the fantastic opportunity of being able to call you whenever they want to without having to pay for long distance charges. All their calls will be charged as local calls. Again, check with your VoIP providers. Some might even extend this service to other countries. Now wouldn't this be a blessing if you have friends and family all around the globe?

Remember all the extra features that you have to pay for with PSTN phone services? Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Call Return, Call Block, Do Not Disturb – all these features now come under one package with VoIP. As all the features between VoIP and the Internet are incorporated, you have greater access and control over all your VoIP phone features through the Internet. No more paying for extras.

VoIP is the answer to all our telecommunication needs. The world is making the switch to VoIP. The question is, when will you join this revolution?

About the Author

Juzaily Ramli is the co-owner of http://www.voip-revolution-info-site.com site, a site dedicated to everything regarding VoIP. Find out how VoIP has represented the most significant paradigm shift since the invention of the telephone in the whole history of modern communications.

Broadband Phone Technology Top 5 Reasons You Should Take Notice

Writen by Sabrina Hinds

For the uninitiated, the term broadband phone is loosely used to describe the technology currently available where one can make telephone calls from a telephone system that sends the voice signal over your internet connection. The call may terminate at a regular phone line or another broadband phone.

Until recently, the technology was not being used widely because of its perceived limitations, including lack of features available. The primary issue however has been that of poor call quality.

Now, continuing improvements in the industry and increased competition pushing the development of the technology have resulted in significant progress, to the extent that some analysts now predict that broadband phones (really Voice over Internet Protocol technologies) will dominate the long distance calling market by 2010 - maybe sooner.

Here are some specific reasons why you may find broadband phones a good fit at this stage.

Reason #5: Portability and Ease of Use

The equipment provided by the broadband phone companies can be used wherever you have access to a high speed connection. Most broadband service companies do not restrict you from traveling with your phone. As long as the network that you are plugging into will "automagically" assign your broadband device an internet address (IP address) - and most will - you are up and running.

This means that you can be in a hotel in Japan and still be accessible at the same phone number - your kids or staff don't need to know the hotel's number.

Reason #4: Long Distance Savings

Broadband services typically come with lower long distance rates than you can get from most traditional carriers. This calculates into immediate cost savings. Some services allow you to add one or more virtual numbers to your main phone number. This means that your phone may be able to receive calls from 2 or more different area codes. This virtually eliminates long-distance phoning charges for anyone calling within those numbers' area codes.

Reason #3: Freedom from Tariffs

For the time being, calls made over the internet are not subject to a lot of the tariffs that afflict your regular phone bill. How long will this persist? There are different opinions on this in the industry, but right now it's a nice advantage that makes for an even lower phone bill.

Reason #2: Availability of High Speed Internet

All the cost saving and convenience reasons already mentioned would not do much to propel the growth of the broadband phone market if consumers did not have access to high speed connections at their homes. Broadband phones perform the best when using cable or DSL highspeed internet connections.

Reason #1: Clarity of Sound

The top reason why broadband phone services are currently making swift inroads is that the call quality has significantly improved. All of the major players now offer services that work satisfactorily for residential use and some can consistently meet the most stringent business requirements for clarity.

Finally, considering the initial small investment that may be required to get a broadband phone account up and running, the volume of savings you are likely to experience within a short period is very significant. The flexibility, ease of use (technical know-how not needed) combined with improvement in quality definitely makes this bandwagon a good ride.

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About the Author
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Sabrina Hinds uses experience gained through implementing and supporting technology in corporate environments to help you implement telecommunications and technology that works for you - whether in residential or business environments. Visit http://broadband-phone.connection-store.com/ for more information about broadband phone services.

[You are free to use this article as long as you include the section "About the Author", including live hyperlink where at all possible.]

To Voip Or Not Voip Have Voip Will Travel

Writen by Bruce Kaskey

VoIP is an interesting concept. Lets see - we can make calls pc to pc or phone to pc for free or at a minimal cost. Vontage, Skype, and a host of other carriers are making it simplier and cheaper to impliment with less pain and more gain. So lets make the move, why wait?

1. What about our phone system that we have already purchased and invested money in?

2. How do we integrate exsisting software and technolgy with VoIP?

3. Security issues? Network bandwidth? etc. etc.

There are so many questions, but the risk is minimal.

Why?

Since VoIP transfers information over the network it is easier to integrate with other applications that are based on the network. Plus its cheaper to make phone calls.

How?

Cisco and Avaya have installed hundreds if not thousands of systems in 2005 and industry experts expect huge growth over the next 6 years. So there are many experts on VoIP already, consulting firms, individuals etc, whom can be hired to help you implement VoIP. It is no longer a mystery, the man behind the curtain has been exposed.

The greatest advantage to a small business when converting to VoIP may not be just the price but all the applications that they can pile onto their network for 1/4 of the price: voice recording, crm, even your phone applications can be easily integrated with your voice stream that is produced by incoming calls.

Bruce Kaskey is a founder of OrecX, has 20 years experience in the software and technology sectors. http://www.orecx.com

Overview On Voip Services

Writen by Claudia Walters

Recently, Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) pops up as one of the hottest technologies in the world. VoIP is a method for taking analog voice signal, turning it into digital signal, and transmitting it over the Internet connections. This in turn enables users to make Internet phone calls without going thru the phone company service.

As the technology is now getting more reliable and offers much lower rates, it has gained huge popularity for long distance voice transfers over traditional analog long distance services. Some even see VoIP as the revolutionary technology that will replace the conventional phone systems entirely.

How VoIP works?

VoIP phone calls is done in three stages: Encrypting the analog voice signal (the caller's voice) into digital signal; transmitting the digital signal (data packet) thru Internet to the person answering the call; and decrypting the digital signal into analog voice signal again on the receiver's side.

VoIP calls are done thru several methods: ATA, IP phones, or PC-to-PC. Basically each of these methods performs the same function: To enable voice communications. However their service fees varies in a wide range. Careful review is definitely needed to select the service that best suits you.

VoIP calls through ATA

ATA, (Analog Telephone Adaptor) is an analog-to-digital converter used on regular phone to enable VoIP calls. What ATA does is to capture the analog voice signal and converts it into digital signal for the Internet transmission.

If you had been looking for suitable for ATA service for some time, I am sure that Vonage and AT&T are no strangers to you. These two are the big names in VoIP business. Often ATAs are given free along with their paid-VoIP services.

Setting up and using ATA is very simple compare to other VoIP call methods. All you need to do is to take out the ATA out of the box, connect your phone with your ATA with the cable provided, and you're ready to make VoIP calls. Some ATAs may ship with additional software that is loaded onto the host computer to configure it; but in any case, it is still a very easy setup.

