VoIP - Getting Started With Voice Over IP

Finding Free VoIP On The Web

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

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

VoIP Advantages

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

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

The Internet Phone Revolution.

The world is on the brink of a phone revolution, with a growing number of people cutting their telecom bills by making free calls via the World Wide Web.

A recent sign of this is that EBay, the online auction website, is so sure the idea will catch on, that it has paid $4.1 billion for the Internet Phone firm Skype Technologies.

Shortly all the millions of people who buy and sell goods on eBay will be able to use Skype's software, to talk to each other free and also make cut price calls to other landlines and cell phones.

Internet Phone services such as Skype are specially valuable for people who make a great deal of international telephone calls, as even these are free as long as both caller and receiver use the Skype software. The service works best over a broadband World Wide Web link but it can be used over dial up. Also a microphone headset is required to improve sound quality, nonetheless you can also use the external speakers and microphone that are supplied with most personal computers these days.

Its terribly convenient to make an Internet Phone call, just determine which Skype user or phone number you want to call, press dial and a few seconds later you will hear the phone ring at the other end. Skype claims that the sound quality for an Internet Phone call is at least as good as a normal phone call, particularly if you use a headset. Nevertheless, some users complain about echoes and some delays between speaking and hearing the feedback.

There are also more drawbacks, most Internet phone services don't permit calls to emergency services, also you may not hear incoming telephone calls whilst you are away from your computer, and if you go offline or switch off your computer you will not be able to receive calls at all. On the plus side you can use the Internet Phone services to make conference calls and if you have a Web Cam you could also set up a videoconference.

Skype is not the only provider of free Internet Phone calls; they are also available with Vontage, BT Google Talk and several others.

Vontage is one of the most popular. The service uses a router and your normal telephone so you just make calls in the usual way, but they are carried over the Internet rather than you telephone company's landline. Telephone calls to other Vontage users are free, and you get extra services such as voice mail and call waiting included in the monthly charge cost.

With the on going take up of Broad Band services around the world one has to wonder what is the longer term future for traditional land line based telephone services?

Roger Overanout.

For all the latest news and information about Internet Phones and VoIP check with www.internetphonecenter.info

You may reproduce this article provided you maintain an active link back to www.internetphonecenter.info

VOIP Security Guide

Revolutionizing the world of telephony, VoIP has become one of the fastest growing technologies of today. It has quickly gobbled up the market for the traditional and well established tools for communicating over large distances, by making them look antiquated and expensive.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is basically a process which converts your voice into digital signals that travel over internet. Its most prominent feature is its affordability. With VoIP you can make long distance calls at a fraction of cost that you used to pay to your telephone companies. It is primarily because of the fact that transferring digital signals over internet is quite cheaper than transferring analog signals over the traditional telephone lines.

However, nowadays VoIP is in the news not for the great savings in long distance calls that it offers but for the security concerns attached to it. As VoIP runs through internet, the information exchanged can be intercepted by anyone at any time. Moreover, because of its popularity VoIP has become a soft target for the hackers. In the absence of a strong firewall system, hackers may capture sensitive information such as credit card number and bank details. They can even launch denial of service attacks and shut down a voice conversation, or send spam or virus over the internet to disrupt the services. Another vulnerability that the IT sector is worried about the hacking of VoIP networks for making free calls. According to industry sources, a new generation of "phreakers" may be able to manipulate the data switched through a hybrid TDM-VoIP network which will allow them to exploit the billing system to make free calls. Another menace that is plaguing the VoIP networks is รขโ�ฌห�caller-id spoofingรขโ�ฌโ�ข. There are some hacking websites that allow people to control the phone number that appears on the receiverรขโ�ฌโ�ขs caller-id display. Moreover, they can modify their voice with the help of voice modification software. Thus, they have become a useful tool for private investigators and pranksters.

VoIP service providers are now trying to secure their customers from these threats through the tunneling and encryption processes. These techniques prevent the hackers from capturing the information packets as they pass through the internet. Most of the service providers are using Layer 2 tunneling and an encryption method called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to prevent anyone from getting the confidential information. However, despite of all these possible threats the IT segment is still enthusiastic about the cost savings and the added functionality that VoIP offers to their business. Most of them consider VoIP as a reliable and robust system and the security concerns not so serious to hamper the progress of VoIP.

