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VoIP has become extremely popular with the general public. TV and online adverts, news and paper headlines have aired this new technology he5A8avily recently, furthering its overall success. If somehow youve managed to miss all this hype surrounding this recent computer related communications revolution the abreviation VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol or Voice over IP. This technology enables the user to talk with a phone/microphone over the world wide web connection.

Normal phone bills can be minimised by using VoIP since it boasts extremely low rates, considerably lower than conventional telephone, whether the calls being made are local or to the other side of the world. Large corporations are taking advantage of this fact massively by installing the necessary software and equipment, loosing the old requirement for traditional conference calls, many faxes etc, whilst incorporating such media tools as streaming video applications. The recent explosion in VoIP use has hidden the fact that this technology has been around for many years waiting to become economically viable.

In terms of families now wanting to give this exciting new improvement on phone communication a go, mostly this concept is a full gone conclusion people are going stir crazy about it. Do they believe all the hype about how it will hugely improve their everyday lives? Is this technology really as impressive, reliable and affordable as is often touted by the sales pitchers? Any unanswered questions alongside possibilities you may not have realised yet are provided here in5A8 this article aimed at furthering your understanding of this new VoIP technology. Once youve read everything here you may be more inclined to get out there and purchase then test run this communications system.

Initially an internet connection to your residence must be present! This connection must be a high speed one, any of the following varieties i.e. satellite, cable or DSL, not 56K dial up. VoIP can only function properly and transform into your new calling station by following this important advice. Quality loss is just far too significant when attempting to use slower connections such as 56K dial ups. These now fairly antiquated connections simply dont have the speed or capacity required to transfer calls digitally. If DSL happens to be your choice of broadband service, and youre hoping to replace your existing phone service with VoIP, a company known as SpeakEasy has just recently created a VoIP product that doesnt require any already installed phone line.

The second most important requirement is a gateway, needing to be connected between your ethernet modem and computer. Your phone line needs to be plugged into this VoIP gateway to then enable calling to be high quality, unhindered by any potential computer problems that may occur. Many computers have a variety of momentary unpredictable problems, e.g. slow memory or crashes which could significantly reduce quality calling time.

A5A8dapters are available so that VoIP can fit any phone, old/ existing or new. Typically the promoters of VoIP provide sell adapters to reduce the time you may spend shopping around for one. Albeit a great money saving plan, not buying a new phone will probably mean you miss out on the next big VoIP move, video usage in combination with VoIP on phones, a trend that looks set to blow up everywhere. A company known as Packet8 VoIP sells a great video phone in addition to their usual services.

Phone services that have VoIP included typically contain the whole range of great offers and gadgets the current phone services provide. Details cover such aspects as three way calling, voice messaging, your own VoIP telephone number and call waiting.

Key aspects associated with this brazen new feature-full phone technology that you should be aware of are that local 911 emergency coverage exists. This feature may come as an additional extra charge on top of the basic package, hitting your wallet on a monthly basis. Dont commit to a calling contract until you have ironed out all the costs associated with what ever deal you choose.

Lastly, remember that electricity is the fuel your VoIP system uses and the occasional power cut will unfortunately put a stop to its functioning, momentarily. This is the one small aspect that traditional phone calls dont have to contend with, due in part to them containing their own small p472ower supplies.

# posted by blogs71375 : 10:37 PM  0 comments

VoIP or internet telephon5A8y has created new horizons for communications. Over the years small problems like dropped calls and voice clarity have existed but these have been ironed out and in most cases the system works fairly well. Companies big and small have entered the field of internet telephony and the competition ensures that the beneficiary is the end user or consumer.

1.If you have a small business or home office you can avoid the expenses of an 1800 number. A Vonage VoIP connection will not just help you grow your business but ensure that you never miss a single business or personal call. A call can be forwarded, the Vonage adapter can travel with you, or you can arrange to have all calls forwarded to your e-mail address. You can at your convenience log onto your e-mail account and listen to voice mails.

2.You can get a phone number to almost any country in the world, Canada, London, Europe. If you have family or business connections in another city or nation for just a small monthly subscription you can ask Vonage to provide you with say a Berlin, London, or Paris number. Then, even if you are in Los Angeles your call will be received by people in any of the cities as a local call. And, business clients and associates too can make calls to you at the cost of a local call.

3.A Vonage connection gives you facilities like call waiting, forwarding, conferencing and more for no extra charge. So, you will not incur any extra 596costs for basic facilities.