IP Phones (also known as SIP phones)

IP Phones are special phones specifically designed for VoIP function. IP phone can be considered as a network endpoint routing voice via its IP address. These specialized phones look just like normal phones with a handset, cradle and buttons. But instead of standard RJ-11 phone connectors, IP phones use an Ethernet connector to connect directly to your router and have all the hardware and software necessary right onboard to handle the IP call.

With IP phones, you can get additional advanced features such as e-voice mail, mobile screening and direct call transfers. Recently, CallWave Mobile offers something similar but the service is set up on the cell phones. What CallWave provides is an application service provider that host voice-over-IP applications for carriers and users from a server located in northern Nevada. The host is then connected to the rest of the world via IP transport. In brief, the service enable VoIP calls to be done on cellphoneto lower the user's cellphone calling cost.

PC-to-PC

PC-to-PC is certainly the easiest way to make VoIP calls. Ever heard of Skype? Skype is the best example for this type of VoIP service. For PC-to-PC calls, all you need to do is to download the PC-to-PC VoIP software and you can then start making long-distance calls via Internet for free. For PC-to-PC VoIP calls, a microphone, speakers, a sound card and fast Internet connection are required. Besides your regular Internet service provider fees, there's no other extra charges.

Conclusion

Wrapping things up, we can see that by marrying this voice traffic with data traffic (IP Telephony), VoIP becomes a very powerful communication method that you can't ignore. To replace the traditional telephone system or not, VoIP service is here to stay. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative on your long distance calls, VoIP definitely is your ultimate choice.

We strongly suggest that one should review VoIP technology seriously and should learn utilizing it into your personal life (Skype, CallWave Mobile) as well as your own business (Enhance customer call supports, eVoice mail, ATA services).

Benefits of VoIP calls

Great savings on phone call rates

The impact of VoIP technology is huge. With VoIP, you can simply enjoy a much cheaper phone calls by utilizing your existing PC set up and data networks. Most VoIP companies are offering minute-rate plans structured as little as $30 per month; for mobile VoIP like CallWave Mobile, the minimum payment is less than $10 per month and you can get free 30 days trial for the service. With the elimination of unregulated charges and additional features given; it can be quite a bargain!

Flexibility

With VoIP services, business travelers or home workers can work as in the office. You can call freely from anywhere you have the Internet connectivity. Further more, you get another alternative with VoIP-- the soft-phone. A softphone is a application software that loads VoIP functions into your computer. With soft-phone, you can make VoIP calls thru your laptop/desktop from anywhere that has the Internet access

Enhanced Customer Service

Often the telephone customer supports will consume a big part of a business budget. With the availability of VoIP calls, business owners can utilize the "Click to Talk" web services set up a customer service application like call centres with enhanced features and low maintenance cost. Additional advance features

VoIP always come along with various additional advance features. These extra features in fact provide a better communication services to the users. Common seen additional features for VoIP services are:

• Forward calls to a particular number

• Send calls directly to voicemail

• Block the callers number or play a "not-in-service" message

• E-voice mail, where voicemail is sent to your email inbox in the form of email attachment

Disadvantages of VoIP calls

Power problem

Unlike traditional phone system, VoIP is dependant on wall power- meaning that you cannot use your VoIP service when there's electricity black out. A stable power source is needed to solve this problem.

Security

Voice and data transmit through VoIP calls have the higher risk on being expose. Further more, VoIP is susceptible to worms, viruses and hacking, thus the safety of the data transmitted had been always a major concerns for VoIP users.

Quality of service

The quality of VoIP service depends on different party. Problems in electricity power supply, Internet connections, and VoIP providers will direct affect on the service quality. The reliability of VoIP is a huge disadvantage when compare to conventional telephone services.

Compatible-ability with other systems

Nowadays there are many other systems in your home that may be integrated into the phone line. DVR system, digital subscription TV services, and home security systems are all depending a standard phone line to function. The related industries must think of a way to integrate all these system with VoIP if we want to replace current phone system with VoIP system. New standards on data transmission method are necessary to enable all systems compatible to VoIP system.

The author, Claudia Walters, is an expert writer in office tools and VOIP technologies. View her latest writing assignments on Internet answering services at http://www.MyCallWave.com Learn how you can avoid missing calls while online with Call Wave services and save up the cost for an extra phone line.

An Indepth Qualitative Analysis And Comparison Of Five Telephony Systems Models

Writen by Cameron George Elliott

An in-depth, qualitative analysis and comparison of five telephony systems models.

After exhaustive research on the five main telephony systems models, the following illustrates main points of each model and delves deep into each model's positive and negative attributes.

The five telephony systems are explored in order of least advanced to most.

Plain Old Telephone System: POTS is the original telephony system, a throwback to days when you would share a malt with your best gal and dance to Sinatra on your victrola.

POTS work thusly: telephone wires link a carrier to a business, allowing telephony services to take place. All phones inside the building are connected to this central wire.

Positive attributes:
- Little about POTS has changed since its first incarnation as two tin cans connected by string, but if it ain't broke, why fix it? All non- VoIP telephony systems are based on POTS.

Negative attributes:
-Features are limited by telephone wires; POTS cannot offer the advanced features found in VoIP telephony systems.
-Offers little flexibility, something dynamic businesses need from a telephony system: POTS is entirely dependent on the carrier.
-More expensive than other models, as businesses are charged monthly for each call feature they use.

Key Telephone System: KTS is an updated version of POTS; telephone wires stop at a business's KTS switch instead of going directly to a phone, as is the custom with POTS.

Positive attributes:
-Less expensive than POTS, including more features for less money.
-Expandable, a definite plus in today's fast- passed world.

Negative attributes:
-Akin to POTS, features are limited by transmission over telephone wires.

Central Exchange: CENTREX is similar to PBX, but CENTREX is not privately owned. Instead, CENTREX is owned by a telephone company, who then sells lines and features to a business.

CENTREX is often used by business or companies looking for a temporary solution who plan on later switching to PBX or VoIP.

Positive attributes:
-Carrier is responsible for line maintained, making CENTREX less expensive than other models.
-Provides drastically more features than POTS.
-Good solution for companies that need several extentions with many features, but a PBX is too expensive.

Negative attributes:
-Each line is more expensive than using POTS.

Private Branch Exchange: PBX does away with telephone carriers; a PBX is owned by an individual business, providing telephony service to that business exclusively.

