Voice Over Internet Protocol

VoIP Phone Service - For The Every Communicator

2010-09-18T00:29:00.001-07:00

by: Dennis Smith

If you have already come across the term VoIP, but you are still not aware what does it mean what it has to offer you. You will be wondering whether it is beneficial to switch over from the old traditional phone to the VoIP phone service. Here are some guidelines, to help you out in taking a wise decision to opt for VoIP services or not.

VoIP phone service or 'voice over internet protocol' is the equipment which allows the user of the service to dial calls with the help of an Internet connection but not with the help of a regular phone line. There are some service providers who offer user(s) to dial calls to the other user who is using the similar service. Yet, there are other service providers who use to allow their users to dial any number including VoIP numbers no matter it is national, international or local number.

The idea or the services of a VoIP phone is not which is something new in the market of communication. The truth is this technology is prevailing in the market from the quite some time now. However it has started gaining its attention in the market only from few years back.

Before opting for any of the IP service it is important to get familiar what are the requirements of this technology. You have to get familiar on what kind of equipment it will require and other supportive systems to successfully run this system. You will be requiring an IP telephonic, high speed internet connection, computer or laptop, and adapter. It is important to note down that some service provider gives the facility to use the service only if you are using the computer or having a special IP telephone, whereas some offer you to use this service with your usual ordinary telephone but connected with the IP adapter.

Once you get familiarized with the requirements of the equipments, the next thing on which you have to get familiarize is the benefits of adopting the VoIP phone service. Voice over internet protocol has much more to offer you and for this reasons it is suggested to own such an outstanding service.

This outstanding service uses the technology of bandwidth which is considerably very less bandwidth when compared with that of the old or traditional phone. As it uses lesser bandwidth it is a money-making tool. Other than being a money-making there are other benefits too to enjoy along with the talking over the phone.

You can now make longer or international calls at costs which are unbelievably very low priced. Thus now you can talk for longer hours with your dear ones with no need of worrying about the high priced telephone bills. It also allows you to save a lot on your operating cost as this technology doesn’t require any separate cabling. This for the reason, the foundation of IP telephone is mainly depended on the software but not in the hardware. Thus allowing you to transfer data or sharing of the information when you are talking.

About The Author

Dennis Smith is an author for business VoIP. He has written various articles on phone service providers. For information visit our site VoIP phone service.

Small Business VOIP Phone Systems in Tampa

2010-09-18T00:27:00.000-07:00

by: Chris Lontok

A small business company, whether in Tampa or anywhere else in the United States, will always need a small business VOIP phone system at the core of its operations. This is necessary not only to remain competitive but also to continue to grow and even expand. If the business is in Tampa, it would be best to also find a suitable supplier and service provider in Tampa.

A reputable supplier and service provider should be able to maintain the client’s current phone systems and provide local and long distance phone service; IP/VoIP telecommunications solutions; digital phone systems with IP/VoIP capabilities; SIP trunking; Voice T1; ISDN PRI T1; new and used phone systems with voice mail and warranties; computer networking; internet access; recording of phone calls, emails, screen shots and instant messaging; recorded promotions played while on hold; loudspeaker paging and music for offices or plants; and voice and data cabling.

The best choices in phone systems these days are the NEC phone system, BCM phone system and Vertical phone system. It would be good to find a supplier and service provider that offers these.

Having a VoIP phone system is a basic need of any small business. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. While the old phone system used the Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN, the VoIP phone system sends voice communications through the internet and other IP networks. This is why the digital phone system is also called as IP Telephony or the IP Telephone System. It transforms the analog voice signal a digital format which are transmitted online as internet protocol packets.

For the VoIP phone system to be functional, the use of SIP / VOIP phones is required. The three different kinds of SIP / VOIP phones are software based SIP / VOIP phones, USB SIP / VOIP phones and hardware SIP / VOIP phones.

The software based SIP / VOIP phone, also referred to as the soft phone, is not a physical telephone but a computer program or software. When installed in the computer it enables the caller to use the computer’s built in microphone and speakers or an attached headset to make a call through the internet.

The USB SIP / VOIP phone combines the software or computer program of the soft phone with an actual physical telephone. The physical telephone is plugged into a computer through a USB port in order to be able to use the software while functioning as the microphone and speaker or as a headset.

The hardware SIP / VOIP phone is almost exactly like any normal telephone except for the fact that it shares a network connection with a computer by being connected to the same mini hub.

Any small business VOIP phone system requires a wide range of voice and data cabling products and installation services for its full operations. A supplier and service provider should, therefore, be an expert in all these. It is always best to work with a supplier and service provider that has a long established reputation. One such company is Digital South Communications which has been serving over 3,000 clients satisfactorily since 1991. Although based in Tampa, it serves clients throughout the country with its network of affiliated dealers.

About The Author

Email: dave@digitalsouth.com
Website: http://www.digitalsouth.com

What is Asterisk VoIP?

2010-06-07T02:24:00.001-07:00

By Jason Daniels

Asterisk is the cornerstone of the VoIP world. Asterisk as originally developed by Digium. This company has created such software that allows people to setup a server and make calls. Majority of VoIP services uses Asterisk today because of its easy to use functionality, openness, and savings. If you're good with servers and technology, then Asterisk with a cheap server can help you save money on your phone bill.

Asterisk is easy to use. No doubt probably one of the easiest once going through the documents and understanding what the functions do. Asterisk was created for big time VoIP services providing cheap calls worldwide. Now that almost every person can own a server, it can be used as your home phone service. Wholesale VoIP termination along with Asterisk can give you extremely cheap calls within the US and especially abroad. Because of its easy to use functionally setting it up will only take a few hours. With Asterisk, a server, as DID number and some time, one can save over $1000 per year on their phone bill.

Asterisk gives freedom. If you own a business or you want phone service for your house, it can do anything. Business professionals like Asterisk because of its freedom. Majority of business make many calls daily to their customers. Regular landline services would charge extreme amounts of money to dial these calls. But with Asterisk and an Internet connection, Business can put to use Wholesale termination and save a lot of money monthly. Once Asterisk is setup, it is very easy to maintain. Any technical person can learn how Asterisk is setup in less than few hours!

Asterisk is savings. If you want to save money on your phone bill, then Asterisk is for you. Phone companies charge high prices per month because they know majority of people cannot setup an Asterisk server for themselves. Therefore, if you understand basics of programming, internet, and server management you are in good shape to use this technology. Second, this is completely free. Asterisk is open source VoIP software that is free to the general public. It cannot get better than this!

Summing this all up, Asterisk is the best. If you are looking for business solutions or residential solution or even international calling, Asterisk has a solution. It is open, it is easy, and it is a money saver. Digium has done a wonderful job creating this software and everyone should take advantage of it. Asterisk is the best open source telephone software to this day.

Jason is a telecommunication professional and in this business for over 10 years. He is a Asterisk consultant and runs a blog at VoIP Tutorial. His goal is to teach individuals about VoIP technology and its benefits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Daniels

A Basic Insight Into The Technology Behind VoIP Phones

2010-06-07T02:23:00.001-07:00

By Dennis Jaylon

A VoIP phone can be defined as an entity that is used to make telephone calls over the internet. A VoIP phone utilises the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology wherein our voice is converted into digital signal that is transmitted over the Internet. VoIP phones enable you to enjoy the benefits of VoIP technology.
The VoIP technology is based on protocols, such as SIP, H.323 or proprietary ones like Skype.

How is voice transmitted using the VoIP technology?

VoIP phone--->broadband router---> Internet---> voip service provider

Well, if you do not wish to spend on purchasing a new VoIP phone, just connect your existing analogue telephone to a VoIP phone adaptor and enjoy the benefits of VoIP. There are many VoIP service providers who allow you to use the service on your analogue telephones. With the VoIP phone adaptor, you do not need a VoIP phone or a computer to avail the VoIP service. The analogue telephone connects to the broadband router through the adaptor. The router connects to the Internet.

standard analogue telephone--->voip adaptor--->broadband router---> Internet---> voip service provider

The UK phone users may need an RJ11 adaptor to convert their standard BT Connector to an International Connector. RJ11 adaptor may be bought with a VoIP Phone Adaptor.
Broadband routers have built-in VoIP and can also be used as VoIP Phone Adaptors. You can buy these routers online.

What are the things required to avail the benefits of VoIP service?

* VoIP hardware:
* voip phones can be plugged it straight into a network or a broadband router voip adaptors
* used when you need to avail voip service through an analogue telephone voip-compatible router provide access to the Internet for multiple devices (can be wired or wireless)
* softphone
a software-based phone that operates from a PC uses Internet connection to make VoIP calls can be used with a USB Phone or PC Headset

* Internet connection
* subscription to a VoIP service

VoIP is indeed a cutting-edge technology that has revolutionised the telephony system to a great extent.

Dennis Jaylon is a renowned business writer who has years of experience in writing technical reviews, product descriptions and product feature analysis of technical gadgets and gizmos. He has won appreciation especially for enlightening people about the latest communication gizmos... the Voip

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Jaylon

Evaluation Criteria for Selecting Your Business VOIP Solution

2010-06-07T02:22:00.000-07:00

By Neil Abramson

Introduction to VoIP Business Communications

Migrating your business communications to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) from the legacy Public Switched Telephony Network (PSTN) or PBX is a sound business decision, now that VoIP has achieved acceptance as a mainstream communications service. However, business VoIP solutions come in many varieties, from VoIP call termination service to IP Centrex service. The primary motivation for businesses to migrate their communications network infrastructure to VoIP services comes from the ability to make much less expensive voice calls and faxes. Deployed properly, business VoIP, whether implemented in small, medium, or large organizations, can lead to improved productivity and increases in profitability.

Types of Business VoIP Solutions

One solution for businesses looking to reduce their communications costs is known as Voice over IP Call Termination through which a business could potentially save up to 50% on calls as compared to the PSTN. This service uses the public Internet or privately managed IP network to terminate your business calls instead of the PSTN, thereby realizing substantial savings for you. Another business communications replacement service is known as IP Centrex, or Hosted Centrex service. This can be thought of as a virtual PBX replacement service. The Service Provider you choose provides PBX-like features from their "host" softswitch at their POP over your business' existing broadband connection. You should determine which type of service best suits your business needs as part of your business VoIP solution evaluation.

Evaluation Guidelines

Because of the increasing popularity of VoIP to reduce business communications costs, there have been many recent Service Provider entries into the marketplace. With the current proliferation of new providers, they are often newly minted wholesale carrier Service Providers and individual resellers who make very attractive price and quality claims that they cannot meet. This of course will lead to your dissatisfaction with VoIP business service and a negative outcome to your decision to switch. For these reasons, it is best to create a "short list" of well-known, established and reliable VoIP Service Providers. A reliable VoIP Service Provider would be any communications provider who has a solid customer base, seasoned telecom management and engineers, with 2 or more years of reputable service experience.

Evaluation Criteria to Select Your Premier Business VoIP Service Provider

All well-established VoIP carriers in the market will claim to offer the best VoIP business solution. So how do you choose who should be on your "short list" and final choice to implement your VoIP solution? The following criteria should all be considered when selecting the best business VoIP provider:

1. Voice Quality: A premier Service Provider will have multiple POPs (Point of Presence) and softswitches, resulting in minimum latency (aka delay) and allowing for faster connections. Minimizing delay and jitter (the short term instability in the quality of a call) are 2 crucial parameters of providing high quality VoIP voice and fax calls. Another critical parameter that should be used to gauge voice quality is the Service Provider's MOS (Mean Opinion Score) number. MOS Scoring is a subjective test of a call's quality originally designed by the Bell Companies to quantify the quality of a voice call, with 1 being unacceptable and 5 being superlative. A typical range for Voice over IP would be from 3.5 to 4.2 using a G.711 Codec. In contrast, a score of 2.8 to 3.2 is typically seen for cell phone calls. For your business VoIP service, you should specify a minimum 4.0 MOS score from your potential provider, with a goal of getting as close to 4.4 (which equates to PSTN "toll quality" network service) as possible. Good voice quality is one crucial factor in your evaluation that separates the average provider from the best.

2. Pricing: One of the most critical areas that probably attracted your business to moving to VoIP service in the first place was to reduce its telecommunications costs. Make sure to thoroughly understand the rate structure of the various providers you have chosen to evaluate. Due to increasing competition in the business VoIP space recently, rate can vary widely. All VoIP networks are not created equally, and a provider's internal cost structure and profit margin requirements can create a wide range of pricing structures. Also be sure to negotiate discounts based on volume of calling, generally expressed as MOU (Minutes of Use) that you plan to send to the Service Provider.