4.Vonage has schemes where for a fixed plan you can make international calls too. Or you could opt for paying for international calls at a fraction of the costs that a regular phone will cost.

5.The Vonage system is such that your surfing the net or any other work over the net will not be interfered with. So, you can send and receive calls without disconnecting your other work.

6.Vonage set the voice quality priority to the highest level in order that the customers get trouble free sound clarity.

7.With the VoIP system you can not just speak but transfer files and presentations over the network.

8.The Vonage site is easy to negotiate. And one can access customer service online. The site also features updates on packages and facilities. One can subscribe as well as renew a connection online.

There is a Vonage forum set up at www.vonage-forum.com that helps iron out glitches. Users can share problems and solutions here. The site has reviews, FAQs, information on Vonage services and more.

Vonage benefits include retaining your existing number, great affordable international calling rates, free Vonage to Vonage calls, free phone adapter, a money back guarantee, and a refer a friend program.

Read all you need to about Vonage, undertake a comparison shopping exercise and get ready to save as much as 50% on phone bills.

# posted by blogs71375 : 7:49 PM  0 comments

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

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

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

Your Hosted PBX provider should have the capability to proactively monitor detailed call quality statistics including MOS, jitter, latency, and other measurements. State-of-the-Art network monitoring systems have advanced diagnostics linked55A to an online knowledgebases that automatically provide network technicians with troubleshooting tips. This capability dramatically reduces the effort and time required to identify the root cause of poor quality calls, and more importantly it reduces the time that your business is affected by the trouble.

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

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

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

# posted by blogs71375 : 4:40 PM  0 comments

When it comes to VoIP Broadband Telephone service, there are many benefits. Unlimited local and long distance calling, included features such as CallerID, Call Waiting, Find Me/Follow Me, etc., and reduced costs. Many people overlook one thing when they are comparing the price of a VoIP provider and their Traditional Telephone service, and that is What taxes are associated with VoIP telephone service vs. what taxes are associated with traditional telephone services?

In my opinion, this is a huge factor in making the decision to go with a VoIP Broadband Telephone solution. The only VoIP Tax (as of the writing Feb. 2005) associated with a VoIP service is a Federal Excise Tax of only 3% of the bill. For example, if you signed up for a VoIP unlimited calling plan for only $19.95 per month your monthly total would equal $20.55. This $20.55 per month would cover all of your calls to the U.S. and Canada, all of the included features, and quality customer service. (Noted exception: Vonage customers located in N.J. are required to pay sales tax on their Vonage VoIP service.)

Conversely, a Traditional telephone bill includes numerous taxes and surcharges. For example, I had a discount telephone company that only c5A8harged me $9.99 per month for a basic Traditional Telephone service in California. Please look at the breakdown of all of the taxes and charges.

BASIC MONTHY CHARGE $9.99

CALL WAITING $3.20

FCC ACCESS CHARGE $4.49

DIRECTORY LISTING/ NON-PUBLISHED $0.79

FEDERAL TAX $0.54

CA RELAT SVC AND COMM DEVICE FUND $0.04

E911 TAX $0.09

UNIVERSAL LIFELINE SERVICE CHARGE $0.16

CA HIGH COST FUND SURCHARGE A $0.02

STATE REGULATORY FEE $0.01

UNIVERAL SERVICE FUND $0.39

CA HIGH COST FUND SURCHARGE B $0.30

TOTAL TAXES, FEES AND SURCHARGES $10.03

So, my bill total was $20.02 for the month and that was before I ever picked up the telephone to make a telephone call. Also the only feature that I opted for was Call Waiting.

You can draw your own conclusions on whether or not VoIP is right for you. If you dont make any outgoing calls then you may want to stick to your traditional telephone company. But from an economical stand point, VoIP is clearly the less expensive option if you make any long distance telephone calls.

Economics is only one part of the equation. Be sure to read my other article on Things You Should Consider When Selecting a VoIP Provider found at http://www.voipchoices.com/voip-considerations.html.

For a listing of popular VoIP providers and to do a side by si4CCde comparison of VoIP providers and services please visit www.VoIPChoices.com.