Thus, although the attacks on the VoIP systems are at a nascent stage but they may gain teeth and hit the consumers sharply as the hackers become aware of the details of this service. Thus, it is necessary for the concerned authorities to understand the criticality of the situation and be ready to take the necessary preventive measures to prevent any major impact of these threats on VoIP in future.

Mansi Aggarwal recommends that you visit VOIP security for more information.

How VoIP Will Affect Every Household and Business in the World

Seattle venture capitalist, Greg Gottesman, calls it "รขโ�ฌยฆone of the most important changes in communications in the past 100 years."

The Boeing Company announced plans to move its 150,000 employees to an internet-based phone system, and several Seattle area residents are using internet telephones to get cheap rates or, in some cases, free international phone calls.

Using VoIP, homes and businesses can save up to 80% on current phone bills, while enjoying a quality of sound that is superior to traditional lines. The only equipment needed is a computer with sound, and a microphone or headset, which can be purchased at a local store for between $5 to $45. Upgrades to existing equipment is virtually eliminated, as VoIP can be used on dial-up (contrary to numerous published claims), broadband, wireless, or satellite connections.

When shopping for a VoIP solutions provider

รขโ�ฌยข Look for secure lines and patented technology.

รขโ�ฌยข Look for free PC to PC calls.

รขโ�ฌยข Check for hidden costs.

รขโ�ฌยข Avoid providers with unsecure lines and/or peer-to-peer programs as public listing of names and numbers, shared servers, or open platforms, as may leave you vulnerable to not only spyware, but viruses, worms, Trojan horses, unscrupulous hackers, not to mention violation of privacy.

Dee Scrip and her close friend Andy Murray operate the website http://www.whypay4calls.com. Where you can experience a 7 day free trial with a secure line on patented technology. NO contracts, obligations, or hassles!

VoIP Services

The increased usage of bandwidth services, availability of new and existing networks and the rapid convergence of voice and data demand new products and services from Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. These needs are further compounded by decreasing prices and the higher demand on the quality of service. With competition coming from major telecom providers, Internet service providers and VoIP providers, the core differentiating factor is the higher value-added services.

At the consumer level, there are services specifically tailored for individual customers (or residential customers), SOHO users, small businesses and large corporations. Depending upon the type of customer, the services could include providing infrastructure like hardware devices, soft phones, inbound and outbound termination and also bundling of all services. At the individual level, software-based service is also evolving rapidly.

Some of the specialized services include providing fax facility and emergency services through 911. Peer-to-peer services bypass the central service provider by letting clients communicate directly with each other. Other than networking with PSTN lines for traditional calls, there are some services that provide connectivity to GSM networks.

Software-based services provide PC to phone connections by registering with websites of the service provider, which allows downloading of software for free. They also charge minimal rates for calls outside of the subscriber base. The call may be to a local number, or it may be a long-distance call, international call or a call to a mobile phone. The calling rate depends on the service provider.

Some of the features are like that of PSTN. They include billing facilities, but may not offer directory listings. As VoIP services depend upon routers, the limitation is that services donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt work during power outages.

VoIP services face a number of issues in providing quality service. The major issue is the delay of the packet in reaching the destination, which results in the lack of synchronization between speakers. In some cases, packets are lost due to overload and congestion in the network, resulting in the loss of voice data. The reliability of a service is determined by the routing of packets through alternate paths, even when the router fails or malfunctions. Lastly, security is of high priority as the voice communication devices may be hacked with malicious intention.

VOIP provides detailed information on VOIP, VOIP Providers, VOIP Phone System, VOIP Solutions and more. VOIP is affiliated with Wireless IP Phones.

VoIP (Computer Phone) Warning

Warning! Warning! Warning!

Beware of VoIP internet service providers that operate on industry standard codec and industry standard protocols because they are PUBLICLY OPEN and INTERPRETABLE! This also includes, but is not limited to, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.