Positive attributes:
-Provides dedicated service unencumbered by telephone carriers.
-Offers many more features than POTS.
-Businesses can easily make the transition to VoIP.

Negative attributes:
-High maintenance cost.

Voice Over Internet Protocol: VoIP is the most advanced telephony systems available, offering advanced features and powerful applications not found in other systems. This is possible because data and voice are transmitted on the same cable.

Positive attributes:
-Eliminates the toll and monthly fees found in other systems.
-Offers advanced features than can help improve efficiency and productivity.
-Increased reliability of the network.
-One line for both data and voice greatly reduces maintenance.

Negative attributes:
-Equipment costs are higher than other models

Cameron Elliott is an network specialist at http://www.phone-systems.biz/voip where he extols the benefits of having the right telephony system.

Voip Getting Started With Voice Over Ip

Writen by Frank Owen

Finding Free VoIP On The Web

If you are interested in trying out Voice Over Internet Protocol the good news is you can upload some free software to try before you by. Many Internet sites offer free software that takes a matter of minutes to upload and start using. Even better, have a family member do the same and start calling one another using VoIP. This way you and your friend will start understanding how to use VoIP and the many advantages VoIP has to offer.

Just Google VoIP for a list of qualified providers. Most people are already making calls using VoIP without even realizing it. Phone companies have used VoIP technology for some time to route phone calls from one place to another. Many phone company's route calls through an IP Gateway. This reduces the amount of bandwidth they have to use when transferring calls to local switches.

VoIP Advantages

While IP phone use is just now making headlines, phone companies have known for some time that using VoIP is the most practical way to conduct business. Commercially VoIP has been doing well, now consumers just need to jump on the bandwagon and start learning how VoIP can benefit them when placing calls. Roughly 10 percent of the population is currently using VoIP technology. This is likely to change rapidly as consumers start realizing how beneficial digital data packets of information are when communicating. You can not only communicate over the net but store information, search, copy and combine converted data to use in any way you see fit. Corporations are slowly realizing that VoIP may offer competitive advantages. Consumers are starting to take advantage of the cost savings.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on voip for more information on voice over ip http://www.voipresourcehub.com

Switch To Broadb And Phone Providers And Save Hundreds Of Dollars Per Year

Writen by Paul W Wilson

Broadband or Internet phones function like real phones but convert voice into digital signals that are then conveyed over the Internet. The technology used is termed as, VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol. Less expensive than regular phone services broadband phone services offer caller ID, call waiting, voice mail, call filters, hunt facilities, as well as conferencing.

Broadband phone services need a high-speed Internet connection and do work with wireless ISPs. However, there are still concerns over voice quality, reliability, and security. The advantages are:

• Great savings in phone bills especially in long distance calling.

• Choice of area code and addition of other inbound numbers for a small fee. This means you can have local numbers in multiple area codes around the country.

• The option of a second full service line at low cost with unlimited long distance service. Can be used as a voice or fax line.

• Availability of comprehensive on-line control over call forwarding, time of forwarding or number forwarded to. E-mail notifications, voice mail messages or e-mail or voice mail, can all be arranged.

• One can access voice mail by taking along the phone adapter from hotels, offices, internet cafes, and so on. The VoiP service can travel with you.

VoIP can work with:

• A home office PC in which the software is loaded along with a headset or specialized broadband phone connected to the PC. Advantages of software based VoIP are that it allows integration with other software, offers lowest calling rates, uses existing hardware, utilizes few power connection, and needs little space. Disadvantages are that the system needs the computer on at all times, cannot use existing telephone equipment, and blocks valuable computer resources.

Or

• With an adapter box that links the high speed net modem and the home office network or PC. Advantages of this are that it functions independently of the computer, uses landline equipment, allows vendor control of adaptor support and programming. Disadvantages are that it is not compatible with computer software, needs space and power outlets, and lends limited control. The new technology is provided by many companies like AT&T CallVantage, Broad Voice, BroadVox, Lingo, PacketB, and Vonage. The approximate costs are from US$ 14.95 to US$ 19.99 per month for residences and US$ 29.99 to US$49.95 per month for small businesses. There is a start up fee of US$ 39.94 to US$ 138.00 charged by some companies. More information on the options as well as services can be gleaned from:

• What Broadband? at http://www.broadband-service-uk.com/why.html covers different broadband suppliers, has in depth articles as well as FAQs.

• The Connection Store at http://broadband-phone.connection-store.com/ features broadband phone vendors, a service provider comparison, as well as articles and quick links.

• Database Systems Corp at http://www.databasesystemscorp.com/psphoneservice_directory_broadband.htm has detailed information directory on broadband service providers.

• Broadband Phone at http://www.broadbandtry.com/broadbandphone/ --has information about broad band phones, providers, news, as well as blogs. There are links as well as articles and resources.

Using broadband phone services can save you considerable amounts in phone bills. Make an in depth study of options in your area. Weigh the pros and cons and reap the many benefits. Technology can really work for you.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/voip/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for VOIP Forum including topics on online voip, voip phone, voip service providers, voip solutions, business voip, internet telephony voip and more. His article profile can be found at the premier VOIP site http://www.1866Voip.com

Voip Telephony Is That Right For Home Use

Writen by Alen Wilson

VOIP has created so much hype that by now, everyone is aware about the fact that VOIP is a computer phone that allows you to make phone calls from your computer to anyone in the world. Over the next couple of years phone over Internet will be the norm for most homes and businesses. A VOIP provider can save you upto 75% on your telephone/long distance expenses.

Even now, not everyone is sure how to go about this technology for home use and does it have any benefit for your family. So lets clear our doubts regarding this technology.

First of all, you must have a high-speed Internet connection, which can be, satellite, or DSL Internet. The high-speed connection is required for VOIP to function properly and dial up connection doesn't have the capacity to transfer voice without compromising on quality. Secondly, you need a gateway that is connected between your computer and Ethernet modem. The VOIP gateway is where your phone line will be plugged into. With gateways, you can be sure of getting improved voice quality.

VOIP is easy to use, and depending on the service and method you choose, installation can be as easy as downloading software or attaching an adaptor to your computer.

With the elimination of long-distances charges, unregulated charges, and all the freebies that come standard with VOIP service, it can actually amount to a significant saving for you. For example, you may be paying extra for features like: Call waiting, three way calling, Call forwarding, Caller I.D, Repeat dial. If you don't want to leave out of the exciting face-to-face conversations with friends and relatives, get your videophone. One important thing to remember is that your gateway is reliant on electricity to function, which means power outages, will put your phone line out of service.