3. Network Integration: All businesses in operation today have an existing telecom network to meet their various telecommunications needs. Migrating to VoIP service should be a seamless and relatively painless transition for your business. The VoIP Service Provider of your choice should be able to easily integrate your existing service with VoIP so that your network operations are minimally affected during the migration process.

4. Feature Richness: A wonderful aspect of both Voice over IP termination and hosted IP services is the wide variety of value-added features they allow to be offered. Call waiting, call forwarding, 3 way calling, speed calling, pre-established teleconferencing, even video- conferencing (and many others) are are available, usually at little or no cost, which will help achieve your goal of increasing productivity. Choose the provider who offers you the features & services that meet your business needs and will add value to your particular organization.

5. Billing: All premier VoIP Service Providers should offer a real-time billing capability with demonstrable expertise to exert proper control over the VoIP minutes used by their large number of individual customers. CDRs (Call Detail Records) should be available on every single call billed, allowing them to optimize their network and you to ensure the rate structure you signed up for is being charged accurately and consistently.

6. Trial Results: To verify the claims regarding the quality of the network, your service, and user friendliness of features that will ultimately determine your overall service satisfaction, you should always sign up for a live test trial from the VoIP provider being evaluated. The trial should be no less than 48 hours, preferably longer. This will give you a good representation of the services and features being offered. During the trial, be sure to get measures of the ACD (Average Call Duration), ASR (Average Success Ratio), and PDD (Post-Dial Delay) which also can be used to compare different providers' QoS (Quality of Service).

Ultimately, you should choose the best business VoIP service for you and your organization, based on the evaluation criteria, to attain a high level of satisfaction with your new VoIP business service. In this way, you will achieve the original goals for moving your business communications to VoIP of cost reduction and productivity improvement.

Neil Abramson writes on telecommunications and technology related issues. You can learn more by

visiting my blog, Basics of VoIP at http://basics-of-VoIP.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Abramson

Hosted VoIP Systems - Services and Features of Business Communication

2010-03-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Rosemary Brooks

Hosted VoIP (voice over internet protocol) was developed as a more economical and advanced solution to the traditional PBX systems with switchboards that are generally used in offices and businesses.

Hosted VoIP systems make use of a broadband internet connection which allows voice and data signals to be sent via the internet. Hosted VoIP systems have become a necessary addition to offices and business due to the many benefits and features available to VoIP subscribers.

How Hosted VoIP Works
Hosted VoIP services allow clients to have the same quality calling as traditional PSTN lines (normal land line) but with more advanced telephony functionality than regular telephones.

The hosted VoIP system uses software which enables a server to control a VoIP system over the internet. The hosted VoIP system will turn voice and data into digital data and send the data to the required recipient over the internet through a broadband connection. The broadband connection will have a platform from which the data will be sent to the recipient and so forth. Subscribers to VoIP services can choose to use an analogue or voice over internet protocol service.

The Benefits
The benefits to using a hosted VoIP system instead for a regular PSTN system or PBX phone are highly notable. Firstly, using a hosted VoIP line and services will save money on the costs that would be incurred using regular PTSN lines.

Hosted VoIP users enjoy reduced or free calls between sites, and other calls and line rentals are charged at a reduced rate. Maintenance is relatively simple and free of charge. Clients also have access to detailed online billing reports by their service provider.

Hosted VoIP services allow users greater control over the functionality of their telephone systems. The locations in which the system is installed will generally include extension dialling, with many extensions possible on one system. Hosted VoIP systems are fully scalable, meaning that users can add and subtract extension lines as they please. These extensions can also be controlled by the client via the internet.

Because VoIP works over the internet, users can be more flexible in terms of locations - users can take a VoIP phone with them wherever they go and still be contacted free, with access to all features included in the hosted VoIP system.

Another benefit to hosted VoIP systems is the easy access to software updates available so that subscribers can receive the most up to date services and technology available.

A hosted VoIP system is beneficial especially to businesses. Companies generally spend a large amount of money on telephone costs and services, not to mention maintenance of their lines and services when using regular PSTN lines or a PBX system. Some, but not many VoIP service providers will offer a specialised business package tailored to suit the individual business needs of a company.

Hosted VoIP and Business Users
A hosted VoIP system will benefit any company due to the incredible reliance placed on telephony services by the needs of a successful company. Businesses will save money on their communication costs with a hosted VoIP system. No charges for calls made between sites, reduced line rental, free maintenance, the ability to add and subtract lines without help from the service provider, reduced rates to regular phone lines and other cost reducing features will drastically cut a company's communication costs.

Time is saved when a business uses a hosted VoIP system as online tools included with the system are controllable by the subscriber. Training of IT staff is not required as hosted VoIP systems are user-friendly. Because settings can be controlled by the client, users are able to choose when they receive calls, at what location and from whom. Voicemail is highly accessible to users from any phone or internet connection and can be viewed in a variety of different formats such as email or voice messages. Faxes can also be sent straight to a user's inbox.

Multiple calls are manageable through a hosted VoIP system. An operator console allows receptionists to manage large numbers of calls using just one system interface.

Hosted VoIP services are the way of the future in terms of communication and none more so than business communication. A hosted VoIP system offers lowered costs, higher functionality, higher reliability and easier usability as well as incredible features which far outweigh the capabilities of a traditional PBX phone system.

About the Author:
Inclarity is a UK based telephony provider specialising in hosted VoIP systems and user-friendly, reliable PBX replacement systems for their clients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rosemary_Grace_Brooks

Mobile VOIP

2010-03-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

David Dj Johnson

Traditionally, VoIP usage has been limited to those users who have a personal computer or any VoIP device, connected to broadband Internet. This has limited the VoIP penetration to users who are restricted to home or office environment. Now users, who own a mobile phone and have access to data using GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), 3G (Third Generation mobile technology) or Wi-Fi connection; can use VoIP to reduce their international call rates, use of VoIP on mobile phone is thus developing its popularity among users and known as 'VoIP'.

How it Works

To use Mobile VoIP services, a user needs to have following:
• To use mobile, you require a GPRS/3G or Wi-Fi enabled handset.
• To use mobile, you need to have a compatible handset, which supports the mobile application. Here the 'mobile application' means the application that makes VoIP calls possible. For example Skype, Google Talk and iTel Mobile Dialer.
• To check the list of mobile handsets compatible with the mobile application to use mobile, users can check the compatibility list here.
• Mobile VoIP can run on GPRS/ 3G/ Wi-Fi enabled mobile handset.

Opportunities in cell VoIP

According to a recent survey conducted for VoIP industry's growth and opportunities- mobile VoIP market will be worth $32.4 billion by 2013 and that by 2019, half of all mobile calls will be made over all-IP networks. This is definitely inspiring news; has opened new avenues for the growth of mobile VoIP. A reason that people getting more attracted to VoIP is because mobile VoIP phone calls are 50 to 75% cheaper than 3G or regular call made from GSM or CDMA mobile phone. More and more users are now switching to mobile VoIP and other ways to internet calling such as Skype, Google Talk etc. because it is cheaper than the regular call rates and calls can be made to any network and any distance, using this technology.

Reasons Behind Increasing Popularity of

• VoIP is cheaper than any other mean of telecommunication like regular PSTN, GSM, CDMA mobile phone etc. Mobile is 10 to 20 times cheaper than all above media of mobile communication. Especially for long distance international calls, mobile is almost free due to its cheapest rate plans, as compared to regular mobile service' rate plan.
• Using mobile VoIP service through internet is better in any mean. The best thing is that you are not forced to change you number to use the service. Most of the service providers allow you to keep your existing phone number to use their services.
• There are dialer applications available in the market, which give you the same functionality like call waiting, call forwarding, call log etc. VoIP provides enhanced voice quality and bad network or frequent call failure is not a problem in mobile because this technology runs over internet.
• Mobile VoIP is relatively new service so most mobile VoIP service providers are offering better services at low rates, which is relatively costly in regular mobile service providers.
• With VoIP PC-to-PC calls are free. cell VoIP rates plan are also amazingly cheaper than regular mobile rate plans.
• Portability is another USP of cell VoIP. You can easily carry and use your mobile anywhere. However, in few countries where use of VoIP or VoIP is restricted due to 'n' number of reasons, mobile VoIP usage is still low.
• In many countries, incoming call over mobile is charged. Use of cell VoIP gives liberty from this restriction allowing free incoming call.

Challenges in Mobile VoIP

One of the biggest challenges for the mobile telecommunication Industry or is to deliver the benefits of IP without losing control over the network services. Common users want the Internet to be free, flawless and high speed. For ITSPs, providing such a flawless service at cheaper rates of for free is again a challenge. It challenges the most valuable service in the telecommunication industry 'mobile VoIP' and threatens to change the nature of the global communications industry.

In current scenario, VoIP has limited reach due to factors like:

• Lack of awareness about cell VoIP & VoIP.

• Limited number of broadband internet connections available in limited areas has restricted the use of mobile VoIP.

• Users still not ready to adopt the new technology like VoIP & mobile VoIP and innovations in mobile technology.
• Higher rates of Internet services. No standard rates are regularized by service providers.
• Lack of standard architecture in cell VoIP services.
• Present online security measures can't sufficiently tackle the mobile VoIP processing requirements.
• Change in protocols will take time for a problem free, secured mobile VoIP service.

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is influencing the customer behavior and rapidly changing the way we communicate. Portability of cell VoIP makes it different from PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). VoIP has always been a very promising technology, lowering the cost of communication between people, with the help of internet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Dj_Johnson

How Much Bandwidth is Required for VoIP Phones?

2010-03-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

By Chris Landry

A long-standing question for potential VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) consumers is "How much bandwidth does a VoIP phone require to make quality telephone calls?"

First of all, Bandwidth is defined as the ability to transfer data (such as a VoIP telephone call) from one point to another in a fixed amount of time. The higher the bandwidth speed you have, the more data you can send over your Broadband Internet connection.

There are two types of bandwidth at your location: upload bandwidth and download bandwidth. The Upload Bandwidth is the amount of data you can send to the Internet and download bandwidth is the amount of data you can receive from the Internet. The more Internet bandwidth you have from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) the better.

In most cases, the normal VoIP telephone call will use up 90 Kbps (kilobits per second). If you have a Broadband Internet service provider that doesn't offer much bandwidth then most VoIP providers give you the option to lower the VoIP voice quality by lowering the bandwidth used for VoIP calls to 60 Kbps or, to really conserve your bandwidth, 30 Kbps. Most people can't tell the difference between the three settings. We suggest you use the high sound quality setting (90 Kpbs in most cases), if bandwidth is not an issue. High VoIP voice quality is generally the default setting but if you are running into a situation where your bandwidth is limited then you can adjust your VoIP bandwidth to one of the lower settings. Some consumers with 128 Kbps upload connections can receive less VoIP service quality due to a poor quality ISP (Internet Service Provider). By selecting a lower quality VoIP bandwidth setting, this problem can be avoided.

If you plan on using a VoIP service provider, should you get a DSL or a Cable Internet access provider? In general, DSL upload bandwidth starts at 128k where as Cable Internet upload bandwidth starts at around 600k. Cable Internet is a little bit more expensive, but it is also about 4-5 times faster than residential DSL and a bit friendlier to a VoIP telephone call. Having said that, both DSL and cable modem high-speed services provide sufficient broadband Internet access bandwidth to support any of the top VoIP service providers. If you are experiencing low Broadband Internet Service provider bandwidth, we suggest you try Packet8 VoIP. Packet8 VoIP boasts an advanced compression technology in which each active voice line uses approximately only 23Kbps of total data throughput, upstream and downstream.

The amount of bandwidth that a VoIP provider requires to make a quality telephone call is only one thing to consider when choosing a VoIP service provider. In fact, there are many things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. An educated consumer generally results in a satisfied consumer.

Please see VoIP things to consider article (http://www.voipchoices.com/voip-considerations.html) to find a list of more things to consider when choosing a VoIP provider. You can also compare VoIP providers side-by-side by price and features at http://www.VoIPChoices.com

Chris Landry is the foremost authority on residential and small business VoIP providers. Chris is the founder of http://www.VoIPChoices.com. Chris has prequalified several high-quality VoIP providers and compares them by price and features at http://www.VoIPChoices.com

Chris can be reach via email at Chris@VoIPChoices.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Landry

When You Use an Adapter VoIP Calls Are Even Easier

2010-03-02T19:32:00.002-08:00

By Dave Nalin

Making calls using a VoIP service is quickly becoming one of the most preferred methods of making and receiving telephone calls. VoIP uses the Internet to make calls rather than a traditional analog telephone line and due to this you either need a VoIP phone or an adapter, VoIP is that straightforward. When you use an adapter VoIP calls can be made from your own phone, meaning that you don't even have to buy a new phone.

