VoIP Service - 9 Facts You Need To Know

VoIP Service is one of the hottest technologies on the internet today. And, unlike so many other internet services, VoIP service - in place of a standard telephone service - actually provides real value to the user.

So what exactly is Voice over IP (VoIP)?

Voice over Internet Protocol. Simply the ability to transmit Voice traffic (an analog conversation) over the internet (a packet based protocol or data conduit). This is done much the way music is digitized when converted to MP3.

You have probably heard of Voice over IP or VoIP before, and maybe even used it, but check your knowledge against this list of 9 need to know facts:

VoIP is an exciting new technology, but it's not yet perfected Skype, and now Google Talk, are the easiest ways to get started Some VoIP Service companies that are here today will be gone tomorrow A VoIP phone is only as reliable as your broadband internet connection You don't want to rely on a VoIP phone line for 911! VoIP phone service does not carry the same legal protections as a landline Low introductory prices for VoIP service will likely increase later, maybe a lot Long distance is getting cheaper all the time, removing some incentive for VoIP VoIP is the future, and merits looking into
VoIP is exciting, but not perfect

We all love something for nothing, but have you ever heard the phrase "There's no such thing as a free lunch?" Sure you have. With Voice over IP, keep in mind that it is a relatively new and developing technology, and the "price" can be lack of quality.

The internet is designed to pass data packets. The ability to resend packets that are lost in transmission is built in to the way the internet works. This works great with data packets - keep resending until the recipient gets it or a predetermined timeout factor.

If a packet is lost with voice, however, how does the person speaking know to stop talking until the packet arrives at the other end? Getting the picture? Think early days of cell phones (depending on where you're at you might be thinking of cell phones today!).

Anyone who has used VoIP, and you probably have been on the receiving end of a VoIP call whether you knew it or not, knows that drop outs and dropped calls do happen. Many businesses are beginning to use VoIP to save money on long distance. Next time you receive a call from a business and the line quality "waffles" a bit, you are probably on a VoIP call.

Skype (or Google Talk) is a must for anyone interested in VoIP

You simply MUST checkout this technology. It primarily turns your computer, with a microphone and speakers (preferably a headset), into a telephone. When you login to Skype, Skype servers can then connect others to you automatically when they "dial" your username.

You can call any other Skype user, who is online, for free. With inexpensive minute packages, you can call any phone number in the world.

WIFI enabled cell phones even have the ability to make skype phone calls right from the phone's menu. This saves paid minutes for other calls and allows international calling to be free.

I know several businesses with employees scattered around the world who keep everyone in touch via free skype calls.

What VoIP companies will be around for the long haul?

Not all VoIP companies are like Vonage, and Vonage is... well, have you noticed that the Vonage stock IPO (initial public offering) was less than well received, with the price of the stock quickly falling 50% and more?

Vonage is probably the best known VoIP company, and if you prowl the internet chat rooms and newsgroups you will see an awful lot of complaints about dropped calls and other quality and service issues. The company may ultimately get the kinks worked out and improve their reputation, but only time will tell.

Many other VoIP companies may not last very long. Don't you kind of wonder about a business that pays up to $200 for a residential VoIP Service referral, as long as the referral stays a $20/month customer for at least two months? I know of one such company. Scary.

Not a big deal if you are just playing around with VoIP on a second phone line and trying to save a little on long distance. But what happens to number portability when the company that has your number no longer answers their phone?

Reliability of the Internet

With Voice over IP, don't forget what IP stands for - Internet Protocol. Is your internet service ever down, or sloooow? Guess what that does to your VoIP service; that's right, what service!

Even if you have the most reliable ISP or Internet Service Provider, the VoIP call needs to get to the other end after being properly routed everywhere in between. If any part of the path fails and cannot quickly redirect, your call is either dropped or nonexistent in the first place.

In order for VoIP service to work well, the entire network must support something known as QoS, which stands for Quality of Service. Problem is, not every path on the internet supports QoS, at least not yet.

Just like a chain, a Voice over IP phone call is only as good as its weakest link.

And that leads right into the next point..

Do NOT rely on a VoIP phone line for 911

Now I know there are those of you who are young, single and carefree who maybe have never had to call 911 in your life and don't expect to have to.

But it's not just seniors and families with children who have medical emergencies, whether it be for someone who lives in that residence or a visitor.

What about fire? What if you have to call the Police?