So, if you want to save money on your telephone service using the Internet, you will need to sign up with a VOIP service provider. Most providers allow you to call any phone number in the world for a moderately low fee. They also provide voicemail, call forwarding and conference calls, at no extra charge. Decision to choose VoIP depends on your needs. If you make a large number of long distance calls, it may be well worth looking into. VoIP services are often much less expensive than traditional providers.

Alen
xpert4u.co.uk
UK mobile phone directory

What The Company Conference Call Is

Writen by Cornelius Callan

Many businesses have long used the services of a conference call company to spread their message to the investment community, where investment professionals could hear many firms in several days. To accomodate those who couldn't travel, the conference call allowed hundreds of analysts to hear a presentation and ask questions in real time.

But access was usually restricted and often involved long-distance toll charges. Occasionally a friendly broker would loan you his access codes, some of which found their way to the Internet. As a result, conferences could be swamped. The Internet now provides a much more practical venue for the conference call. With its low cost and ability to accomodate many listeners it is now practical to open a conference call to almost anyone (at least to listen). And an increasing number of firms now do.

For example, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal related how companies do this as an efficient way to control the irresponsible babble on the Internet. People posting idle chatter now attract accurate responces from others who have heard the actual story on a conference call. As a result, the irresponsible postings are controlled.

Companies like the ability to make one public statement, and then be free from goverment limitations on how investment information must be released. And individual investors like it too, as access to this information gets them access to information that once only slowly reached the average investor. Using the Internet has many advantages besides the instantaneous international release that results. It is possible to save the audio files so that the conference call can be accessed later at a more convenient time. Plus it's possible to edit out meaningless portions of each conference. Naturally, there are some limitations.

If everyone could ask a question, real brawls could result as the conferences became uncontrolled. So most Internet systems limit who can ask a question. An outstanding advantage for the average investor is to witness directly a firm's management in action. While the information might be the same, an investor gains confidence in management that presents a virtuoso performane over one that is defensive, hesitant, and obfuscative. The details aside, the speed of responce and other items that don't get incorporated in an analyst's report can add a lot to one's understanding.

Previously, a small investor's only such access might have been at a company's annual meeting. Several firms have opened to provide investment-related conference-call services in one form or another over the Internet. Some require membership and user fees, but the trend seems to be toward company funding of the low cost service, and free or very low cost access by the public.

Expect that more and more firms will use the services of a conference call company to dissiminate their information to a wider section of the population including investors and employees. You should encourage firms that you are interested in to do so. This form of communication is yet another form of ultimate corporate democracy.

Cornelius Callan is a veteran of the conference call industry. He managed sales and production at a leading conference call company for many years and just recently decided that the internet would be a good place to share his vast pool of knowledge of the business. If you have a question, he usually has the answer. You can visit his website at:http://www.conference-call-network.info

Gateway And Integrator The Essential Catalysts For The Voip Evolution

Writen by Helen Upsher

Compelling businesses cases are hard to come by. Quality and security is the subject of FUD. Perhaps most importantly, those enterprises that are forward thinking enough to appreciate the operational benefits of IP, have quite recently implemented advanced TDM solutions that are bridged with their contact management systems. These investments still have a distance to travel before they can be written off.

Nevertheless, the perceived industry wisdom supported by analyst predictions and all the research data recently collected points toward the day when all enterprises will implement a VoIP solution. The argument for a single network infrastructure to carry all company data – voice, data and video - is logical and compelling. The savings available from bypassing the line rental and call costs of PSTN can run into millions per annum in certain circumstances. The technology is proven to work out of the box and daily we read about (and implement) innovations that raise the bar of the quality and certainty of VoIP to the point where it is indiscernible from that provided by the PSTN.

The reality is that no transport technology ever replaced another over night – be that technology to carry people, goods or electrically generated signals. (Stevenson's Rocket first carried rail passengers in the UK 1829. The last operational stagecoach in the UK - Minehead to Lynton - plied its trade in 1926.) Transport technologies evolve and have always relied on a handover point, or a gateway, to provide the user with the benefits of both old and new at the most appropriate point. That point is determined by cost, as are most evolutions in human endeavour. By the same argument, the VoIP gateway is an essential element of the evolution from traditional TDM voice systems to VoIP solutions.

Hardware manufactures, the PBX companies' notable among them, depend on new product lines to guarantee their futures. In line with industry wisdom and predictions, the next range of PBX product is a VoIP solution with the essential PSTN gateway that beg the customers to make the big leap to VoIP. Yet as we have seen, there are some significant barriers to this leap. Therefore, the reseller channel has to look at ways to enable the leap and to sustain revenue streams while their customers sum up the courage to make it.

This is the role of the independent VoIP gateway. It enables a blend of VoIP and traditional telephony on a single implementation and with VegaStream's advanced dial planner capability; the user experience will not change at all. The gateway enables enterprises to leverage their investment in inter-site private IP networks to carry voice without changing their current phone systems. The gateway enables remote workers to directly connect over the ubiquitous broadband IP network to the company PBX system. And with the co-deployment of Proxy servers, the gateway enables road warriors to be "in the office" wherever they can connect their SIP devices to the Internet.

Earlier in this piece it was mentioned that VoIP technology is proven to work "out of the box". This is the case in the show room; on the exhibition floor and in the controlled environment of the enterprise WAN. However real world implementations involve third party PBXs and desk top devices (and the myriad of TDM signalling protocols deployed), the specific technologies of wide area bearer circuits, SIP or H323 IP protocols, interface and access to PSTN for emergency service calls (as a minimum) and a real understanding of the needs and business drivers of the customer. This is the domain of the specialist communications systems integrator.

VegaStream has spent the last eight years perfecting VoIP gateway technology in the lab and with enterprise and carrier customers. While we continue to evolve new solutions to tackle issues such as security and audio quality and to build the stack of signalling protocol interfaces, the company is now focussing its energy on transferring skills to specialist communications systems integrators. These skills will enable identification, proposal and successful implementation of blended TDM and VoIP solutions – the essential catalyst for the evolution to the next generation of converged communications.

For more information please visit www.vegastream.com

Formed in 1998, VegaStream is one of the most experienced players in the industrial VoIP market. The company supplies gateway CPE to both traditional telecommunications carriers and the new generation of Internet telephony service providers. VegaStream also serves the enterprise market through a global network of distributors and resellers supported by regional offices in the UK, USA and Australia. VegaStream is a non-listed UK company. Investors include the management team, Pace Micro Technology PLC and MTI Partners. http://www.vegastream.com

Voip Phone Reviews

Writen by Bob Hett

VoIP is the fastest growing internet communication service. With features and services not normally found in traditional landlines, it is fast becoming the number one choice of people.