To successfully use an adapter VoIP have made the entire process so easy. All you have to do is buy an adapter, VoIP ready of course and then plug it into your phone. You also need to plug the adapter into your modem, then you have set up your home phone and run it through the adapter - VoIP calls can then be made and received from your home phone.
When you buy an adapter VoIP can also be used to send and receive faxes, so in effect you can have your own home office set up within minutes just using VoIP, an adapter, VoIP provider and your home Internet connection. If that is so simple and easy to set up it is one of the reasons why so many people are using VoIP as their telephone service provider. With VoIP you can say goodbye to complicated setups and expensive setup costs and say hello to a fantastic way to make and take calls at a greatly reduced monthly cost.

If you're interested in buying an adapter, VoIP hardware can be found on the Internet at very reasonable prices which are highly affordable to everyone. In addition to this there is no one adapter VoIP service providers tend to recommend, as there are so many on the market right now. You can choose one that is the perfect size and perfect colour to match your home phone and decor.

Sometimes you might want to keep a regular telephone line you can even buy an adapter, VoIP compatible which will allow you to switch between VoIP calls and regular phone calls, it really is up to you. Some people choose to do this if they have a business line that they do not wish to disconnect, so by using an adapter, VoIP calls can be made, faxes can be received and a conventional telephone line can still be in use.

So if you are looking for a way to keep your own home phone and still be able to make VoIP calls an adapter, VoIP ready is just what you need. Then in just a few moments you can set up your telephone with the adapter, VoIP account and PC and you are ready to go. Anyone can be using an adapter, VoIP suitable in their own home phone in less time than it would take to call the phone company and ask them to install another phone line. VoIP is the future telephone of calls so make sure you are taking advantage of it.

Looking for best voip providers?

Vbuzzer provides quality voip products and services. The company has special offers for adapter voip, ata voip, voip adapter, voip ata, voip phone adapter and many more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Nalin

VoIP RFP - How to Create and Issue a VoIP Telephony Service Request For Proposals

2010-03-02T19:32:00.001-08:00

By Steve D Evans

More and more VoIP RFP dispatches are taking place as business are seeking to enter contracts for their telephony services to be converted to Voice Over Internet Protocol Systems.

Eweek provides a very useful template for all those setting out to write their own VoIP RFP.

Their template suggests the following content for a response to an RFP to start with, which we have amended to comply with the needs for a typical RFP notification letter, as follows:-

1. VoIP RFP Introduction Page.

A. Your Company name.

B. Your Proposal authors.

C. The Date, Co. address and URL as it would appear in print.
D. Primary contact name with phone number plus e-mail address.

2. VoIP RFP Equipment list with version/model numbers and design description.

A. An itemized list of existing installed significant equipment (gateways, systems, cards and components, plus handsets type and number) for each site which be requiring replacement with VoIP equivalent services

B. An itemized VoIP RFP list of the required software for each site.

C. An itemized VoIP RFP ist of the required services for each site.

D. A summary of VoIP RFP ist of the required for your solution plus the specific features you need.

E. Address(es) for installation of you VoIP service.

3. A Request for a priced list of required products plus services.

A. An itemised list of major equipment for every location.

B. An itemised list of software for every site location.

C. An itemised list of services for every site location.

4. Details of the Recurring Costs. It is advised that your requesy a summary of the likely ongoing subscription and service costs which will be charged to maintain the system over a period of (say) three years for retuning with their VoIP RFP.

5. Request VoIP RFP Product literature and plenty of documentation. Ask them to include product literature that describes the features and benefits of their equipment, software and services. Also include technical documentation for major components.

All this and much detailed information can be found by searching for a Sample VOIP RFP in your favorite search engine.

Plus and all the requirements listed below in the Eweek's Details section.

So, now you have prepared your VoIP RFP, who would you send it out to?

Well, there are suggestions around and for large corporates for example. Organizers of the VoiceCon conference issued a request for proposals for a hypothetical VOIP installation and obtained bids from five vendors:
- Aastra Intecom,
- Cisco
- Avaya,
- Alcatel, and
- 3Com.

These are big players in VoIP and would be a good choice for inclusion for most organizations we conside in order to get their proposals.

The technologies offered by the vendors varied greatly, and so did their prices. Organizations across the globe have employed a wide variety of VoIP solutions, and the digital nature of the service allows many ways to improve customer service operations, delight callers, reduce expenses and create new revenue opportunities.

If you have not already considered setting out to install a VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol system within your business, we suggest that you do consider at least putting out a VoIP RFP. You will not thereafter be forced to award a VoIP contract, but you will certainly learn a lot about the technology and the savings it can provide your company.

VoIP is an emerging technology being implemented in industry generally. Traditionally, skills in data and voice have been separate, but the evolving information age increasingly requires people with skills in both to implement and administer converged systems for the VoIP RFP submission.

Voice over Internet protocol VoIP is fast becoming an extremely popular technology by small and large businesses alike. Procuring this technology can quickly become a substantial, resource-intensive project but when implemented this company development cost need never be spent again.

When issuing the RFP we suggest that it is good practise to include a statement that your company reserves the right, with sole discretion, to refuse to appoint a VoIP supplier.

The party issuing the VoIP RFP will also usually require that the successful tenderer and his representatives shall at all times follow all applicable Company regulations while on Company property, including all company rules and procedures, including observation of the no smoking, no weapons and drug-free policies of the Company.

Some organizations will issue a pre-RFP notice to notify vendors early on that an RFP is forthcoming, while others simply send their requests out to suitable service providers once they have created the RFP.

Steve Evans is one of those technologically literate guys, who is also an early adopter of Cell Phone internet access VoIP . Visit his web site for the best analyses of VOIP fact magazines, and make up your own VoIP requirements list.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_D_Evans

Cellular VOIP

2010-02-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

By Raichel Ronayne

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service offers two types of telephone communication over the Internet: computer to computer and telephone to telephone. The most popular VOIP services are telephone to telephone communication. A telephone adapter is plugged into a DSL or cable modem and then into an analog telephone.

Recent developments in VOIP service are the wireless fidelity (WiFi) phones. WiFi phones send out signals like cell phones but on a different frequency (Wilson); the signals are intercepted and routed to the Internet.

WiFi phones were first developed for limited network communication. For example, employees within a large office building could communicate with each other over their own network without being tied to their desk phones. More recently, WiFi phones have expanded beyond the boundaries of a limited network to include the largest network in the world: the Internet.

Cellular phone manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon to develop phones that will work both as a WiFi and cellular phone—called dual mode hybrids. A hybrid user traveling outside their cellular service can switch to VOIP.

Early versions were fraught with problems such as hybrid users having to manually switch from cell phone service to VOIP service. In addition, there has been limited wireless service areas—called hot spots. However, access to hotspots is on the increase and some manufacturers have already released improved versions of dual mode hybrids that will automatically switch from cellular mode to VOIP mode when a hybrid user has traveled out of cellular range without disrupting a call.

Cellular companies are also looking to cash in by making their systems compatible with VOIP service and possibly offering both cellular and VOIP service in one package.

WiFi phones for VOIP are a relatively new development. As with all new advancements in technology, the bugs will have to be worked out but progress in WiFi technology is being made at a fast pace. Soon VOIP may not just take over the market from phone company giants but from cellular phone companies as well.

References:

Wilson, Tracy V. How WiFi Phones Work. How Stuff Works, Retrieved 06/19/06, from http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/wifi-phone.htm

Simon, Ellen (May 14, 2004). WiFi Phones Wave of The Future. CBS News SCI-TECH, Retrieved June 22, 2006, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/13/tech/main617354.shtml

Charny, Ben (August 5, 2004). WiFi Phones Make a Splash. CNET News.com, Retrieved June 22, 2006, from [http://news.com.com/Wi-Fi+phones+make+a+splash/2100-7351_3-5296745.html]

RaiChel Ronayne is a writer/reviewer for http://toptenreviews.com/. TopTenREVIEWS features expert reviews for technology and entertainment products and services. The company has served over 60 million Internet visitors, has over 400,000 pages of original content and provides users with free access to in-depth product and service reviews with side-by-side comparisons and industry related news and articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raichel_Ronayne

VoIP Vulnerabilities Still Apparent

2010-02-08T10:09:00.002-08:00

By Tim ONeill

With the use of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) by all reports rapidly expanding, several recent cases have exposed serious vulnerabilities with the service. However fraud is an everyday occurrence so I for one wouldn’t base my decision solely on these events.

As per previous articles I have written and various on my “About VoIP Information” website, security vulnerabilities for VoIP do exist and have been and continue to be seriously examined and worked through by industry. However two recent cases act as a reminder that all holes have not been closed.

In Australia it has been reported that a very public VoIP provider Engin had it’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software cracked by a hacker who publicly exposed how to obtain details of other customer’s orders in a post on the broadband site Whirlpool. Engin reportedly resolved the problem the next morning before any advantage was gained.

Engin appeared very honest and forthright admitting the problem and fixes that would be put in place with blame attributed to a third party programming consultancy responsible for programming of the CRM. Despite credit card details apparently not recorded in the area that became accessible, it does highlight the ease at which confidential personal information can be accessed, not something that is usually considered a security problem related to VoIP.

In the very public case two arrests have been made in early June for breaking into a New York companies network and spoofing VoIP traffic to its service provider. Wholesale phone connections were then offered at discount rates in a pseudo-service provider manner with a resultant 100% profit margin for the fraudsters.

TMCnet Executive Editor Robert Lui reported that one security expert advised the problem could have been easily adverted. It is suggested that multiple security products are required for securing VoIP networks which to some degree is in line with the layered or defence in depth security principle ie more layers of security making it more difficult to get through.

Despite these two reported cases and significant discussion and reporting about a diverse range of security considerations and concerns, it must be remembered that fraud is part of everyday life and regardless of how many checks and balances are put in place, a determined criminal will eventually be successful. Such is the case with credit cards for example, passports and other identification documents. The message in my view to take away is review the service providers performance and virtually by the numbers game, assuming all advisable security precautions are adhered to, it would be unlucky to be a victim of hacking.

The Author has an Associate Diploma in Electronic Engineering. For further information, books or VoIP items, please visit All About Voice Over Internet Protocol [http://www.voipworking4you.info].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_ONeill

The VoIP Insurgency

2010-02-08T10:09:00.001-08:00

By Michael Brito

There was a dreadful time in history when the telecom regime (local phone companies) held consumers captive by charging high prices for phone service. To make matters worse, this regime would nickel and dime consumers to death for additional features like voicemail, call waiting, caller ID, and call forwarding. Not to mention their customer service or lack thereof, was and still is a horrifying experience. This long history of monopolizing the telecommunication industry has finally come to an end. It’s time for a regime change. Consumers now have an alternative – introducing VoIP.

VoIP, also known as Voice over Internet Protocol, is a technology that allows you to make phone calls over an existing Internet connection instead of a regular (analog) phone line. Some services that use VoIP only allow you to call other people using the same service, usually done when making PC to PC phone calls. Other services allow you to call anyone, anywhere (as long as they have a telephone number) including: local & long distance, mobile, and international numbers. This type of VoIP service allows you to use a traditional phone that plugs directly into a phone adapter.

The great thing about VoIP is that all the additional features are included in the monthly fee. These features include: unlimited local & long distance calls into the US & Canada, voicemail, call waiting, caller id, three-way, just to name a few. Most VoIP service providers typically charge between $20 and $25 dollars a month.

VoIP is a revolutionary technology that has the potential to completely redesign the entire world’s communication infrastructure. VoIP providers have already been around for several years and growing at a tremendous rate. Currently, there are over 6 million users of VoIP worldwide and that numbers is growing exponentially.

FAQ about VoIP

Can you provide me with a brief explanation of VoIP?
VoIP allows you to make phone calls over an existing Internet connection. VoIP converts a voice signal (analog) from your phone into a digital signal that then travels over the Internet to the desired location. It then converts the digital signal back to analog so the person on the other end can hear what you are saying.

How do I make a VoIP phone call?
The first step of making a VoIP phone call is to subscribe to a service. Once you sign up for service, the VoIP service provider will then send you a broadband phone adapter, which plugs directly into your internet connection. You will then have to plug your existing telephone into the phone adapter. Lastly, all you have to do is pick up the phone and dial the number.

What kind of equipment do I need to use VoIP?
You need three things in order to use VoIP: 1) A high-speed Internet connection (either cable or DSL); A broadband phone adapter (provided by the VoIP service provider); and 3) any standard (analog or digital) phone.

Is there a difference when placing a local or long distance call when using VoIP?
Not really. VoIP phone calls are made just the same way as traditional calls are made. When dialing local calls, all you have to do is dial 7 digits (555-1212) and when dialing long distance, all you have to do is dial 11 digits (1-408-555-1212).