# posted by blogs71375 : 2:56 PM  0 comments

In 2004 the terms VoIP, internet phone service and IP phone were foreign to almost everyone except technology professionals and geeky computer types. Now most people I talk with are at least slightly familiar with these terms, as the internet phone service market is now starting to take off. Contrary to what many people believe, VoIP is not a new technology. It was introduced to the public in 1995, by a company called Vocaltec. By using internet phone software, registered users could make phone calls via their computer using a dialup internet connection. I made my first internet phone call in 2000 using my computer, a headset, a dialup internet connection and a free account with Net2Phone. The sound quality was terrible, but it was an absolutely fascinating experience to be making a free long distance call over my computer. Now in 2005, ten years after the first commercial use of VoIP, the technology is finally ready for prime time!

Significant improvements have been made with VoIP in the past five years, and communications companies have started investing heavily in the technology. The quality and relia5A8bility of service has improved so much within the past year or so that VoIP is now suitable and reliable enough for everyday residential and business use. In fact, so much attention is now being given to the continued improvement of VoIP technology that its well on its way to becoming the PREFERRED method of communication by home users and businesses alike.

There were around 1.5 million internet phone users in the USA in 2004, and around 2.1 million today according to Telecommunications Industry News. According to various statistics Ive seen, the number of VoIP users in the United States is projected to be around 17 to 18 million between 2008 and 2010. This in an increase of over 1000% within the next 3 to 5 years! Experts also estimate that by 2007, 75% of long distance calls worldwide will be made via the internet. The US is currently not the biggest user of VoIP technology - there are about 7 million users in Japan out of approximately 12 million worldwide today. The internet phone industry is booming, and will continue to grow over the next decade. It seems that everyone including EBay wants in on the exploding VoIP market now, as evidenced by their purchase of VoIP provider Skype in September 2005.

More people are showing interest in obtaining Internet Phone Service because they are starting to hear more about it. This is due in part to more converted users raving about the amount of 5A8money they are saving and the great features they get for free (I love my VoIP service so much I wrote a website about it!). A greater awareness has also come from increased advertising efforts by major cable and communications companies. Many cable television and phone service companies (like Verizon) have been pouring money into VoIP technology in order to capture some of this new market share.

In an effort to hold on to their customers, many regular PSTN (public switched telephone network) phone companies are now offering unlimited long distance calling for a flat monthly fee of around $39 per month. Current subscribers are starting to cancel their traditional phone service as they are convinced that VoIP is a better option. Not only is VoIP cheaper (under $25 a month for unlimited calling), but most Internet Phone providers throw in all of the optional features for free. Phone companies charge extra for services like voicemail, caller id and call waiting. I think phone companies have missed the boat when it comes to competing with VoIP, but thats a topic for another article

With all of the telephone service options now available, it is becoming difficult for consumers to choose the right provider for their needs:

Should you subscribe with a true VoIP service service provider (like Vonage, Packet8, SunRocket, Voip.net, etc), or should you choose the phone service that your cable5A8 company provides? If you compare VoIP provider rates with those of the cable company, pure VoIP providers are clearly the winner. Cable companies do provide free installation, but VoIP is really very simple to install. Many cable companies offer discount through package deals, but its always smart to compare total cost and included features with VoIP providers before making a decision.

Should you switch to VoIP and get rid of your landline phone, or keep what youve got and pay for unlimited long distance calling? If you dont use the internet, keep your landline phone and forget about VoIP for now. To get the most bang for your buck out of VoIP service, you need to have cable internet service. This eliminates the need for a phone line and dial tone that you have to pay the phone company for. To use VoIP in the most cost effective way, calls should go through your cable broadband connection this eliminates the need for standard phone service. VoIP does not work well over dial up internet; you really need broadband in order to get the best audio quality.

Depending on your long distance calling habits, VoIP internet phone service can save you between 20% - 80% per year vs. traditional PSTN phone service. The technology is mature now and the quality of service is great (and getting better all the time). Its hard to beat unlimited local and long distance calling for less t58Chan $25 per month, plus you get free voicemail, caller id, call waiting, call return, and all the other features youre used to paying extra for.

VoIP is definitely here to stay, and cost savings is only one of the many benefits it offers. Internet phones will change the way the world communicates. Its now possible to live in another country and have a US phone number, you can have several virtual phone numbers in different states or travel the world and bring your home phone with you. Its an exciting time in the world of communications are you ready to switch to VoIP?

(c) Copyright 2005, Debbie Jacobsen. All rights reserved.

# posted by blogs71375 : 1:59 PM  0 comments