At first, people have been skeptical to use VoIP but soon found out the effectiveness and convenience of VoIP.

VoIP phones are now changing people's perspective on the use of telephone. If you want a phone, it can be a good choice.

VoIP offers standard features that regular landline phones often charges extra. For instance, free or low cost long distance calls are often not available in regular landlines. This is because VoIP uses the internet to make a call. Since the internet offers free information, and fast communication, VoIP phones take advantage of this feature to transmit the calls free.

With a VoIP phone, you can take your personal number wherever you are. You can make and receive phone calls from your number even if you are traveling as long as there is an active internet connection to where you are going.

There are many VoIP broadband phone provider in the market today, choosing the right one would be very beneficial for your business or personal for your use.

Here are some of the things you should look for when choosing VoIP service providers:

Audio Quality

Recent advancement in technology allows better sound quality with reduced noise. This means that a VoIP service provider should have excellent audio quality when making calls. If you experience lags or delays in your phone calls, you should think twice before subscribing to the company another time.

Little or no delay transmission is needed for your voice to reach the person you are calling. A one-second delay can mean the difference of making a simple answer of "yes" or "no". Remember that voice delays can mean misunderstanding, and precise answers are extremely important in businesses.

Reliability

Imagine making an important business deal or talking to your family and friends and your call is suddenly cut off. This is a bad sign that your service provider is not making sure that you get your money's worth.

Get a VoIP service provider that offers maximum reliability and free try out periods to ensure you that they give the best service to their subscribers. Although cheap rates are attractive, try their services first before committing.

Customer Service

VoIP service providers should offer customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This can help you if you ever have problems using VoIP.

The customer assistance service should be quick and take care of their subscribers immediately after making the call. Know if the VoIP service providers you are planning on subscribing have customer assistance. Customer service can be found in the VoIP service providers or by calling them.

Features

VoIP service providers should offer standard features like; free long distance calls, emails, fax, web conferencing, and videophone and others for no extra fee at all. Still quite a few VoIP service providers out there charge for these extra features. Get a VoIP service provider that offers maximum standard features free.

Price

VoIP is supposed to be free or cheap. Get a VoIP service provider that offer free long distance and low monthly payments. Make sure that not only it should be cheap but also offers quality service. Most providers offer trial periods, use this to determine if it is worth spending you hard earned cash.

However convenient it might be to own a VoIP phone, there are still drawbacks for it. For example, you should have a high-speed internet connected.

Since VoIP phones depends on your internet connection, this means that disconnected internet, no VoIP service. Slow internet connection is also a factor. With slow internet connection, expect audio delays.

It is wise that before getting a VoIP phone, you should determine that the internet connection in your area is broadband and reliable.

Here are some of the top VoIP service providers:

Vonage
Sunrocket
VoIP.net
Time Warner Cable
Packet8

If the following companies do not cover your area, you can always find VoIP providers in your area. Just make sure they offer quality services and choose one used by your family and friends so you can call them free, wherever they are.

Bob Hett has extensively covered the VoIP Service Provider industry as an analyst and has researched the various companies for factors based on price, reliability, support and overall quality. Learn more at VoIP Phones.

Try Voip For Free No Commitment No Hardware

Writen by Nathan Smith

Try VoIP Before Buying

So you like the concept of 'cutting' your phone service in favour of VoIP but are hesitant to take the plunge and abandon your 'Landline' without trying it out for yourself first. Perhaps the advertised features and rates all sound a little 'too-good-to-be-true'. The terrific news is that you can make VoIP calls using your computer to virtually any telephone or computer in the world with little more than an Internet connection and a headset.

'Free VoIP' Using a Softphone

Firstly, let's look at the 'Free' way of taking VoIP for a test drive. So what's a 'Softphone' I hear you ask? A 'Softphone' is merely a 'Software' 'Phone' that enables you to use your computer like you would a telephone. Softphones are programs that generally resemble the keypad on a telephone and function in much the same way.

Softphones enable you to call other 'Internet-connected' devices or softphones for free (Free PC to PC VoIP), or conventional telephones for a small fee (PC to Phone VoIP). The reason that 'PC to Phone VoIP' calls (i.e., to conventional phones) are not free is that in order to call normal telephones, your call needs to route partially through the heavily regulated, heavily taxed Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). As long as the person you're calling is also connected to the Internet, you can talk for as long as you like across the neighborhood or on the other side of the world for free. Furthermore with PC to PC VoIP, there aren't any contracts to sign or commitments to make. Just download the softphone, and start talking.

PC to Phone VoIP

If you'd like to try VoIP by calling conventional telephones, consider PC to Phone VoIP. Depending on the Service Provider you choose and the destination country you're calling, the cost could be as little as just a few cents per minute. As long as you purchase 'pre-paid' calling credit, you won't need to enter into a contract of any kind and can use that credit to call any telephone around the world. The smallest denomination of prepaid calling credit usually begins at $10 USD. However, at just a few pennies per minute this easily equates to over 5 hours of talk time. As an added bonus, some PC to Phone service providers also enable free PC to PC VoIP calls using the same softphone as that used for their PC to Phone VoIP calls. That way, you can call a conventional phone using PC to Phone, then arrange to meet the person you're calling online (PC to PC VoIP) to continue talking for as long as you like, free of charge.

So try VoIP for yourself before you buy. You'll get an idea of the exceptional call quality and fantastic call rates available before entering into a contract that replaces your landline.

Nathan is the owner of http://www.netphonedirectory.com and http://www.bluetoothpcheadsets.com. Netphonedirectory contains information about 'PC to Phone VoIP' and 'Free PC to PC VoIP'. The site includes a comprehensive directory of Service Providers as well as general information relating to Internet Telephony.

Bluetoothpcheadsets.com contains information regarding the use of Bluetooth (Wireless) Headsets with PCs for VoIP (Internet Telephony).

10 Reasons To Switch To Vonage And Drop Your Phone Company

Writen by Andrew Bermam

VoIP has gained popularity world over as an easy affordable way to communicate. And, Vonage alone has 1.6 million subscribers as of April 1, 2006. According to company sources they have tripled the number of subscriber lines since 2005. A leader in internet telephony, Vonage offers a great bouquet of services at low cost—facility to call from anywhere in the world, call waiting and forwarding, area code selection, web and e-mail based voice mail, as well as an account management web site which customers can use to change features.