Can I call anyone using VoIP?
Yes. You can call anyone, anywhere as long as they have a valid phone number. It can be a local call, long distance call, international call, cell phone, toll free, 911 (assuming they have E911 capability)and 411 directory assistance. Most VoIP providers will not allow calls to 900 or 976 phone numbers, nor will they accept collect calls.

What are some advantages of using VoIP?

1. Cost - Most VoIP providers charge between $20 and $25 a month.

2. Unlimited calling in the U.S and Canada.

3. All the features are included (voicemail, caller id, call waiting, 3-way, call forwarding and much more)

4. VoIP is portable. You can take the phone adapter anywhere where there is an existing Internet connection, plug it in and make calls if you were at home.

5. The ability to choose your own area code. You can live in New York and choose to have a California phone number.

Are there any disadvantages of using VoIP?

Yes.

1. If the power goes out in your home you will also lose your Internet connection, which means that your phone service will also be down. Some VoIP service providers offer a feature that allows customers to designate a forwarding number if their Internet connection goes down for any reason.

2. Not all VoIP Providers offer E911. This means that if you call 911 from your VoIP phone, it may not go to the local public dispatcher. Rather, it will get routed to an answering service first.

3. Call Quality. At certain times of the day, the call quality of phone conversations will suffer. This could be due to bandwidth sharing, or slow Internet connection.

Do I need a computer to use VoIP?

No. Although most VoIP customers do have a computer, one is not needed. The broadband phone adapter simply plugs into a router (or modem) to get a connection.

Can I use VoIP when I travel?
Yes. You can use your VoIP service wherever you travel as long as you have a high speed Internet connection available and you bring your broadband phone adapter and phone with you.

How will I know if someone is calling me from a VoIP phone?
You won’t. The VoIP phone works just like a traditional phone. The quality and experience is that good.

Join the rebellion aimed at overthrowing the telecommunications industry by force. Switch to VoIP today and start saving tomorrow.

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

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Brito

VoIP PBX Solutions For Businesses - What to Look For

2010-01-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

By Michael Lemm

Business communications has always been a challenging arena for management....subject to cost, function, reliability, and other pressures and concerns. The emergence of VoIP technology....and specifically application to PBX systems via IP based protocols....has provided an enormous opportunity for companies to reap many benefits.

Many companies today have multiple office locations around the country or around the world. Currently, each office uses its own PBX system and inter-office phone calls are routed through the PSTN and charged long distance and international rates by carriers. Most companies also employ workers on a part time basis who work from their homes. Those workers get reimbursed for telecommunication expenses they incur while performing their duties. It just makes business sense for companies to explore alternatives to consolidate their telecommunication systems and reduce costs.

The answer......purchase a Voice-over-IP enabled PBX system and deploy it in a Virtual Office setup.

Voice-over-IP (VoIP) is a fairly new technology for transporting voice calls over the Internet which allows users to realize substantial cost savings on long distance and international calls. Besides cost effectiveness, VoIP enabled PBX systems (or IP PBX) offer easy integration with existing telecommunications systems and are characterized with low operating costs as their upgrade is done through software updates rather than more expensive hardware replacement. Additionally, the technology simplifies the communication infrastructure (no need for separate voice and data cables) while offering high scalability.

Virtual Office models are used by companies that want to consolidate their communications, reduce costs and achieve more cohesive corporate images. To implement the model, a company has to install a single IP PBX system in its headquarters and distribute to employees IP phones or regular phones with VoIP adapters. Employees can make intra-office and inter-office phone calls through dialing PBX extensions. Such calls are routed through the Internet and are practically free. Company customers, on the other side, can dial a single inbound number plus extensions in order to reach the company's employees. The latter receive the calls on their IP/Regular Phones at any location in the world with Internet connectivity.

So what kind of a VoIP PBX solution does your business need? - a turnkey Virtual Office solution that could be customized to meet your company specific needs.

My recommendation for this solution is the highly acclaimed package from Packet8. Recently 8X8, Inc's Packet8 Virtual Office Solution for small and medium sized businesses received Network Computing Magazine's Editor's Choice award over competitive offerings from Covad Communications and Velocity Networks. That's some pretty stiff competition....and says a lot about Packet8's performance. The Packet8 Virtual Office solution received the highest overall rating for its rich feature set, call management tools and low subscription price.

The Packet8 Virtual Office is a cost-effective, easy-to-use alternative to traditional PBX systems that allows users anywhere in the world to be part of a VoIP-hosted virtual phone system that includes auto attendants, conference bridges, extension-to-extension dialing, business class voicemail and ring groups, in addition to a rich variety of other business telephone features normally found on high-end, premise based PBX systems. Their Virtual Office reduces an organization's telecommunications total cost of ownership (TCO) with a minimal initial investment combined with unlimited local and long distance business calling throughout the United States and Canada and Packet8's low international rates.

Now.....here's an overview of what to look for when making the business case for investment in VoIP technology for a VoIP PBX solution:

* Ways to save money for corporations.....

- Eliminate or reduce intra-office toll charges

- Avoiding service and support contracts on existing PBX hardware

- Eliminate the need for on-going Centrex services -- and charges

- Reduce expansion costs via lower costs for adds, moves and changes; lower user hardware costs

- Reduce the on-going costs for separate voice messaging systems

- Provide productivity benefits for remote and traveling workers who can be empowered with the same integrated capabilities as office workers

- Reduce user training and learning on phone and messaging systems

- Cost-effectively implement unified messaging

- Improve security

- Reduce systems downtime and improve performance

Additional benefits for call centers.....

- Virtualize call centers, allowing more flexibility in the center's configuration....either helping consolidation efforts, or providing enterprise capabilities to telecommuting call center workers

- Improve customer support services and reduce abandoned calls and call times

- Improve customer satisfaction and reduce customer turnover via improved call center services

Cost considerations....

- VoIP telecommunication hardware and software

- IP phone sets or soft phones

- Network upgrades for possible quality of service and performance upgrades

- Implementation labor and professional services

- On-going support and administration labor

- Support and maintenance contracts

- Increased support calls and potential user downtime losses on initial deployment

- IT Training

- User Training

- Write-off, write-down and disposal costs for existing telecommunication assets

Potential project risks......

- Quality of service/performance

- User training and adoption

- Administration and support skill levels and resources

- Proprietary vs. open systems interoperability

How Does The Solution Work?

Inter/Intra office calls.......

Caller A, who is located in the corporate headquarters, wants to make a call to Caller B, who is located in the corporate headquarters or in any of the company's offices worldwide.

Caller A picks up his VoIP device (IP phone, phone with adapter or softphone) and dials Caller B's extension.

The VoIP PBX server searches its internal database and obtains call routing information about Caller B The VoIP PBX server routes the call to Caller B's VoIP device.

If the destination number is unreachable, the system forwards the call to Caller B's voicemail.

As soon as Caller B picks up his VoIP device the conversation starts.

During conversation Caller A's VoIP device convert voice to digital packets and send them to Caller B's VoIP device and vice versa.

Both A and B can use traditional PBX functionality, like call on hold, caller ID, call forward, etc. Calls are free

Outbound calls.......

Caller A, who is located in the corporate headquarters, wants to make a call
to Caller B, who is a company customer.

Caller A picks up his VoIP device (IP phone, phone with adapter or softphone) and dials the customer's number.

The VoIP PBX server searches its internal database and obtains call routing
information about the VoIP carrier, who should terminate calls to Caller B's area code.

The call is routed to the VoIP carrier.

The VoIP carrier terminates the call to Caller's B number over the PSTN.

During conversation, Caller A can use traditional PBX functionality, like call on hold, caller ID, call forward, etc.

Calls are charged on time basis at pre-negotiated rates with the VoIP carrier

Inbound calls.....

Caller A, who is a company customer, wants to make a call to Caller B, who is a company employee.

Caller A picks up his phone and dials the company's central access number.

The VoIP PBX server prompts the caller to enter an extension.

Caller A dials Caller B's extension.

The VoIP PBX server searches its internal database and obtains call routing information about Caller B.

The VoIP PBX server routes the call to Caller B's VoIP device.

During conversation, Caller B can use traditional PBX functionality, like call on hold, caller ID, call forward, etc.

Calls are either free if the company uses a local access number or charged on a time basis if the company uses a toll free one.

Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies carry great promise to reduce telecommunication and networking total cost of ownership while empowering businesses with new capabilities and agility. When making your decision on deploying a Virtual Office VoIP PBX solution consider the strategic and tangible benefits as well as the costs and risks outlined above. If it all seems too overwhelming seek out the assistance of an unbiased independent advisor such as Business VoIP Solution.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including Business VoIP Solution Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Lemm

Most popular VOIP companies

2009-11-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP services have become increasingly popular in the last few years. In case you aren’t aware of VoIP, these services include full communication such as phone calls, videoconferencing and telephony services all of which can be completed over a high-speed internet connection. Most VoIp companies are worldwide as the only physical connection that you need to them is your high-speed internet connection. All contact and communication is competed online or by your VoIP phone. The most popular VoIP companies out there are: Vonage Vonage has become one of the most recognized of the VoIP Companies. Who hasn’t caught themselves humming that catchy jingle or smiling at the stunts in their commercials? Vonage has over 150 global markers in the USA, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. They were founded in January of 2001 and are based in Holmdel, New Jersey. As of December 2005 Vonage employs over 1400 people worldwide and completes over 35 million calls per week on over a million active lines. Skype Skype is a unique VoIP company in that it offers its download free to consumers. This allows people to make free calls worldwide using Skype peer-to-peer software. Charges are made for personalizing the Skype download by adding mobile phone services, voicemail, and access to worldwide hotspots. Skype service does require a PC platform at this time but efforts
are being made to expand to mobile devices and handsets. Skype reports that over 221, 078,102 users have downloaded the Skype software. Skype was founded by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, both who co-developed KaZaA, the world’s most used peer-to-peer software. Skype has offices in Luxembourg, London and Tallinn. BroadVoice BroadVoice, another VoIP company that is located in the United States but offers services worldwide. They were founded in Billerica, MA in December of 2003, and now provide service to 120 plus countries. BroadVoice offers a package of twenty-five basic and advanced features that are billed at a monthly rate. The company allows users to make and receive calls anywhere in the world as long as a high-speed internet connection is available. BroadVoice reports over 600,000 plus users with numbers increasing monthly. SunRocket SunRocket is a VoIP provider established by Paul Erickson and Joyce Dorris in early 2004. These two former MCI executives were coworkers for over 10 years prior to founding SunRocket. Offices of this provider are found primarily in North Americas - the United States and Canada. This provider offers low costs, great voice calling clarity/quality and the option of adding a free additional phone number with no additional charge. With all these options available it comes as no surprise that SunRocket is quickly gaining ground on its closest competitors.

VOIP Gateway

2009-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

A Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) gateway is a network device that converts voice and fax calls between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and an IP network in real time. A VOIP gateway is also known as a media gateway, networking equipment. With a minimum of one Ethernet and telephone port, the controlling of the gateway can be done through the application of various protocols: SIP, MGCP, LTP, etc.

The VOIP gateway basically operates voice and fax compression/decompression, packetization, control signaling and call routing. Other service features can include billing systems, network management systems, and interfaces to external controllers, like Gatekeepers or Softswitches.

Voice Over IP Gateway assists carrier services. It offer flexible call integration, ringing and sound (tones) quality, and supports the transference of the calls resulting in lower consumer costs combined with ease of access. Gateways also helps offer compliant, easy numbering plans, choosing the lowest cost route automatically while keeping transparency at both the ends.

A gateway converts to IP voice packets through different applications, relying heavily upon software, tools and technical documentation for everything to work together. Overall, the gateway helps enable basic phone features: dial tone, ringing and caller I.D.

VoIP Phone Systems

2009-10-15T23:29:00.000-07:00

Posted by Mike Rohan

VoIP phone systems are used with Voice over Internet Protocol technology. VoIP is the technology used to transmit audio as data or Packets over the Internet to either a computer user or to a landline telephone. VoIP is increasing in popularity, as it is highly valued for its great quality, low cost, sometimes completely free and has incredible features. VoIP phone systems are a viable solution for business needs as well. This will also allow long distance calls for either free or for just pennies compared to traditional phone services.

You can also use VoIP technology by using Instant Messaging services that have voice options enabled. These include, AOL, Yahoo Messenger with VoiceInstant Messenger, Ebay's Skype, MSN and even Google has started their own VoIP messenger.