Do you ever want to pick up the phone to dial 911 and not get an immediate dial tone? Do you ever want to have to redial because the call was dropped? Do you ever want to get routed to the wrong 911 dispatcher? Or have the dispatcher not get your correct address on their screen?

Emergency 911 service is yet to be available with many Voice over IP services in most areas of the United States. Some providers in fact will only let you make OUTBOUND calls from your home because of this (they want you to keep a land line for now).

For those where it does work it depends on the correct data being entered in their master database somewhere and for the routing algorithms to work correctly for your call to get to the correct 911 emergency call center.

Traditional landlines have a variety of legal protections, but not VoIP phone service

With the current attitude of the US Government to keep chipping away at the Consitution in the name of anti-terrorism, I don't expect that many, if any, legal protections will be extended to VoIP. Certainly none that will protect you from Uncle Sam that's for sure. And YES, VoIP calls can be traced, even over encrypted connections!

Don't be sucked in by low introductory rates

We all know how it works. 3, 6, 12 months at a low price, then huge increase once they've got you hooked. Companies like Vonage started out with rates around $50/month. Now they offer intro rates of $20 - $30/month.

You know where they want to go with those rates. Up. The higher the better for them. Quite possibly back toward $50/month.

The only thing that will prevent that from happening is competition. But in order for competition to keep prices down, the customer, that's you, have to be willing to endure the inconvenience of jumping ship. That's a task certain to be more painful if you try to take your phone number with you.

Can you count on the VoIP service provider to make it easy for you to switch to one of their competitors? Can you spell "Busy Signal"? Sure you can. You've been there before. It's not like being able to walk in the office of your local phone company where you can speak to someone in person!.

And for $20 - $50/month, you can buy a lot of long distance these days; which leads me to the next item..

Long distance just keeps getting cheaper

If your primary reason for giving up the quality and reliability of a land line is to get free long distance, your reason is getting smaller every day.

Why? Long distance rates are coming down. Between competition and the fact that telecommunications companies are themselves using Voice over IP to route long distance traffic. The difference, though, is that telecoms use dedicated networks with high dollar equipment to eliminate the dropped calls and to keep the quality of the call in line with what their customers expect.

Many traditional phone customers are being offered unlimited calling packages now. And who doesn't have some spare minutes on their cell phone package to use for a long distance call now and then? The attractiveness of free calling via a VoIP service is diminishing daily.

Conclusion: The future of VoIP

Bottom line? Voice over IP is here to stay. It is the future. For those who feel like being a pioneer, new technology can be fun. Just remember what can happen to pioneers, they get arrows in their back!

If you fancy the latest in technology, take Voice over IP for a test drive, I am.

But when I have a really important call, or I don't want to make a bad impression or I'm calling someone older who doesn't hear so well any more - I pick up a land line, dial 1+ the number and show some respect for the person on the other end of the line.

For more information about Voice over IP and other Windows and Computer issues, visit the author's website at http://www.FreeComputerConsultant.com

Roger DeReu has been working with PC's, as a programmer, IT specialist and independent consultant, since 1984. He currently consults primarily with small and medium sized businesses in the Midwest. He is a Microsoft Certified Professional and Small Business Specialist. The FreeComputerConsultant website was originally created to be a free resource for the employees of his clients to have access to his knowledge for benefit of their home PC's.

Roger's daily computer blog can be found at http://FreeComputerConsultant.WordPress.com

Sign up for his free weekly e-zine, Tip-Of-The-Week, at http://www.freecomputerconsultant.com/e-zine.html

Switching to VoIP Phone Service - Does it Add Value to Your Business?

Why does switching to a broadband VoIP phone service make sense?

VoIP phone systems are flexible, feature rich systems that reduce telecommunication budgets without compromising on voice quality or features. In fact, VoIP has uses way beyond the capabilities of conventional phone systems such as virtual phone numbers, voice mail and fax forwarding, switching from Wi-Fi to cellular network, and more.

In spite of the strides in VoIP technology, many businesses have reservations about adopting VoIP. Their concerns are - substandard voice quality, insecure network, dependence on internet connectivity, cost and complexity of implementation. In this article, we discuss how the benefits of VoIP overshadow the drawbacks, and how to maximize your VoIP system.

Why should you select VoIP phone systems?