In plain terms, this means, if you subscribe to, or considering subscribing to a VoIP internet solution provider who operates on these industry standards รขโ�ฌโ�� and over 90% do -- you have inadvertently made yourself vulnerable to the criminal activities of hackers.

Regardless of the type of anti virus software you have on your computer, the publicly accessible industry standards provide a pathway by which these criminals can access your computer to plant viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and/or steal your identity.

Like sharks in a feeding frenzy, unscrupulous criminal hackers view systems operating on these industry standards as their personal "Cash Cow" because of the ease by which they can access your computer and gather your information to sell to other criminals.

Did you know that some hacker-friendly providers offer processor chips that are only sold on the Internet?

Did you know that hacker-friendly providers actually offer hacker software that enables these criminals to deliberately disable security on computers, access your personal and confidential information, as well as inject their viruses, worms, and/or Trojan horses?

For instance, "Vomit" is a free download software that was designed to convert VoIP phone conversations into a wave file which could be played with standard sound players. Hackers gleefully interpret this as a tool they can utilize to attack unsuspecting victims.

Hacker manuals are also easily accessible via the Internet. One of these manuals shows how to DoS other sites. DoSing (Disruption of Service) involves gaining unauthorized access to the "command prompt" on your computer and using it to tie up your vital Internet services. When a hacker invades your system, they can then delete or create files and emails, modify security features, and plant viruses or time bombs onto your computer.

"Sniff" is another tool (originally intended to help telecommunication professionals detect and solve problems) that criminal hackers use to tamper with the protocol and "sniff out" data. When hackers sniff out a data packet from Internet traffic, they reconstruct it to intercept conversations. This enables them to eavesdrop on conversations, gather information, and sell it to other unprincipled criminal entities.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is one of the most sinister of vulnerabilities you can inadvertently be subjected to. Identity theft is defined by the Department of Justice as

"รขโ�ฌยฆthe wrongful obtaining and using of someone elseรขโ�ฌโ�ขs personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain."

Identity theft is the by-product of unscrupulous criminal individuals obtaining your social security number (including those of your spouse and children), your bank account, your credit card information, etc. Your information is then sold to other criminal entities for profit. Using your information, these criminals can then:

ร�ยท access your bank account funds
ร�ยท create new bank accounts with your information
ร�ยท create driverรขโ�ฌโ�ขs licenses
ร�ยท create passports

Attorney General Ashcroft stated that,

"Identity theft carries a heavy price, both in the damage to individuals whose identities are stolen and the enormous cost to America's businesses."

Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt be naร�ยฏve enough to think it wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt happen or couldnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt happen to you!

A group hosting a website known as shadowcrew.com was indicted on conspiracy charges for stealing credit card numbers and identity documents, then selling them online. While this group allegedly trafficked $1.7 million in stolen credit card numbers, they also caused losses in excess of $4 million.

According to a Press Release issued by the Department of Justice on February 28, 2005, a hacker was convicted of several counts of fraud, one in which

"รขโ�ฌยฆhe fraudulently possessed more than 15 computer usernames and passwords belonging to other persons for the purpose of accessing their bank and financial services accounts, opening online bank accounts in the names of those persons, and transferring funds to unauthorized accounts."

If you are using a VoIP internet service provider and do not want to be a victim of Identity Theft, then take the first step to protect yourself -- donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt use VoIP internet service providers operating on industry standard codec and industry standard protocols.

Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses

On January 28, 2005, a press Release issued by the Department of Justice reported that a 19 year old was convicted for his criminal activity by "รขโ�ฌยฆcreating and unleashing a variant of the MS Blaster computer worm." Christopher Wray, Attorney General รขโ�ฌโ�� Criminal Division stated that,

"This รขโ�ฌยฆ malicious attack on the information superhighway caused an economic and technological disruption that was felt around the world."

On February 11, 2005, in a Press Release issued by the Department of Justice, reported that another criminal was sentenced for circulating a worm. This worm,

"directed the infected computers to launch a distributed denial of service (DOS) attack against Microsoft's main web site causing the site to shutdown and thus became inaccessible to the public for approximately four hours."