When using VoIP services, you can simply use a microphone and speakers to communicate with your caller. You need a High Speed Internet connection to allow for your calls to be in real time, and you will also need a soundboard and computer that is up to date with VoIP technology. You may also need a phone adapter for converting standard telephones into VoIP phones, or a VoIP phone.

VoIP phone system adapters are another means of communicating with VoIP. A VoIP phone adapter will connect between your standard telephones, and your Internet modem. Your phone adapter will come with installation and user instructions. Generally, you will need to power off your computer, then connect the adapter to your Internet modem and then plug your telephone into the adapterâ€™s phone jack. Power everything back up and you should be good to use your phone. You will need to make sure that you have VoIP service previously installed.

You can also purchase a VoIP phone, specifically designed for use with your VoIP service. VoIP phones come in both corded and cordless forms. VoIP corded phones come with many features. You can purchase a desktop phone that includes speaker phone, Call Waiting, Hold, Speed Dial, Transfer, and programmable keys such as Menu, Dial, Volume, Transfer, Cancel, and Headset or Speaker mode.

New 2 line VoIP corded telephone are also available. Some of the features that come with a phone include 3 Way Conferencing, phone to phone/PC or phone to gateway direct dial. These VoIP phone systems are perfect for small businesses or for use in the home office.

VoWiFi is another option which is becoming popular. VoWiFi stands for Voice over Wireless Fidelity. This is the use of VoIP over a wireless connection. A VoWiFi phone operates by using a wireless networkâ€™s access point. The advantages of using VoWiFi, is that you can easily pick up network signals or â€œhotspotsâ€ for free. However, VoWiFi will not work if it is out of a wireless range, and immediately you will be terminated from your call. If you have a wireless network that you are local to, you will find VoWiFi to be a great advantage and extremely cost effective.

Another popular choice in VoIP phones is the cordless VoIP phone. These cordless VoIP phones are not the same as VoIP wireless or VoWi FI phones systems. These phones are similar to cordless standard phones. They will work in your house, but not outside, apart from your basic VoIP service.

Issues with network connectivity has driven the need for Hybrid VoIP phone systems. A hybrid is a cross between a cellular phone and VoWiFi. A Hybrid will place your call when you are in your cellular network range, and then, to prevent roaming charges, can pick up free VoWiFi by entering a hotspot. This is a great combination of two technologies and time will tell where the hybrid phone will evolve in the future.

In conclusion, VoIP is an advancement in telecommunications that is here to stay. Whether you use your computer, and Internet Messaging program, a VoIP phone adapter, VoIP cordless or corded phones, VoWiFi or Hybrids the future points to VoIP as the telecommunication method of choice. Today you can choose from VoIP phones, headsets, and even VoIP videophones that work as a web camera incorporating video with your audio. Talk has become very cheap or even free with VoIP phone systems!

Mike Rohan makes it easy to understand and take full advantage VoIP phone system.Make your phone cheaper or even free. To learn more visit: VoIP Phone Systems

The Internet - The World's Greatest Telephone for the Success of Your Business

2009-10-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

Posted by Shaun Stevens

Business owners of companies both large and small can achieve rich improvements in their operations if they start to ask themselves regularly, "I have just been handed a powerful new tool. It essentially lets me costless communicate with anyone on the planet. How can I best use it to my advantage?"

To focus, business owners must first ask themselves two questions: As a business owner, what am I trying to achieve?

Marry your answers to the diverse communications capabilities of the World Wide Web; you will inevitably create some powerful and highly beneficial new initiatives.

In exploring strategies for success in the developing environment, it is essential to recognize a fact that is often overlooked: The Internet is fundamentally a new communications vehicle. As a consequence, a large part of its value arises because it permits cost-effective communications â€” down the street or on a worldwide basisâ€”that were not possible before its emergence.

Why is this so important? Because many people have a very different view of the World Wide Web. They will suggest that the Web is an entertainment medium â€”something that has more in common with the television than the telephone. This focus is easy to appreciate; the typical person is more interested in the new offerings on the Web that can entertain him or her than the less exciting details of enhanced communications capabilities. In addition, Internet use is the first activity in over forty years that has been clearly documented as something that causes people to spend less time watching television. It's therefore natural to think of it as a substitute for this medium.

Benefits of Internet Telephony to Your Business:

1) Availability Completely under Customer Control. With the internet, visitorsâ€”potential customers â€”come to Web sites at their convenience, making them far more receptive to what companies have to say because the customers aren't being intruded upon (as happens with telemarketing).

2) One-to-Many Communications Performed Seamlessly. The Internet offers one-to-many communications systems without losing the privacy or interaction possible by phone. A single posting at a Web site reaches as many people as visit the site that day
.
3) Reduced Effort, Time, and Cost. The Web makes things easy and affordable.

Not all businesses are currently bringing in added profit via the Web yet; nonetheless, every business needs to be working on it in order to be competitive today.

The Web makes it possible for companies both large and small to develop new communications processes that save time and money while enabling faster responses to customer needs.

Many industries rely on widely distributed field sales forces that may consist of independent agents or company employees. In today's fast-moving business environment, providing these frontline soldiers with the most up-to-the-minute information and the best possible tools and support is critical to success, and by using the Web, companies can do so at far lower cost.

2) Availability Completely under Customer Control.

With the Internet, visitorsâ€”potential customersâ€”come to Web sites at their convenience, making them far more receptive to what companies have to say because the customers aren't being intruded upon (as happens with telemarketing).
3) One-to-Many Communications Performed Seamlessly
The Internet offers one-to-many communications systems without losing the privacy or interaction possible by phone. A single posting at a Web site reaches as many people as visit the site that day.

4) Reduced Effort, Time, and Cost.
The Web makes things easy and affordable.

The Web makes it possible to communicate regularly with a large volume of customers at virtually no cost.

Businesses can generally benefit by disseminating information; yet up to now, there has not been a cost-effective, satisfactory way of timely customer notification. Not only is direct mail costly, but the timing of delivery is erratic and an overwhelming amount of it is never even opened. The telephone is timely, but information disseminated by telephone is also costly and runs the risk of alienating customers who don't want to be bothered by solicitors.

Enter the Internet. The World Wide Web gives companies a low-cost method to communicate with existing customers and to reach out to potential ones with a timeliness that has never before existed.

The new capabilities created by the Internet far exceed what could be accomplished with the telephone. Consider how a well-designed Internet customer-communications system can work:

1.) Orders are confirmed by e-mail â€”first immediately after they are placed, and again when they are shipped out. The shipping confirmation notice includes an internal tracking number to help customers locate the package if it fails to arrive on a timely basis.

2.) Customers can register for e-mail notifications of various kinds. By filling out an online form, customers can request to be notified about newly available products that are likely to be of interest to them.

3.) "Missing" customers can be inexpensively lured back: If a frequent customer has not made a purchase for some time, the electronic retailer can send a $5 or $10 digital coupon to encourage a return purchase. These types of ongoing efforts to build loyalty can be triggered by well-designed automated databases, combined with virtually costless e-mail, to create an inexpensive, potentially high-return, and customer loyalty program.

This suggests a central strategy for any business today: Gather e-mail addresses from customers (and permission to contact them using these addresses), even if you don't yet have an interactive Web site. Every business from a major manufacturer to a regional discount store to the local plumber will find that well-designed e-mail messages can be a low-cost, highly effective means of building profitable revenues. In Strategy 7, I discuss how a local pest-control business might benefit tremendously from an e-mail-based initiative.

The Importance of round the clock availability

Like a good catalog and 800 numbers, the Internet makes your company accessible to customers worldwide twenty-four hours a day. However, the â€œWebâ€ is better than the world's greatest catalog."

Here's why:

Additional visuals as well as more written detail. Catalogs face an inherent limitation: Paper and postage are costly. As a result, details â€”other views of a product as well as more written descriptionâ€”often have to be left out. So while the 800-number operator can read to customers the special washing instructions, if the product is offered on the Internet, the consumer can read the special washing instructions for him- or herself, scroll through a more lengthy product description, and in all likelihood, see more than one view of the item.

Expanded offerings. Today catalogs typically list only a portion of a company's offerings, simply because more listings mean expansion of printing and mailing costs. The Web obliterates this limitation.

Remember too, that anything that can be accomplished online instead of by phone is more cost effective. A five-minute call to order a $50 item, at a cost of $1 per minute, means that the call is a significant percentage of the cost structure, and a five-minute inquiryâ€”with no purchase attached â€”creates a financial loss in addition to time lost by personnel who might have been making a sale to someone else. This contrasts with use of the Internet, whereâ€”to the extent that communications cost existsâ€”they are trivial, and consumers bear the cost of company contact by paying their access service.

The Internet has now led to a new definition of what customers have come to expect: In the emerging era, businesses are almost required to provide twenty-four-hour Internet communications, so that the consumer can shop from home whenever he or she wants to. Sites that prosper will be more than order-taking vehicles; they will provide a creative, educational experience that builds knowledge about their products and services and engenders sales as well as ongoing customer loyalty.

Whether your business specializes in Porsche luxury cars or temporary employment services , the Web offers you the opportunity to find people who are looking for what your company sells.

The Growing Trend Of VoIP Telephony (VoIP)

2009-10-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

Posted by Michael Brito

Your local phone service provider is looking over their shoulder at what is coming up fast behind them. VoIP â€“ Voice Over Internet Telephony â€“ is gaining ground and is no longer considered a fad, but a strong and viable alternative to traditional phone service. By routing conversations over internet broadband lines, VoIP calls can be made quickly and cheaply thereby saving you, the consumer, plenty of money compared to traditional phone service. Recent improvements in VoIP technology have prompted more and more consumers to switch to VoIP, permanently altering the way many phone conversations are handled around the globe. Letâ€™s explore the growing trend of VoIP telephony and what this technology has to offer to you.

In its early days, VoIP telephony was considered by some to be a technologically unreliable fad, one that was shunned by mostly everyone who had long relied upon their traditional phone service company to provide them with dependable, if not costly, telephone service. Today, much has changed and VoIP telephony has not only vastly improved, but has attracted millions of new customers thanks to technological advancements and smart marketing.

Initially, voice quality with VoIP telephony was suspect, as conversations between users was often accompanied by crackling sounds and echoing. Indeed, drop offs due to connection problems was common, causing many to avoid making the switch. Still, as with virtually all emerging technologies, kinks have been worked out as newer, vastly improved versions are introduced. VoIP, for one, has undergone rapid transformation from fad to fixture in many homes and offices as quality levels have picked up while prices remain exceedingly low.

Indeed, price is a huge factor contributing to VoIPâ€™s rapid growth. Many VoIP telephony providers offer comprehensive unlimited local and long distance calling plans that start at less than $25 per month. Compare VoIP prices to those charged by most traditional phone service providers â€“ typically $70-80 per month â€“ and the potential annual savings is well over $500!

Yes, you have to shop around to find a high quality VoIP telephony provider, but all of the top companies offer similar deals with packages usually containing the following important features:

- Free local and long distance calls.

- Portable phone numbers, meaning you can take your existing phone number wherever you move; certain restrictions may apply.

- Special services offered at no extra charge including: caller ID, call forwarding, 3-way calling, call return, call transfer, voicemail, and more.

- Low, fixed monthly rates. No worrying about fluctuating phone bills!

In addition, most governments are taking a decidedly hands off approach to VoIP telephony and are not levying anywhere near the same high level of taxes on VoIP service as they have been on traditional phone service. Yes, take a close look at your current phone bill and you will see that double-digit fees really push up the monthly balance. Not so with VoIP telephony as it is treated in the same way as internet service.

There has been some concern about power outages and the loss of VoIP telephony service during these interruptions. Indeed, most people understand that if your home loses electrical power, then their traditional phone service would continue to work as phone lines are powered separately from electrical lines, while VoIP telephony phone service is stopped when the power goes out. To get around the problem, many VoIP telephony providers now give users a control panel where they can program their VoIP server to automatically reroute calls to their cell phone in the event of a power outage. So, there is no longer any excuse for you to not make the switch to VoIP telephony and begin realizing big savings today!

About The Author:
Click here to learn more about VoIP telephony: http://www.packet8.net Michael Brito is an internet marketing consultant for small business http://www.michaelbrito.com specializing in SEO and web strategy.

VoIP Flexibility and Features

2009-10-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

Posted by Justin Brown

here is no doubt that VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) has many advantages over traditional calling, but one advantage that might not seem obvious at first is the flexibility that VoIP possesses.

For the majority of people, the first thought of VoIP will be the cost saving opportunity that is certainly possible. In previous articles Iâ€™ve mentioned how the cost, especially for businesses and long-distance callers, can be significantly decreased from traditional calling. This is mainly due to the fact that VoIP carries a call over a broadband internet connection, meaning that many taxes and charges that would usually be incurred with regular telephone companies are avoided.

