VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): Overview

You’ve probably at least heard of the word “VoIP,” even if you didn’t quite understand what all the hype is about. VoIP stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol” and it is going to change the way you think about making long distance phone calls. Basically, VoIP technology converts analog audio signals (that is, the sounds you hear when you talk on a regular phone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet).

So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry?

Because it means that by getting your hands on some of the free software that is available right now, you can bypass your phone company entirely and start making free long distance phone calls! This revolutionary technology has the ability to totally change the world’s phone system! You may have seen TV commercials for one of the pioneers of VoIP: Vonage. Vonage bills itself as the “broadband phone company” and offers attractive benefits to customers who switch to its VoIP service, such as low-cost 800 numbers and very low international rates (no fees from the US to Canada, and international calls are as low as .03 cents per minute to foreign locations like Paris). But Vonage isn’t the only company interested in harnessing the power of VoIP. AT&T is setting up VoIP calling in various areas of the US and there are other major VoIP players on the scene as well, like Skype, which relies on viral advertising to get the word out. Even some regional cable TV companies now offer heavily discounted VoIP phone service to their customers.

One of the interesting components of VoIP is that there is no single way to make a VoIP call. There are actually three ways to make a VoIP call:

1) VoIP over ATA: It is the most widely used VoIP method at the moment. Using the ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter), you connect your regular phone to your computer or Internet connection. The ATA is an analog to digital converter and it takes the analog signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and transmits it over the internet so you can make VoIP calls. This is how Vonage and AT&T CallVantage handle VoIP calls. The ATA is free with its services. And using an ATA for VoIP is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug your phone cable into the ATA instead of the wall jack, and you’re ready to start making VoIP calls. Depending on your computer, where you live, and what kind of Internet connection you have, you may also need to install VoIP software on your computer, but this shouldn’t be too difficult for most people.

2) VoIP Phones over IP: VoIP phones look like a standard phone. They have a handset, supports and buttons. But a VoIP phone uses an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. VoIP phones connect directly to your router and all the hardware and software is already built in to handle your VoIP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP Phones coming soon, allowing you to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi hotspot. This will allow you to take your VoIP phone with you when you travel and stop at any internet cafe, hotel or other place where you can use your Wi-Fi enabled laptop, and you can use VoIP technology to “call home” from anywhere. in the world.

3) VoIP via Computer to Computer – This is possibly the easiest way to use VoIP. There are no charges for long distance calls and there are several companies that offer free or low cost software right now so you can use VoIP technology. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers, a sound card, and a cable DSL or broadband Internet connection, and you can start using VoIP right away. Except for your ISP’s normal monthly fee, there is no charge for any computer-to-computer VoIP calls, no matter how far away. http://www.skype.com is one such VoIP service. Chances are you’ve already been using VoIP technology without even knowing it, whenever you’ve recently made a long-distance phone call. Many of the major telephone companies are already using VoIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth. It’s a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a circuit breaker and to an IP gateway. Once received on the other side of the gateway, VoIP calls are decompressed, reassembled, and routed back to a local circuit switch.

VoIP telephony is the wave of the future.

VoIP technology makes sense in terms of ROI, both from an economic and infrastructure standpoint. It may take some time, but eventually all of the current circuit-switched networks in use today will be replaced by packet-switched VoIP technology. More and more businesses are already installing VoIP systems, and as VoIP technology finds its way into our everyday language, our lives, and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity. According to Forrester Research, nearly 5 million US homes will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006. The two biggest advantages of VoIP for home users are price and flexibility. Today, most VoIP providers offer cell phone carrier-like calling plans, commonly called “rate per minute” plans, for as little as $30 per month. And just like with cell phone plans, you can also get unlimited plans for around $79 a month.

With the elimination of long distance charges, unregulated charges, and all the freebies that come standard with VoIP service, it can actually mean significant savings for you. For example, you may be paying more for features like:

Call waiting

three way call

call forwarding

Caller ID

redial

Last call return with VoIP

These services come standard. Also, there are some advanced features that make VoIP something worth looking into. With some VoIP carriers, you can set call filtering options and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers are handled. For example, you can:

Divert the call to a particular number

Send the call directly to voicemail

Give the caller a busy signal

· Play an “out of service” message with most VoIP services.

You can also check your voicemail on the Internet or attach messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or handheld. (By the way, if you’re interested in any of these features, not all VoIP companies are the same, so do some shopping first, because VoIP prices and services vary.)

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

VoIP FAQ:

How does VoIP/Internet phone work?

VoIP converts your phone’s voice signal into a digital signal that travels over the Internet. If you are calling a normal phone number, the signal is converted back at the other end. VoIP can allow you to make a call directly from a computer. If you make a VoIP call using a phone with an adapter, you will be able to dial as you always have, and your service provider may also provide a dial tone. If your service assigns you a regular phone number, then a person can call you from your regular phone without using special equipment.

Does my computer have to be on for VoIP to work?

Not if you are making VoIP calls with a phone and adapter or a special VoIP Internet phone, however your broadband Internet connection must be active. You can also use your computer while on the phone.

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

Some VoIP providers offer their local service for free, usually only charging non-VoIP service subscribers for calls. Some Internet VoIP phone providers charge for long distance calls to numbers outside of your calling area, similar to existing traditional phone service. Other VoIP providers allow you to call anywhere at a flat rate for a fixed number of minutes. Your VoIP Internet phone provider may allow you to select an area code that is different from the area in which you live. This means that if your VoIP provider charges for long distance, the charges may be based on calling within your area code rather than your geographic area. It also means that callers may incur long distance charges depending on your area code and service.

Can I take my Internet phone adapter with me when I travel to use VoIP?

You may be able to use your VoIP service wherever you travel, as long as you have a broadband Internet connection available. In that case, the VoIP service would work the same as at home.

How do I know if I have a VoIP phone call?

The phone will ring like any other call.

Additional considerations for VoIP service:

If you’re considering replacing your traditional phone service with VoIP, there are some potential considerations to keep in mind: Some VoIP services won’t work during power outages, and your VoIP service provider may not offer backup power. It can also be difficult for some VoIP services to seamlessly connect to the 911 emergency dispatch center or identify the location of VoIP 911 callers. that your customers will be able to reach an emergency dispatcher when they call 911.

Dispatchers must also be able to identify the caller’s phone number and location. You can review additional information about VoIP and 911 considerations at [http://www.911voip.org] VoIP providers may or may not offer directory assistance/white page listings. Aspects of these considerations may change with new developments in Internet Voice technology. You should always check with the prospective VoIP service provider to confirm the benefits and limitations of the VoIP service they offer.