VoIp is advantageous is many ways, all you need is a computer with a reliable internet connection. Among the many companies offering VoIP , Vonage is an acknowledged leader as it is innovative and keeps abreast with technology.

Toying with the idea of changing from a landline to VoIP? Here are a few unbeatable reasons why Vonage should be your preferred choice:

1. The saving on your phone bill can be as much as 50% -- for $24.99 a month you can avail of great services including call long distance for no extra cost. Comparison shopping reveals that AT&T will cost $69.95 a month and Bell South $ 58.94.

2. A Vonage connection will get you unlimited local and long distance calls.

3. At least 14 features like voice mail, caller ID with name, call waiting, call forwarding, 3-way calling, in-network calls, call transfer, click-2-call, call return, caller ID block, and repeat dialing.

4. You can access calls from anywhere—home, office, car, airport, train and so on. Where you go your phone goes with you so you never miss an important call.

5. The latest offer includes free calls to Europe –Italy, France, Spain, UK, and Ireland.

6. Vonage offers freedom from bill worries if family members stay all over the world. Now you can stay in touch with freedom of mind.

7. It is a complete system and offers great facilities to small businesses – your office can communicate internally through phone and fax, conference call, and collate all mails and other document. Vonage functions like a mini call center and your business will benefit from an efficient phone system that costs next to nothing.

8. Vonage gives freedom of choice you can choose any area code –even if you live in Atlanta you can choose a New York Code.

9. The dedicated fax line comes free with a Vonage connection.

10. Vonage is complete—you get low monthly bills, free in network calls, high quality rendition, 24/7 customer and technical support, low international calling costs, connectivity through PC as well as handheld devices,

Vonage is a leader of industry as it understands there are imperfections and constantly strives to overcome them in order to provide a premium customer friendly service.

Andrew Bermam is a freelance writer for http://www.1866voip.com , the premier website to find help on Voip including topics on online voip, voip phone, voip service providers, voip solutions, business voip, internet telephony voip and more. He also freelances for the premier Web Portal site http://www.Fafoo.com

Is Your Voip Hosted Pbx Provider Blind To Your Troubles

Writen by Bill Casey

A recent survey conducted by Emprix revealed that more than one third of all VoIP service providers, which includes Hosted PBX service, are unable to recognize they have a service quality problem until a customer complaint is received.

In a world where mission critical business applications routinely flow through data networks, it is distressing that no monitoring capability exists for many service providers of our newest and best technology. In the enterprise market, the financial viability of a business can very well depend on a vendor's technical strength and on their capability to proactively monitor and fix problems before the end user is affected.

Before selecting a vendor for your VoIP Hosted PBX service make sure they are equipped with the proper Network Management System (NMS) for their VoIP deployments, one that allows their Network Operations and Field Technicians to identify and troubleshoot VoIP problems without relying upon a complaint from you to trigger an action on their part.

Your Hosted PBX provider should have the capability to proactively monitor detailed call quality statistics including MOS, jitter, latency, and other measurements. State-of-the-Art network monitoring systems have advanced diagnostics linked to an online knowledgebases that automatically provide network technicians with troubleshooting tips. This capability dramatically reduces the effort and time required to identify the root cause of poor quality calls, and more importantly it reduces the time that your business is affected by the trouble.

Their system should also incorporate trend analysis and pro-active notification of poor VoIP call performance so that the network technician is able to identify and resolve issues that would otherwise impact VoIP service delivery to your business. With the proper network management system, in the event that you do have a problem, it is likely that the trouble can be rectified remotely rather than waiting for a time-consuming truckroll.

When you are in the process of evaluating Hosted PBX service offerings, make sure that your evaluation criteria is heavily weighted to include the vendor's network monitoring capabilities, and that they have the proper tools to effectively measure, monitor and manage all of their VoIP endpoints.

Whatever you do, don't buy VoIP service from a "blind" provider.

Broadband Phone Service Is Not Voip

Writen by Daymon Hoag

Ever come across a site that claims broadband phone is also known as VoIP or vise verse? Or a web page that explains PC-to-phone is VoIP? How about Internet phone service? VoIP right? Wrong! VoIP is neither broadband phone, PC-to-phone or Internet phone service. It's time to set the record straight once and for all.

VoIP is an abbreviation for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP is a technology that makes such things as broadband phone service, PC-to-phone, and Internet phone service possible by using the Internet to send and receive phone calls. The technology is VoIP while the means are broadband phone or PC-to-phone and the like.

So now we know what broadband phone isn't, I suppose this would be a good place to explain what it is, exactly. Broadband phone service as discussed before, uses VoIP technology to send and receive phone calls using your regular everyday household touch tone corded or wireless telephone.

Technically broadband phone service doesn't even need your computer to work, you just need a broadband Internet connection, and both DSL or cable broadband will work. You'll also need a broadband telephone adaptor to plug your phone line into instead of the usual wall jack. Pretty simple huh?

What broadband phone service allows you to do is bypass your telephone company, and connect your call directly to the same grid your phone company uses. Can you guess what that is? Right, the Internet. All this time your phone company has charged you just to connect your call to the Internet! What a rip off, right?

Now just wait, it gets better. So far Uncle Sam and the telcos have not been able to tax or collect on sir charges as had been the case for many years with your landline phone company. Right now additional charges are very minimal. Did you know that taxes and hidden fee's can make up as much as 20% of your landline phone bill?

Now on to PC-to-phone service. PC-to-phone works in much the same way broadband phone works, but without an adapter. Instead you just need a headset or speakers and microphone and PC-to-phone software installed on your computer. You can use PC-to-phone to call someones phone from your computer, and sometimes people can even call your computer.

Now before you get excited, PC-to-phone is not free. The cent per minute rates are low for long distance, but you normally get charged the same amount for a local call. Whats worse, PC-to-phone services actually do no service for you at all. It uses the software that you downloaded and host on your computer to track your calls, and doesn't cost them a penny when you make a call. You're just paying for the software over, and over, and over again.

Internet phone service is just a vague term for broadband and PC-to-phone type services. So now that you know what VoIP is not, and what broadband phone service and PC-to-phone is, why are you still using that landline phone? Broadband phone service is without any doubt the cheapest phone service on the planet and is the best way to take advantage of VoIP technology. Not to mention, it finally gives you a way to "stick it" to your phone company.

Daymon Hoag is founder of Cheapest Service and provisioner of quality Broadband Phone Service

Voip Security Amp Emergency Services Issues An Australian View

Writen by Tim ONeill

You only need to view a few forums or grab a few news articles to see that debates regarding encryption and other security aspects of VoIP are rife and ongoing. Whilst Skype currently receives much mention in Blogs regarding encryption, I believe this is narrow minded and an industry view approach needs to be adopted.