VoIP is not a new technology; in fact it's far from it. VoIP is a technology that has been around for several years, but has only recently begun to make big strides in becoming a real alternative to regular analogue phone systems. At first, it had its disadvantages such as poorer voice quality, but the advancement in technology has meant that this is no longer the case.

There are some great features that VoIP provides, and the list of features is sure to grow with the increase in popularity of the technology. Customers can already take advantage of deals that VoIP providers are putting together, some of which include caller ID, call waiting, 3-way calling, speed dialing, call forwarding, and free voicemail in their packages.

Another great feature of VoIP, especially for business customers, is the ability to access the phone network away from office premises. So for example if employees needed to work from home or from a location away from the office, then they could do so whilst still being able to keep track of office calls and having access to the office phone system features.

Similarly, regular customers can also benefit from this flexibility. Your designated number is assigned to a converter that is used to access the VoIP service. This makes it possible to connect the converter to any high-speed internet connection and immediately utilize the same number for making and receiving calls. Say then for instance that you move from one side of the country to the other; you can still keep the same phone number.

As with many services, the likelihood of many service providers entering the market can only be good news for consumers. Competition and price battles will more than likely see VoIP take over from regular analogue phone systems in business premises and households over the coming years.

VoIP popularity is increasing fast across the U.S and will certainly do the same in other areas of the world. It is certainly a technology that should be researched into further if you are serious about cutting telephone costs and benefiting from features I have highlighted in this article.

To read more about flyfone VoIP and about VoIP service providers, I suggest you take a visit to www.voipflyfone.info.

VOIP-Voice Over IP at Home: Is it Right for You?

2009-10-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

By Andrew Kelly.

VOIP AT HOME What is VoIP? Chances are you've heard of VOIP, or "voice over Internet." If not, you will soon, as major phone companies are now trying to get in on the action. Why? VOIP allows users to make phone calls using their high-speed Internet connection. This essentially translates into "free" long distance, or, depending on set-up, unlimited long distance for a low set price for the service. When using VOIP, the traditional phone company is left completely out of the loop--literally. The concept is much the same as email; for the price of an Internet connection and provider, you can send unlimited email messages.

VOIP Pros: VOIP is an affordable method for long distance calling, and depending on where you live, you may be able to transfer you current phone number to a VOIP system. 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. For the most part, sounds exactly the same as with a traditional telephone line. If you are using VOIP and the other person is not, they will not know the difference.

VOIP Cons: Some areas do not yet have this availability, but it is still possible to transfer long distance only to VOIP--it just means that you'll have a separate number for long distance calling. This may be a slight inconvenience, but the savings may offset the cost--it all depends on your needs. Also, some users report hearing an echo when using VOIP. There can also be a slight delay at the beginning of the call. One primary issue regarding VOIP is the ability to dial out for emergencies. Some providers work to place 911 calls (by configuring your service), and some do not. If you will be replacing your landline or mobile completely with VOIP, this is something you will want to research before choosing a provider and service.

Is VOIP Right for Me? Deciding 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. When comparing VOIP to cell phone programs, it again depends on needs. Most VOIP packages are considerably less than cell phone unlimited calling plans, but of course, VOIP is not as flexible (yet) as far as portability and other features you may not want to give up on your cell plan.

How Do I Get Set-up for VOIP? Technical requirements for VOIP depend on the service and method you choose to use. There are three types of VOIP options. â€¢ ATA stands for analog telephone adaptor, and it's very simple to use. You connect it to your computer or Internet connection, plug in a regular phone, and you're ready to go! Providers such as Vonage and AT&T CallAdvantage use this option. â€¢ IP phones are special phones that look like traditional phones, but they connect with an Ethernet connector. A similar phone in the works is one that operates with Wi-Fi, which means that when you take your laptop to the local coffee bar to access wireless Internet, you could also make a long distance call. â€¢ Computer-to-computer is an easy way to use VoIP and long distance calls are free; you only pay for the software. To use this method, you will need to download and install the software and be equipped with a microphone, speakers, a sound card and a high-speed Internet connection such as DS or cable.

Aside from the software, the only fees are those for your monthly ISP. You'll need a high-speed Internet connection to use VOIP, such as DSL or Cable. Most VOIP options are easy to install. Providers of ATA, for example, will usually send you the adaptor you need when you sign up for the service. If you have a standard Internet set-up, you should be able to easily install the adaptor and software yourself, and be on your way. The process is very simple and straightforward, and once installed, the service is immediate (no waiting 3-5 business days for your phone service!).

Connecting an IP phone is equally easy, and computer-to-computer simply requires the downloading and installing of software. Andrew Kelly is a Technology Consultant who helps keep businesses at the leading edge of technology.

What VoIP Can Do for You -- and How It Does It

2009-09-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Ron Pacchiano

Who wouldn't want to pay less for their phone service? That's just one of the advantages VoIP can offer. It helps to understand what the technology is, how it works, and how proper planning makes all the difference between success and failure.

According to a recent study, only 12 percent of the people surveyed were familiar with the concept of VoIP. Of those that knew it related to some type of phone service, even fewer understood how it actually worked. Given those statistics, now seems like a good time for a quick overview of VoIP and how it relates to your network.

We'll focus more on VoIP in a small business environment as opposed to those specific to a home user. However, the majority of this discussion applies to both.

So let's begin with something important to all small business owners &nbdash; money. Consider a report published by TeleNomic Research that reveals small businesses (companies with fewer than 500 employees) spend on average $543.17 per month for telecommunications services — 89 percent of which are for local, long distance, and wireless telephone services.

Yet high telephone bills are only one aspect of the expenses small business owners face when it comes to their telecommunication systems. Traditional telephone systems are typically difficult to manage and support. They require their own communication lines, custom hardware, and usually a special support team. Just adding or removing a single user can cost hundreds of dollars. Not to mention the cost of adding additional extensions.

Now, there was a time when you had no choice but to pay these prices simply because you couldn't get these services anywhere else. Today, though, you have another option. Imagine a local phone number that followed you anywhere. Take a VoIP phone on the road, and you can place or receive calls from almost anywhere as if you were sitting at your desk. Since your phone number is mobile as well, you can make "local" calls back home or call around the globe without worrying about cell phone roaming or hotel surcharges.

Also, imagine getting your phone messages forwarded to your notebook as e-mail attachments. Think of how helpful it would he to archive phone messages and conversations (with the other party's consent, of course) as electronic files on your computer. And consider if this came with great features like call waiting/forwarding, voicemail, and three-way calling at no extra charge. That's what VoIP can do for you.

VoIP allows you to make telephone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line. Some services using VoIP may allow you to call only other people using the same service, but others allow you to call anyone who has a telephone number — including local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers. Also, while some services work only over your computer or a special VoIP phone, other services allow you to use a traditional phone through an adaptor.

How VoIP Works

VoIP is a collection of digitally encrypted voice transmissions that are carried over a network based on a single common language, or protocol — in this case, the Internet Protocol TCP/IP. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the Internet and is then converted back at the other end, so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number. When placing a VoIP call using a phone with an adapter, you'll hear a dial tone and dial just as you always have. VoIP may also allow you to make a call directly from a computer using a conventional telephone or a microphone.

VoIP works as a peer-to-peer application, entailing handshaking and direct media exchange between two IP devices,. To call someone, the user dials the telephone number, the handset translates that number into IP address format (e.g., 123.456.11.22), and the device sends encrypted data packets whose payloads contain messages conforming to a particular call-setup protocol between the two devices. They then establish a common connection for voice exchange. Their device rings, they pick up, and media packets flow in both directions.

To better understand how VoIP works, it's helpful to compare it to how conventional phone calls operate. When you place a "regular" phone call using the Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN (also known as POTS, for Plain Old Telephone Service), it's known as circuit-switched telephony, because it sets up a dedicated connection between two points for the duration of the call.

VoIP, on the other hand, is known as packet-switched telephony, because the voice information travels to its destination in countless individual network packets across the Internet. This type of communication presents special TCP/IP challenges because the Internet wasn't really designed for the kind of real-time communication a phone call represents. Individual packets may — and almost always do — take different paths to the same place. It's not enough to simply get VoIP packets to their destination — they must arrive in a fairly narrow time window and be assembled in the correct order in order to be intelligible to the recipient.

To improve performance, VoIP employs encoding schemes and compression technology to reduce the size of the voice packets so they can be transmitted more efficiently. Audio signals are also digitally processed in order to accentuate the voice information and suppress background noise. To conserve bandwidth, VoIP systems stop transmitting during lulls in a conversation and even generate some "comfort noise" to forestall the eerie silence that might make you think the call was disconnected.

VoIP uses a number of compression standards that offer different balances between packet size and audio quality. Generally speaking, the higher the compression the more simultaneous calls you can have, but the lower voice quality will be.

Despite all of the advantages of a VoIP system, it does have a few drawbacks. For instance, some VoIP services don't work during power outages and the service provider may not offer backup power. Many VoIP providers may not offer directory assistance or white pages listings.

Preparing for VoIP

The key to success with VoIP ultimately comes down to proper planning. The scope of a VoIP implementation can vary according to an organization's needs and desires, ranging from the relatively straightforward — using VoIP for local and long-distance calls or to communicate between a company's multiple offices — to more complex deployments like call centers.

In most cases, saving money immediately with VoIP won't require you to purchase any additional phone equipment or jettison what you already have, because devices called Media Gateways let conventional phone equipment (ranging from individual phones to an entire PBX) interface with your Internet connection. Taking advantage of VoIP's most cutting-edge features (like the ability to have your calls follow you as you travel) typically require specialized VoIP phones or other equipment and/or a hosted PBX service.

Tutorial adapted from Practically Networked

Wireless VoIP: 7 Easy Steps For Switching To VoIP Phone Service And Going Wireless

2009-08-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

Submitted By: Lokesh Kumar

VoIP phone service has taken over the telecommunication world by storm! This is inexpensive and has a lot of features that are comparable to the PSTN (landlines); it is the best thing for individual users, small businesses and large businesses.

Are you tired of paying huge phone bills for long distance calls and international calls? Do you own a small business and want a low cost phone service? VoIP phone service is for YOU! You can go wireless with a VoIP phone.

Here are 7 steps that will help you switch to VoIP go wireless

1. You will need an updated computer.

You will need to have an upgraded computer that is compatible with VoIP software. When you are comparing and choosing service providers, pay more attention to see if they run their programs on Windows, MacOS or Linux operating systems. Especially, if you use Mac or Linux, don’t assume that all VoIP phone service providers will have your needs met. Some of the common features of computers that affect the ability to provide VoIP wireless are hardware, motherboards, processor speeds, memory (RAM), video and graphic cards. If your computer is obsolete, VoIP phone service may not be functional.

2. You must have a High Speed Internet access such as DSL or Cable

High Speed Internet is a must for VoIP phone services to function. There maybe a few companies that work with dial-up connection but the audio quality is not satisfactory sometimes and it is because of the lack of high speed internet service. High Speed Internet connections provide the bandwidth needed and produce great quality audio.

3. Do you need residential or business VoIP phone service?

Some of the differences between residential and business plans include faxing and email capabilities, more long distance on basic and not unlimited plans, and some companies even throw in goodies such as free yellow book advertising for business VoIP phone service plans. Again, creating a list of what you want in a VoIP service will help you better determine what your tele-communication requirements are.

4. Compare VoIP Phone Service Providers

There are many factors that affect your choice of VoIP phone service providers – the number of long distance calls, international calls, business VoIP phone service etc. Now it is time to compare various service providers. VoIP is so common that chances are you may have a friend or relative that may already be using it! So, word of mouth is good way of getting some feedback. Comparing is important and there are more details to know, so read the article at - http://www.ez-voip-phone-service.com/how-to-compare-voip-phone-service-before-buying/

After comparing VoIP phone services, you can decide which VoIP service best suits your needs. Purchase this VoIP plan.

5. Choose Your Own Area Code

A lot of VoIP providers will give you the option of choosing your own area code and phone number. Just to be clear – you can live anywhere and still choose an area code from any other place! This is a great option that is available only in VoIP services and not in PSTN (landline). This is also a good idea for business owners who want to target a particular area of customer. They can choose the area code of this particular area of customers. Now, for the customers, this call will be local call.

6. Purchase an adapter for your VoIP Phone

This is important if you want to go wireless and don’t plan on sitting near computer just to receive or make your phone calls. Most of the VoIP phone service providers send you free adapter. If you don’t receive a free adapter, then you can purchase one. With an adapter, you don’t have to sit near the computer. This will allow you to use your household phones to take calls.