VoIP will undoubtedly add value to your business. Here's how:

Improving VoIP technology

Early VoIP restricted users to computer systems and average voice quality. Today's standard phones (with VoIP adapters) and IP phones promise high voice quality, mobility, and various useful features. Existing data networks are utilized by businesses to manage phone calls within the office, leading to huge savings and increased productivity.

VoIP reduces telecommunication costs

Traditional phone systems involve the administration and maintenance of costly infrastructure as per industry regulations. With VoIP, businesses reduce implementation and maintenance overheads by maintaining a single network for voice and data. Movement of employees that typically costs $100 per head is now as simple as plugging an IP phone into another broadband network jack. VoIP providers too fall cheaper than traditional phone system vendors.

Mobility and accessibility with VoIP

An IP phone can be used wherever there is broadband. You can take calls from clients and associates from office, home, a hotel or even a friend's place without their trying your cell phone. Many VoIP systems include software that allows you to make and receive calls on your laptop with a headphone and microphone unit.

Easy VoIP configuration

VoIP phone systems can be configured to forward voice mails and faxes to your email inbox and read emails into voice mail. You can easily manage your messages and mails from one place.

Virtual phone number

You may want your business to have an area code of another region if you are targeting customers there. With VoIP, you can have a virtual phone number with the desired area code.

VoIP improves productivity

Studies show that VoIP systems improve productivity by almost 4 hours per employee per week. VoIP phone system features cut down on the time wasted in managing calls. You can even set your VoIP phone number to ring simultaneously on your cell phone and landline before reaching voice mail, making sure you never miss an urgent call.

Making the most of VoIP phone systems

As you can see, VoIP has much to offer. If you still have concerns about potential hurdles, these tips will help you stay on top of them.

1. Hire VoIP service vendors

Though a standard VoIP phone system is fairly simple to install, hire a VoIP service provider for larger projects. Your network provider may also have a VoIP solution for small businesses and can install and configure it for you.

2. Run a pilot project

Have a small group of people use the VoIP system and verify its usefulness to your business. Once you're satisfied, roll it out across the office. Retain your traditional phone system as a backup during this phase.

3. No missed calls with call forwarding

Configure VoIP phone systems to forward unanswered calls to a cell phone or landline. If there's ever an electricity outage, you won't miss any calls till your backup (generator, etc.) gets going.

4. Secure your network

The only way to circumvent call hacking is to protect your network from denial-of-service attacks and digital hackers. Network security should always be updated and meticulous.

VoIP phone systems are an economical option with all the advantages of a technologically evolved telecommunications system. Small businesses can reduce travel costs with high quality videoconferencing in real time, call center applications, and other compelling benefits of VoIP. With latest wireless phones offering seamless switching between mobile and Wi-Fi networks, VoIP users can look forward to more cost savings and attractive offerings.

Daljeet Sidhu is at TradeSeam. Read our VoIP Service Providers blog article, Small Business VoIP blog article.

Is VoIP Internet phone service right for you?

Thousands of people each month are VoIP service subscription and have your regular disconnected phone line. Internet phone service is big business for us, the consumers, as it gives us a super cheap alternative to traditional phone service and gives us something very important: CHOICES! Perhaps for the first time in our lives, we are no longer forced to use our telephone services - local phone company is not that great?

VoIP is not for everyone.There are some requirements and disadvantages for the internet that can or can not influence their decision to cambiar.Mayoría people telephone service considers the potential problems associated with VoIP to be children and find that the characteristics of low cost and free broadband phone service outweigh any negatives.

In order to understand the disadvantages of VoIP, it helps to understand a little about what is and how it works.

A brief introduction to Internet phone service

VoIP stands for more popular used to describe the internet telephony service. Voice Over Internet Protocol, means that it is a technical term that describes a set of rules that define how the voice signals are transmitted via standard internet. Some other common terms used to describe VoIP are "broadband phone service" and "IP phone service". As the term implies VoIP, INTERNET SERVICE IS REQUIRED in order to use VoIP.

A small device called a "VoIP adapter" is used to perform complex functions necessary to make possible the voice signals to convey on the internet. The adapter is wired network to your modem router or broadband, and another cable is connected directly to your phone.There are other hardware configurations, but this is the more básica.No phone connectors are required.

During a phone call, the conversation goes through the VoIP adapter and is routed on the internet to its final destination. Why VoIP is so cheap - telephone network are not dependent on expensive companies and switches. With VoIP phone service internet, you can call any phone anywhere in the world. The person you are calling must not also be using an internet phone.