Security aspects
The Australian Communications Industry Forum (acif) suggest that world research into security issues relating to Voice Over Internet Protocol produces a very similar list including eavesdropping, denial of service, identity related attacks, spam over internet telephony and viruses.

Acif wisely advise VoIP providers that "As VoIP becomes more widely deployed in Australian business and the community the threat level will inevitably increase accordingly". They further suggest "… that security issues have the potential to cause serious harm to the acceptance of VoIP as a viable alternative to traditional phone services" and therefore it is in their interest "…to act now and address these issues".

Emergency Services Aspects
If the service provider is providing a standard telephone service as defined by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, it is mandatory that they provide emergency service access to 000 and 106 services.

As many familiar with VoIP would know, the issue is not only with access to emergency service number(s) ie 000 and 106 services for Australia, 911 in the United States, 999 and 112 in the United Kingdom, but in Australia the location of the caller is critical as this dictates which state and area the emergency services call centre transfers the caller to.

Significant advice is provided by acif to service providers attempting to ensure that Standardised Mobile Service Area (SMSA) codes is attached when a customer makes an emergency services call. Additionally they direct that information such as Carriage Service Provider Code and Alternate Address Flag must be provided to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) to flag with emergency services "… that the calling address may not reflect the physical location of the caller".

Rightly so, acif are blunt in the fact sheet message to service providers which warns: "The lives of your customers may be at stake. So it is absolutely critical that you allocate the correct CLI and SMSA codes as well as ensure that you provide the necessary information to the Integrated Public Number Database".

Source: http://www.acif.org.au/__data/page/13230/VoiceOverIP_Emergency_Services.pdf

But is one point still missing here. The assertion is that these processes will allow emergency services to be warned that the caller may not be in the physical location of the calling address and that confirmation will be necessary. But what happens in those cases where someone is able to dial the emergency services number but then collapses or is incoherent, or a young child dials the number but cannot give further details or the well trained superdog dials the number … you get the point.

So whilst Australia is a minnow in the global VoIP developments, it is useful to note the industry forum noting the warning signs that these issues pose to the industry.

The Author has an Associate Diploma in Electronic Engineering. For further information, books or VoIP items, please visit http://www.voipworking4you.info

Security Checklist For Voip Service Providers

Writen by Dave Gladwin

It is often said that understanding the problem is 90% of the solution, and VoIP security is no exception. It is fear of the unknown which is likely to elicit a knee-jerk reaction of panic, so the first step is to understand the threats and then classify them. We also have to ask the question: what does security mean to me and what does it mean to my customers?

Security to the customer means protecting their device and identity and the continuity of their service. Security to the service provider means protecting their network their revenue and their customers. In this feature we will look at service disruption and service theft.

Disruption

A service can be disrupted by breaking the user's device, flooding the IP network with traffic or breaking the service provider's infrastructure. Disruption is usually achieved through either Logic Attacks or Flood Attacks or Application Layer Attacks.

• Logic attacks exploit vulnerabilities in protocols or their implementations, e.g. Ping of death, Teardrop, Land etc.

• Flood attacks disable targets through traffic volume; a flood attack can originate from a single platform or from multiple platforms.

• Application Layer Attacks include: SIP-SPAM, and identity forging.

We can also divide the attacks into IP layer and SIP layer thus:

IP Logic Attack / IP Flood Attack
SIP Logic Attack / SIP Flood Attack
Application Layer attack

IP Logic Attacks

IP Logic attacks on SIP devices are no different to any other IP device; these include well known exploits such as: Ping of death, Teardrop, Land, Chargen and Out of sequence packets. All of these can disable a device which has not been fully tested to protect itself against these exploits.

IP Flood Attacks

IP Flood attacks include: SYN flood attack (TCP SYN Floods are one of the oldest DoS attacks in existence), Smurf Attack, Fraggle attack and the list goes on... These attacks are designed either to overcome the device by tying up resources or to simply overwhelm the network through shear weight of traffic.

SIP Logic Attacks

SIP logic attacks exploit weaknesses in SIP signalling implementations. Incomplete or incorrect fields, invalid message types can disable not only client devices but also core network devices. This type of attack can be countered by thorough testing of any devices against suites such at the IETF SIP Torture test developed through the SIPiT Events or the PROTOS Test-Suite, developed by the University of Oulu.

A more sophisticated attack can be to inject messages into a call to terminate it prematurely. This type of attack can be largely avoided by the use of strong authentication techniques, thus, the injected packet would not be authenticated and therefore would be rejected.

SIP Flood Attacks

SIP flood attacks exploit weaknesses higher up the communications stack that require more processing resources. As a consequence, it takes a much smaller flood to cause disruption. For example, one or more devices may send multiple registrations or call requests to a server.

Countering this type of disruption requires network based devices like Session Border Controllers (SBCs) to police the signalling stream and rate limit registrations and calls to Softswitches to predetermined limits. Acting as a proxy in the signalling stream the SBC can also filter inappropriate protocols, IP DoS attacks and invalid SIP messages. This helps compartmentalise the network and restricts any disruption to just one network segment.

Protect the User Device

These devices will typically be incapable of rate limiting and may be overrun by flood attacks. This means they are subject to both logic and flood attacks. Again the user device will benefit from the protection afforded by network based SBCs blocking DoS attacks and invalid SIP messages.

Service Theft

A simple example of service theft is to signal that a voice call it being made but exchange video data. This hits the service provider on two fronts: a) loss of revenue by billing for only a voice call and b) potential degradation in service quality for other users resulting in dissatisfaction.

The structure of a VoIP call with separate media and signalling streams has lead to some innovative ploys. For example, a rogue PC client which transports media in the RTCP quality monitoring stream, this is not policed in most networks. Another ploy is to transport media in the call signalling then failing the call before billing commences. Not only does this mean a free call but repeated call set can cause huge signalling rates which are a DoS attack in themselves.

The solution is to police all components of the call. SBCs police the signalling and the media to ensure that the call is executed as requested and that RTCP traffic is within expected bounds.

Conclusion

Security is a vast subject and needs to be ubiquitous in its implementation. Take care of the fundamentals first:

Test, authenticate, protect, block, limit and police.

• Test network elements against standard IP and SIP test suites to ensure they can survive IP and SIP logic attacks

• Implement strong authentication, identifying your users protects their identity, protect their service and combats disruption.