7. Other Important Things about VoIP phone service

As you know, VoIP phones have very similar features such as setting up your voicemail, caller ID etc., you can configure it. In fact, there is an internet control panel that you can use to configure these features.

VoIP phone service is a definitely a blessing to the world of communication. You can make very inexpensive long distance and international calls and use business VoIP phone service for your business – small or large.

About Author

Lokesh Kumar is a small business owner and investor with varied interests in new technology and communications. To discover more about the basics of VoIP Phone services and business VoIP phone service to advanced and latest topics of VoIP, visit VoIP Phone Service Tips

Cheapest solution voip finder - A guide to finding the cheapest voip solutions

2009-08-08T11:55:00.002-07:00

Voip services have totally revolutionized the concept of communicating. A voice over Internet provider makes use of broadband internet connection for making ordinary telephone calls. This lowers the cost as there is no need of large investment in infrastructure. A voice over Internet provider attaches a conventional phone to the broadband internet connection and effectively incorporates the Voip service with the aid of software and hardware. A voice over Internet provider offers unlimited local and international calls at unbelievable rates. The use of Voip phone system is saving a lot on telephone bills. Voip services are available for both residential and business purposes.

There are several voice over Internet providers offering Voip service. To find the cheapest Voip solutions, it is always wise to compare solution Voip. The competition in the field is so high; this should be used to the advantage by a potential customer. A good Voip package includes several features not found in an ordinary telephone. Call waiting and 3-way calling are common features but as the competition is escalating several voice over internet providers are giving additional features at a low rate. Next step is to compare the monthly rates. The Voip service of a good voice over internet provider can save up to 75% on your annual telephone charges.

There are several voice over internet providers giving outstanding international call rates. This is ideal for people who make lot of international calls. Compare the international rate of several providers as the rate varies with each voice over internet provider. Most of the voice over internet providers offer a money back guarantee as it is a relatively new field of communication. For those people who are searching for cheapest solution voip this can be a boon as they can compare the service by using the voip phone system and then come to a conclusion.

About Author

Find more about Voice Over IP on http://www.LeanderNet.com/Voice-over-ip/Voice-over-ip . More useful content on LeanderNet - http://www.LeanderNet.com

Is VoIP the 'Next Big Thing' in Telecommunications?

2009-08-08T11:55:00.001-07:00

Hospitals and other large, fragmented workforces are discovering the value of using wireless VoIP phones to converse with one another quickly and efficiently while in different wings, floors or buildings of a large facility. This kind of wireless VoIP setup can have huge cost savings over cell phones and is more efficient that using pagers.

While business VoIP has caught on in the corporate landscape, residential VoIP is still trying to take hold. This is largely because of a couple of current disadvantages of VoIP. First, not all current VoIP systems have power backups. When the power goes out in a residence, the landline is still operational. Since VoIP works over a high-speed Internet connection, which requires power, if the power goes down, so does the VoIP connection. This will be of concern to many concerned about emergency situations. The good news is that many VoIP hardware providers are starting to deliver systems with power backup to address just this issue.

The second drawback of residential VoIP is that not all current VoIP service providers offer full, 24-7 emergency 911 service. After hour calls in Florida, may be mistakenly rerouted to Idaho for instance. This is also about to change. The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that all phone service providers offer e911 service as standard. According to the FCC, “All interconnected VoIP providers must automatically provide E9-1-1 services to all customers as a standard, mandatory feature without customers having to specifically request this service. VoIP providers may not allow their customers the option to “opt-out” of E9-1-1 service.”

Clearly, though, residential VoIP is heading towards direct competition with the local phone companies’ coveted landlines. A couple of years ago at a meeting in SBC’s Publishing division, one of the executive managers cried, “Landlines, we need to stop losing landlines!” This was in response to cell phone companies taking away market share from the local Baby Bells. Now that VoIP is on the radar, the executive management teams for the local and long-distance phone companies must be huddling in their back offices, trying to figure out how they will stop the bleeding in the years to come.

With VoIP costing far less that traditional local and long-distance phone service and overcoming the last of the residential hurdlesFree Reprint Articles, one can be sure that consumers will soon be taking notice. Many will also start wearing t-shirt like “VoIP VIP” and “Got VoIP?” to herald in the new era in telecommunications.

About Author

Copyright © 2005 VoIP Service Providers VoIP Service Providers - Marvin Bellnick writes for VoIP Service Providers, a company dedicated to publishing the latest happenings in the Voice Over IP industry.

Voice Over Ip [voip] - Softwares Can Aid in the Control of Many Business Activities

2009-08-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Publishing Guidelines: You may publish my article in your newsletter, on your website or in your print publication provided you comprehend the resource box at the end. Notification would be appreciated however is not required.

By S. Maurer

On this digital Century the business and Data Technology administrations is radically moving to the Next-Generation of Business Administration. For that reason, this series of articles will exhibit essential tips from us and also we included very fews from public sources about this specific affair or this advanced method of doing business. In spite of the event that very fews tips are public domains, if asked for that the source will be always mentioned.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Integration into global telëphone number system: While the traditional Plain Ancient Teletelephone System [POTS] and mobile phone networks share a common global average [E.164] which allocates and identifies any specific telephone line, there is no widely adopted alike customary for [VOIP] networks. Some allocate an E.164 number which can be applyd for [VOIP] as well as incoming/external calls. However, there are often different, incompatible schemes when calling between [VOIP] providers which use provider specific short codes.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: A call to the U.S. emërgency services number 911 may not automatically be routed to the nearest community emergency dispatch center, and would be of no employ for subscribers outside the U.S.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: VoIP to [VOIP] telephone calls on any provider arë typically free, whilst [VOIP] to PSTN calls generally costs the [VOIP] user. Free [VOIP] to PSTN services are rare. A notable provider is [VOIP] User.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: If a subscriber with a residence phonë number in a U.S. area code calls someone else in his residence area code, [IT] will be treated as a community call regardless of where that person is in the world.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Signaling protocols: Session Initiation Protocol [SIP] definëd by the IETF, newer than H.323 H.323 defined by the ITU-T Megaco [a.k.a. H.248] and MGCP both media gateway control protocols Skinny Client Control Protocol proprietary protocol from Cisco MiNET proprietary protocol from Mitel CorNet-IP proprietary protocol from Siemens IAX the Inter-Asterisk eXchange protocol used by the Asterisk open source PBX server and associated client software Skype a proprietary peer-to-peer protocol used in the Skype application Jajah a proprietary peer-to-peer protocol used in the Jajah SIP and IAX compatible webphone Jingle open peer-to-peer protocol based on XMPP [Jabber] and being harmonised with the 'substantially equivalent' Google Talk protocol. Several different speech codecs can be used for stream audio compression. Commonly used codecs for [VOIP] traffic contain G.711, G.723.1 and G.729, all ITU-T-specified.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Many of the largest carriërs employ H.323 in their core backbones, and the vast majority of callers have small or no belief that their POTS calls are being terminated over VoIP. So really SIP is a useful tool for the "district loop" and H.323 is like the "fiber backbone".

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Incoming telephone calls can be automatically routëd to your [VOIP] phone, regardless of where you are connected to the network. Take your [VOIP] phone with you on a trip, and anywhere you connect to the Internet, you can receive incoming calls.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: As the popularity of [VOIP] grows, and PSTN users switch to [VOIP] in incrëasing numbers, governments are becoming more interested in regulating [VOIP] in a manner corresponding to legacy PSTN services.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Some cost savings are duë to using a single network to carry voice and data, especially where applyrs have existing under-utilized network capacity they can use for [VOIP] at no additional cost. Some Internet connections are asymmetrical, i.e. the upstream data rate is significantly lower than the downstream data rate. This places a final absolute throttle to the transmitted data rate and thus voice quality.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Users of Instant Messënger based [VOIP] services like Skype, Gizmo Project or Yahoo! Messenger can also travel anywhere in the globe and create and receive call calls. Drawbacks [VOIP] technology still has a infrequent shortcomings that have led some to believe that [IT] is not ready for widespread deployment. However, many manufacturer analysts predicted that 2005 was the "Year of Inflection," where more IP PBX ports shipped than legacy digital PBX ports.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: "Dual mode" handsets, which allow for thë seamless handover between a cellular network and a WiFi network, are expected to aid [VOIP] become more popular.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Mass-market telëphony: A major development starting in 2004 has been the introduction of mass-market [VOIP] services over broadband Internet access services, in which subscribers constitute and receive calls as they would over the PSTN. This requires either a software client for the machine or an analog telephone adapter [ATA] for connecting a telephone to the broadband Internet connection.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Very low cost [or freë in many cases]: [VOIP] is causing deep changes in any enterprise's communications in the whole world

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Corporate and telco usë: Although infrequent office environments and much fewer homes employ a pure [VOIP] infrastructure, telecommunications providers routinely employ IP telephony, often over a dedicated IP network, to connect switching stations, converting voice signals to IP packets and back. The result is a data-abstracted digital network which the provider can easily upgrade and employ for multiple purposes.

What is [VOIP] Telephony System Management?: Single location of calling: With commercial sërvices such as Vonage, [IT] is potential to connect the [VOIP] router into the existing central telephone box in the hoemploy and have [VOIP] at every phone already connected. Other services, such as Skype & PeerMe, typically require the use of a computer, so they are limited to single location of calling, though handsets are immediately available, allowing them to be used without a PC.

About Author

S. Maurer is a 53-years old college graduated IT professional, with 30 years of experience in the computer & technology fields. Now is the Academic Director of the low cost Online University mba-open-university.net.

Using Texas VoIP Technology for Your Business Needs

2009-08-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

VoIP in Texas is becoming a growing trend in the recent years. Since 2004 the trend has skyrocketed not only among Texas VoIP subscribers but all around the country. Texas has and will remain to be a trend setter for the rest of the country since it is such a large state and very populated.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet protocol. VoIP allows users to have normal phone access through an internet service provider but still use regular phone networks. Which helps users avoid unnecessary long distance charges? For companies the use of VoIP is more practical than regular phones because it allows the companies to cut major costs on their phone bills.

Several Texas VoIP users, especially larger companies, can gain a good advantage from the extras VoIP’s have to offer. Since almost every company uses multiple lines and VoIP’s in Texas can have more than one call going over the same connection at the same time it makes it simple for adding those multiple lines.

There are several other features that companies can enjoy from VoIP providers such as conference calling, caller ID, call forwarding, and automatic redial. Normal telephone companies charge a decent amount for each of these features where VoIP subscribers pay very little to nothing for them. Also since VoIP’s are already digital it makes for getting a secure line much easier as all they have to do is encrypt the already provided data stream.

Several other technology advancements are also coming into the market for Texas VoIP users. Since the VoIP phones are on the same data level as computers it opens up new possibilities for upcoming features such as call routing.

As with any technology though VoIP does have a couple of downfalls especially for VoIP in Texas. Since Texas has many hurricane issues the biggest problem with VoIP is that it runs off of modems. Which in turn run off regular power so in the case of Texas VoIP users if a hurricane causes the power to go out they won’t be able to use their phones?

Since normal phones don’t rely on traditional electric they are still preferred in some instances over the new technology. The other downfall is not as big but its still causes problems for some users. The fact that VoIP is hardly mobile makes some users skeptical to switch to it. However, with emerging technologies such as Wi-Fi and WiMax it’s predicted that those new technologies will allow VoIP’s to be more mobile, universal, and more widely accepted.

Some Texas VoIP subscribers that are larger companies struggle with the problem of highly congested networks. Since VoIP is so easy to add lines to and expand the network it opens up the problem of momentary voice drop out and lower voice quality due to lost or delayed data packets. As technology advances though this problem will continue to diminish.

Although there are still some bugs to work out for VoIP’s in Texas, the convenience and cost effectiveness of the technology out weighs the downside for most Texas VoIP users.

About Author
Ray Clark is the co-founder of Lan-Comm Technologies a San Antonio, Texas based voice, data, wireless, video, computer, networking and security technology company. Rated as one of the top Texas VOIP vendors based on their great service, experience and inexpensive prices.

Overcoming The Disadvantages And Improving the Quality Of VoIP

2009-08-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

VoIP is a great way to communicate with family and friends at a very low price. However, there are a variety of hindrances with switching to VoIP. This article goes over many of the disadvantages of VoIP, which may have experienced. Additionally, this article will explain how you can improve the quality of VoIP phone service.

Disadvantages of VoIP

Although there are many advantages of VoIP, there are also quite a few disadvantages. Below are four of the most common disadvantages of VoIP.

1. Maintaining a Dependable VoIP Internet Connection

If for any reason, you lose your internet connection, you will not have phone service. Therefore, you must use a cellular phone should this type of situation arise.