Potential problems with VoIP

Although internet phone service seems and acts like Service regular phone, there are some technological differences that may cause problems with your service from time to time.

E911 dialing is a "must have" for anyone using VoIP as their main phone line. This allows emergency calls to the path to the nearest 911 dispatch Office and identifies its location to the emergency operator. While in 2005 the FCC mandated that all VoIP companies provide E911 service to all subscribers, not all VoIP companies are offering this yet. Is important to choose a provider that you have available in your area service E911 - VoIP your life may depend on it. You are responsible for maintaining your current E911 address to this service to work properly. If you move and forget to change your address with your VoIP provider emergency services will not be able to locate you.A "live" internet connection is required to use VoIP, because calls are transmitted over the internet.This can present a problem when your internet service is down. Broadband is also required by most vendors of VoIP, because internet phone service you need to have enough bandwidth to work properly. Be sure to have on a trusted provider reliable broadband internet service if you are planning on using VoIP as their primary phone. Energy is needed to use the service for internet telephony. Without energy, cable/DSL modem will not work and will not function VoIP - adapter will not have any telephone service.If you live in an area that is prone to power outages, this could be a big problem for you. Existing telephone cabling is not going to work with your new VoIP service unless you make some traditional telephone modificaciones. It's is designed to transmit from the carrier, not the internet switch. If you want to use their existing phones and phone with VoIP you need to disconnect and redirect phone cable connectors entering your house. This is a fairly easy task, but beyond of the scope of this article. Yes using an expandable cordless telephone with VoIP system however, it completely eliminates the need to cheat with any wiring.

Is it right to phone-based broadband for you?

These are some of the most common issues that you need to take into account before VoIP. With an internet phone service switch occurs with most things, there is usually an easy solution that can minimize or prevent any problems.With over 10 million VoIP subscribers in the United States only, it is clear that the disadvantages of VoIP is not keeping people from using it. Yes we take into account the tremendous cost savings, free long distance calls and all free calls features that you get with internet telephone service, more are finding that it's no problem to deal with a few occasional inconveniences.

Ready for VoIP?-compare VoIP providers
Get my free report: what every consumer should know before you subscribe to VoIP
Telephone Internet - the future is here!

Ooma Telo Free Home Phone Service

Ooma VOIP Telo offers VOIP service for those homes that have access to DSL - Cable - Broadband Internet Service. Using VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) and an optional Ooma Handset you can make phone calls across the United States for virtually free. International calls cost pennies. The base station interprets calls from the handset to your Internet service and calls are transmitted over Internet service protocols and connections. With its sleek design and loaded features, the only thing that's not high-end about the Ooma Telo is the price tag. The Ooma Telo connects to your high-speed Internet and existing home phones, allowing you to enjoy free home phone service, free US calls, and exceptionally low international rates.
Easy set-up - Ooma is a highly intuitive set-up. Most customers are up and making free calls in about 15 minutes. 911 Service - When you dial 911, emergency personnel will automatically have your registered address. Landline Backup Option - Be backed up during power outages or Internet outages to make 911 calls if you also choose to keep a landline connected to your Ooma Telo. Low cost international calling - Make international calls starting at pennies per minute. My Ooma - Hear messages, check call logs and control your preferences online. Online call log - Check your calling history from any Internet-connected computer or mobile device. Free in-network calling - Call another Ooma customer anywhere in the world for free. Dect 6.0 Support for Ooma Telo Handset - Get superb sound quality, security and range without interfering with your Wi-Fi network or other home electronics. Advanced network/firewall configuration - Get a high-performance firewall router, with QoS support, that allows you to setup home-based servers and other network devices.
Price: $249.99

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Why is my voice over IP phone service not clear?

Posted: September 24, 2010 at 12:45 pm | Tags: clear, Over, phone, Service, voice

I use Net Zero Voice and lately I have been getting complaints that my voice is not clear. What is the deal? Is it the service? The head set that I am using? Or? What is the cost to get a converter to use a regular phone? Will this help make it more clear?

Answer by Randy W
No it’s the internet connection that you have.
It may provide high speed, but it’s not a reliable and steady signal.
In order for VoIP to work well you need at least a 90Kbps upload rate. That a sustained rate, and at that rate you are still only getting a 80% signal quality.
To test this try making a call either really later at night like after midnight or before five am in the morning.
There are some thing that you can adjust to help but 9 time out of 10 is the connection.

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