• Protect the Network by compartmentalizing it to restrict the range of any disruption.

• Block malicious or inappropriate traffic – do not propagate the problem.

• Limit the rate of traffic to core elements to ensure the survivability of the service.

• Police all aspects of the traffic flowing across the network to prevent fraudulent or inappropriate use.

A secure and dependable service brings with it benefits to users and provider alike. It will build user confidence which in turn creates dependable revenue for the service provider and by addressing the basics from day one, need not be complex or expensive.

For more information on a range of VoIP topics: multimedia networks, security and IMS there is a number of free White Papers available from Newport Networks.

Dave Gladwin works for Newport Networks and has worked in the telecoms sector for 25 years and VoIP for the last 10 years.

What Is A Voip Router

Writen by Rupert Laura

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP - http://www.tech-faq.com/voip.shtml) is a new way to talk on your phone through your broadband internet connection. A VoIP router is needed to help you use the same phone you have been using before your VoIP connection. If you have voice over internet protocol available to you, you'll need a router to sort of make it all happen. It's a small device that will take a little time to get used to, but once you've used it just a couple times you'll be able to use the whole system without a second thought.

Without a VoIP router your phone will not be able to figure out where datagrams should go from source to destination, so information will be lost. Routers will help control phone traffic, controls and maintains bandwidth, and ensures a good voice quality for each and every phone call. Basically, router is responsible for routing all the information in and out of your home so that you can get the services you are supposed to get.

It's said that because of ever expanding technology that VoIP routers won't be needed for much longer. With the invention of digital telephones the need for a separate router won't be necessary. But, until this newer technology becomes more widespread and cost efficient, the majority of VoIP users will need a router to use the voice over internet protocol features. Because of this newer technology, having VoIP service will become easier and more accessible to everyone in the very near future. But, don't let the idea of a routing device scare you off, as VoIP is very easy to use!

Laura Rupert is a freelance writer who contributes to The Tech FAQ.

Voip A Wise Investment For Small Business

Writen by Michael Brito

Small businesses are always looking for ways to increase their competitiveness by cutting costs, improving their value proposition and requiring their staff to work more efficiently.

Today, in the telecommunications industry, a new technology called VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol (Internet-based phone service) has emerged and is making all of the above and more, possible for SMBs (small and medium-size businesses). VoIP technology compresses voice (audio) data into packets that can be transmitted over data networks and the public Internet, and converted back into voice at the receiving end. This is the basis for some of the significant cost savings as voice now becomes just another form of data, allowing for integration with web based applications and the development of new features that would be impossible using traditional networks.

SMBs Demand Higher Functionality at a Lower Cost

Traditional telephone networks were designed solely to carry low-fidelity audio signals with a high level of reliability. Although these networks are very reliable for voice communication, they are not well suited to service today's explosive growth of digital communication applications, because they: are expensive to build; must have the capacity from day one to address potential growth, increasing initial costs and creating an underutilized investment; transmit data at very low rates and resolutions, making them poorly suited for delivering high-fidelity audio, entertainment-quality video, or other rich multimedia content; use dedicated circuits for each call, which allot fixed bandwidth throughout the call's duration, whether or not voice is actually being transmitted; cannot be leveraged to provide new or differentiated services or functions, such as video communication, that the network was not originally designed to accommodate.

Advantages of VoIP Technology

VoIP uses packet-switched networks to carry non-real-time data using much less bandwidth. The advantages of such networks are flexibility, efficiency, and scalability. Flexibility: networks can be built in a variety of configurations to suit the number of users, client/server application requirements, and desired bandwidth availability. Efficiency: bandwidth is consumed only when needed; service providers can converge their traditionally separate voice and data networks, and carry voice, video, fax, and data traffic over the same network; many terminals can share the same connection to the network and as a result, significantly more traffic can be transmitted over a packet-switched network than over a circuit-switched telephony network. Scalability: Extensions can be easily added to the network as growth demands.

These advantages help create cost savings that can be passed on to consumers in the form of lower telephone bills. Around the world, more than 25 million SMBs could realize significant benefits by employing VoIP as their phone service.

A Hosted PBX

A Hosted IP PBX system is built using a VoIP infastructure specifically for small business. This system offers many advantages to SMBs compared to traditional telcom offerings. Businesses that opt for non-hosted VoIP phone systems, must first invest in a scalable and very expensive platform; as well as devote resources to set up, configure, and maintain them — a significant overhead cost.

In a hosted PBX service, configuration and maintenance are handled by the service provider and included in the monthly service price. In any price comparison, an SMB must look at all these costs and consider the entire total cost of ownership associated with on on-premise based system versus a hosted solution.

In a hosted IP PBX environment, a subscriber uses their broadband IP network for a small business phone system as well as data service. Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) for VoIP service requires only IP phones, or analog-to-digital converters for analog phones. This dramatically reduces start-up costs. Typically, all applications are also hosted, eliminating multiple vendors and points of contact.

Hosted PBXs Reduce Costs from 50 to 90 Percent

With traditional business phone systems, each company must pay for expensive equipment, phones, applications, installation, and maintenance, as well as bring in trunk lines. On top of this, a business will need to add in expensive monthly fees for local and long distance calling, a maintenance contract and annual upgrade costs.

Payback periods for a PBX phone system may never occur, preventing smaller companies from considering a traditional business phone system and forcing them to rely on basic, multi-line service and phones, which can be really expensive. Even after the upfront and quite substantial investment, customers could hear a busy signal if traffic exceeds the number of available lines.

For small businesses, the only alternative has been to use regular, basic phone service, which requires that all users must be in the same physical location, have a limited features and pay a large up front cost. Hosted PBX services nearly eliminate the upfront investment and cover the local and long distance calling costs for a low monthly fee, and include all the features.

For a monthly subscription fee, a business enjoys unlimited long distance and local calls in the U.S. and Canada, and can use all the advanced applications including auto-attendant, ring groups, and extensions. These features would cost much more if provided with traditional solutions. Also, since each user can have two non-blocking lines, up to 20 calls can be handled by a single extension, reducing busy signals and customer abandon rates.

Hosted PBX Features

Most hosted PBX include unlimited calling to the US and Canada; E911 emergency calling; a business class telephone with one-touch controls, DND, park, conference and much more; auto attendant that will route your calls to the appropriate extensions; full featured conference bridge and much more!

For SMBs that demand more features at a lower cost, VoIP is an alternative with great results!

Click here for more in-depth information about business voip products and services.

Michael Brito is an internet marketing consultant and freelance writer for a variety of consumer related products.