2. 911 Access

When you place a 911 call, the location cannot be immediately determined. Unlike PSTN, you must register your phone number online so that should you need to make a 911 call from your VoIP, emergency services will know your location.

3. Networks Have a Large Number of Computers Connected

If your network has a large quantity of computers connected and they are all using the internet at the same time, your VoIP quality will generally be less than desirable. One way to avoid this situation is to invest in an Ethernet.

4. VoIP Poor Quality

Audio quality is one of the largest issues. No matter what your VoIP service offers you, the basic role of any phone is voice communication. If the quality is not up to par, then there is absolutely no point to all of the bells and whistles that come with the service. If you have a lot of background noise, then a VoIP that can handle music, video, caller ID and a variety of other advanced features is practically useless. In the next section, we will address this issue more thoroughly.

Even with all of the advancements of VoIP, there are times when the audio quality suffers. Since VoIP relies completely on the internet connection, anytime the internet suffers so will the VoIP.

Six Ways to Improve the Quality of VoIP

Poor audio quality (disadvantage #4) along with dropped calls, are all complaints that user of VoIP tend to make. Below are six ways the setup of your VoIP can affect the overall quality. By following these simple steps, you can easily improve the quality of your VoIP service.

1. Internet Connection

One of the first recommendations is a high speed internet connection. There are companies which offer VoIP for dial up users. However, the connection can result in poor audio quality. Eventually, you will grow to dislike your VoIP. However, it is not the VoIP, but rather the internet connection. Even if you have DSL, there are occasions when the connection may be slow and your VoIP quality will suffer. Therefore, an Ethernet connection is highly recommended.

2. External Factors

Weather conditions, such as thunder storms, heavy rains and snowstorms can all can an increase in static on broadband lines. In some instances, simply turning rebooting the VoIP can solve the problem. Another solution to reduce the static is for the VoIP service provider to replace the cables with a higher quality cable.

3. Compression Software

The technical details of codecs are a bit too much for this article. If you would like additional information, you can go to Wikipedia. Here is a quick overview of codecs as it pertains to VoIP. When sending data, VoIP compresses it. This is simply because if the data is too large, transmission can be extremely slow and ineffective. Codec is a software program that can be used for data compression. However, a poor quality codec will lead to poor audio quality.

4. VoIP Location and Hardware

The hardware you choose for you VoIP can affect the audio quality. Most of the most important pieces of hardware is the ATA/Router. The VoIP ATA or Analog Telephone Adaptor, brings ordinary phones to the networked world. The adaptor connects a phone handset to an Ethernet adaptor and therefore connects regular, analog phones with VoIP networks. If you are looking for additional information on ATA, check out Wikipedia.

In general, ATAs should have support for security and firewall, as well as echo cancellation and compression technologies. Many technicians have discovered that certain VoIP equipment can interfere with each and possibly create feedback or buzzing noises and dropped calls. Although VoIP equipment and hardware should be places as close as possible to each other, ATA should not be placed near the broadband internet router. The audio quality can be decreased if they are placed too close together.

5. Computer Maintenance and Hardware

There are a variety of different things that can affect the quality of your VoIP service. Therefore, computer maintenance is extremely important in improving the service's quality. Make sure that you de-fragment your computer on a regular bases. As well, make sure that you have sufficient memory for the computer and high quality microphone and speakers.

6. VoIP Phone Type/Frequency

The type of phone you have, as well as the frequency can affect the quality of your VoIP. Many people believe that the higher a phone's frequency is, the better the quality of VoIP. However, in some instances, a lower frequency phone may fit your connection better. You may want to try a phone with a lower frequency if you are experiencing a lot of audio feedback.

Overall, VoIP is a great low cost alternative for communication. VoIP are not passing through, they are here to stay. Major corporations have done some significant research to fix the disadvantages of VoIP service, as well as improve the overall quality. With all of the improvements continually going on with VoIP, it will soon be accepted by everyone as an acceptable alternative to PSTN.

About Author

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of Be Successful News, a site that provides information and articles on how to succeed in your own home or small business.

Beginners Guide on Voice over Internet Protocol

2009-07-16T11:34:00.002-07:00

By Claudia Walters

Nowadays, VoIP became one of the hottest technologies following up on the explosion of high speed Internet access. PC-to-PC calls, ATA phones, IP phones… the existence of VoIP had changed how people think about long distance calling plan. As predicted by some of those experts, VoIP might be the technology that kills off the traditional telephones.

What is VoIP?

If you never heard of VoIP, be equipped for a radical change on current telephony systems and long distance calling plans.

Voice over Internet Protocol, or in short, VoIP, is a simple method that takes ordinary analog audio signals and transform it into digital form and traverse in distance through the Internet. Several ways are used for VoIP calls: Analog Telephone Adaptors (ATA), IP phones, and PC-to-PC calls are some of the common ones. While ATA and IP phones will cost you a certain amount on the initial setup and monthly costs; PC-to-PC calls are absolutely free for any distance calls.

The impact of VoIP technology is huge. With VoIP, you can simply enjoy much cheaper phone calls by utilizing your existing PC set up and data networks. For those of you who are already paying a monthly fee for an Internet connection, this means that you can use that same connection to place free long distance phone calls. This process works by using already available VoIP software to make phone calls over the Internet, essentially circumventing phone companies and their service charges.

Besides, VoIP gives a greater flexibility to business travelers. Make VoIP calls from anywhere with Internet connections thru your laptop. With VoIP, you can also enjoy enhanced calling features such as calls forwarding, caller ids, call blockings and voicemail calls function.

How VoIP works?

We already knew when making VoIP calls, caller’s voice in analog form are collected; transformed into digital form; transmitted through Internet; and transformed again into analog voice for the listeners to listen.

However, how does the digital voice signal travel? Unlike conventional phone system that relies on circuit switching; voice signals in VoIP calls are transfer through packet-switching.

Packet-switching is the same method that you use when you view a website. For example, as you read this website, your PC does not maintain constant connection to the website. Instead, connections are only made to send and receive information on an as needed basis. It works the same for VoIP calls as this system allows the transfer of information over the Internet to work so quickly. While circuit switching (conventional telephone calls) maintains a constant and open connection; packet-switching builds a connections that is just enough for sending/receiving bits of data in the VoIP conversations.

By utilizing this special way of data sending, VoIP calls can be done with very little data transmission. This in turn allows voice signals to be sent on the least congested lines and thus a cheaper calling plans.

Drawbacks on VoIP calls

While most analysts consider it will be at least a decade before companies and telephone providers make the full switch to VoIP, the hidden power for the technology's applications nowadays are very impressive.

Not to mention the emergency call issue on VoIP calls; there are quite a few VoIP’s drawbacks that need to be solved in order to have VoIP calls replace our conventional telephones. The power problem of VoIP phones, the security of the VoIP calls, as well as the compatible-ability of VoIP phones with other electronics appliances are some of the major problems that need to be solved.

Bottom line

Undeniable, VoIP is now a very powerful communication way that you can’t close the eyes to. To replace the traditional telephone system or not, VoIP service is here to hang about. Millions in United States are using VoIP calls nowadays and the numbers seem growing rapidly. With the savings and flexibility that the technology already offers, and new advances just ahead on the horizon, we can expect those numbers will only increase in the future.

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

What Is VoIP and How Does It Work

2009-07-16T11:33:00.001-07:00

Introduction

The way we make phone calls is changing. In fact in many circumstances things have already changed. Take long distance calls for instance, many service providers are already using a technology called Voice Over IP or VOIP for short. If you have never heard of VOIP before, then the following article will change the way you think about how long distance phone calls are being made now, and about how all phone calls will be made in the future. Voice Over IP (VOIP) is a method for turning analogue audio signals into digital data that can be transferred over the internet.

You may be asking yourself how this is useful. Well think about it for a few seconds. If it is possible to turn analogue signals into digital data, then VOIP can turn a standard internet connection into a method for placing phone calls anywhere in the world virtually free, except for your internet service fee, enabling you to bypass the phone companies entirely.

Voice Over IP (VOIP) has the potential to completely revolutionise the way the worlds phone systems operate. There are many VOIP service providers that have been around for a while, and are growing steadily. Now the worlds leading telecommunications operators are waking up to the endless possibilities of this new technology, setting up VOIP calling centres around the world and promoting the sales of Voice Over IP phone systems.

Making a call

With VOIP phone systems it is possible to make a call in one of three ways:

ATA (gateway) – The simplest way to make a VOIP phone call is through the use of ATA’s (analogue telephone adaptor) sometimes called gateways. These devices enable you to make use of your existing standard analogue phones. You simply plug your standard handset into the ATA (gateway) then connect the ATA to your computer or your internet connection, enabling you to make VOIP calls. An ATA takes the analogue signal from your standard phone and turns it into a digital signal that ready for transmission over the internet. Some ATA’s (gateways) come with additional software that is loaded onto a host computer, enabling you to configure it for VOIP accurately.

IP Phones – These handsets look just like normal standard handsets. They have an RJ 45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ 11 connectors. These phones have all the necessary software and hardware to handle VOIP calls already built in them. They connect directly to your router, providing a very fast and cost effective entry into the world of Voice Over IP.

Computer to computer – This is the easiest way to make use of the VOIP technology. There are many companies offering cost effective software that you can use for this type of VOIP. Usually the only charge you pay is the monthly one from your internet service provider, even for long distance calls. All you need is a microphone, speakers, a suitable sound card and a fast internet connection.

Chances are that you have already made a VOIP call without even realising it. The major phone companies already use VOIP to route thousands of long distance calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. This is then received by a gateway at the other end and then routed to another local circuit switch. More and more companies are installing VOIP phone systems, and the technology will grow and grow until it finds its way into every business and household across the globe.

VoIP Features

Because with VOIP you can make calls from anywhere you have access to a broadband connection, users can take their IP phones or ATA’s with them on trips and still have access to what is essentially their home phone.

Some people use a softphone to access their VOIP service. A softphone is a specially developed software application that loads the VOIP service onto your desktop computer or laptop. Some even have an interface on the screen that looks like a traditional phone. These softphone applications allow you to place VOIP calls from your laptop; anywhere in the world you have access to a broadband connection.

Most traditional phone companies charge you for extra features that are added to your account. With VOIP service providers these usually come as standard. Features such as:

1. Caller ID

2. Call Waiting

3. Call Transfer

4. Repeat Dialling

5. Return Call

6. Three-Way Dialling

Some VOIP service providers also offer advanced call filtering features. These additional features allow you to decide how calls to a specific number are handled by using caller ID information. They allow you to:

1. Forward the call to a particular number

2. Send the call directly to voicemail

3. Give the caller a busy signal

4. Play a "not-in-service" message

Many VOIP services also allow you to check your voicemail over the internet or attach messages to an e-mail that is sent to your computer or PDA. It’s best to check with VOIP phone system suppliers and service operators exactly what features they offer as package and service prices vary greatly.

There are many other cost saving benefits that arise from a streamlined VOIP phone system network. For the network administrators, a VOIP phone system means they only have one network to maintain instead of two. The portability of the phone system is also greatly simplified. This is because most VOIP phone systems can be configured using a web interface, which can be managed by the network administrator. The MAC (move, add, change) process is made much easier, and you will not have to call your system/service provider for every MAC you carry out. All this means lower ongoing costs for your company.

Another cost saving for companies who implement a VOIP system is, because multiple offices, no matter where they are in the world are seamlessly connected, they can share many of the features VOIP can offer, such as:

1. One single receptionist

2. Auto attendant facilities

3. Voice mail system

Choosing a VOIP phone system

If you have decided that a VOIP phone system is the right step for your company, next you need to determine which of your existing telephone equipment you are able to keep. The potential cost savings that can be made through using any existing digital equipment are huge. Many digital phone systems can be IP enabled using minor hardware additions and software upgrades.

When shopping around for potential systems you need to be certain of the features they provide as standard and which are optional cost extras. You also need to be certain of exactly what is included with the system. Many suppliers claim to include everything you need, but standard components can vary from one company to the other. So you need to sure you are comparing equivalent systems when approaching potential suppliers.

You will also need to enquire about the compatibility of existing equipment. The technology used in many VOIP systems may affect the implementation of any existing telephone hardware.

You will also need to ensure that any devices such as fax machines, credit card processors, and security systems etc can be integrated into your new VOIP phone system. You should make any potential vendor aware of such devices so they can provide you with a suitable phone system for your requirements.

Finally, do not try to save money by buying used VOIP phone systems. Remember VOIP is a new technology, so even last years equipment is outdated. Also the installation cost will still apply whether the system is new or second hand, and the service costs may even be higher due to reliability issues. To put it simply it just isn’t worth the hassle, the higher secondary costs will wipe out any potential saving.

Thanks for reading,

Jason