March 7, 2005, Symantec.com posted discovery of a worm named "W32.Serflog.B" that spread through file-sharing networks and MSN Messenger รขโ�ฌโ�� networks that operate on publicly open and interpretable industry standard codec and protocols, including P2P systems, as well as Instant Messaging systemsรขโ�ฌโ��none of which are protected, regardless of the anti virus software on your computer. The W32.Serflog.B worm also lowers security settings and appears as a blank message window on the MSN Messenger.

If you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt want to be the next victim of the devastation created by worms, STOP using services that operate on industry standard codec and protocols, and/or services that incorporate P2P systems.

Anti virus software does not incorporate protection for Instant Messaging services. In addition, Instant Messaging services, in and of themselves, do not include protection for their users.

If you like the convenience of text chatting via Instant Messaging, then use a VoIP internet service provider that includes the Instant Messaging feature -- one that does not operate on industry standard codec or industry standard protocols that are publicly open and accessible.

Optimally secure VoIP service providers that incorporate a secure Instant Messaging feature, operate from their own proprietary high end encryption codec on patented technology that is hosted in a professional facility. Simply put, when a VoIP internet service provider operates on optimally secure platforms, the Instant Messaging feature on the VoIP softphone, is also protected with their technology.

A Trojan horse is a program that internet criminals use to interrupt and interfere with your security software and produces the following results

ร�ยท Terminates processes
ร�ยท Removes registry entries
ร�ยท Stops services
ร�ยท Delete files

Hackers, who have gained access to your computer, because of the programs and software as mentioned above, are having a field day incorporating this nasty little program into their arsenal of weapons.

As recently as March 4, 2005, a new Trojan horse was discovered that modified settings in Internet Explorer. Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP were the reported systems that could be affected.

Hereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs the bottom line.

1. If you are currently using a VoIP internet solution provider that operates on industry standard codec and industry standard protocols that are publicly open and interpretable, you need to make a decision:

a. Continue enticing criminal hackers and remain on their service, or
b. Take immediate corrective action.

2. If you are currently using Instant Messaging of any sort, you need to make a decision

a. Continue enticing criminal hackers and remain as a user of their service, or
b. Take immediate corrective action.

If you decide to take immediate corrective action:

1. Find a VoIP internet solution provider that has their own proprietary high end encryption codec

2. Find a VoIP internet solution provider that has their own proprietary patented technology

3. Find a VoIP internet solution provider that hosts their proprietary patented technology in a professional facility

4. Find a VoIP internet solution provider that includes the Instant Messaging feature in their proprietary patented technology

**Attn Ezine editors / Site owners ** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include the resource box as listed below.

Dee Scrip is a well known and respected published author of numerous articles on VoIP, VoIP Security, and other related VoIP issues.

Other articles can be found at http://www.free-pc-phone.com

Hereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs a place you can look over to see what a VoIP internet solution provider looks like that operates on their own proprietary high end encryption codec with their own proprietary patented technology hosted in a professional facility, AND that incorporates the Instant Messaging feature: http://www.free-pc-phone.com.

Voice over Internet Protocal VoIP for Business

VoIP consists of 2 major technologies....

Making Calls Over the Internet--Residential

This is the most common use of VoIP. It is also called VoIP lines or trunks. If you have a high speed internet connection, like cable modem, DSL, or T1, you can use your high speed connection to make phone calls on the internet. There are many companies like Vonage, Lingo, and VoiceWing (Verizon) that offer VoIP lines. Cable companies also offer VoIP lines, but only if you have their cable modem service. So, to boil it down, instead of getting your dial tone from Verizon over the traditional phone network, you get your dial done from your internet company.

Any phone system made (even an old one) can take advantage of VoIP lines. You do not need an IP based (IP PBX) or even IP compatible phone system. This is one of the biggest misconcetions about VoIP.

The advantage of VoIP lines are:

Lower Bills. Usually you pay a flat monthly rate and all your calls in the USA and Canada are free You can take your number with you. If you move around the corner or across the country with VoIP you can keep your existing phone number even if you move to a different area code.

Multiple area codes. You can get phone numbers from different area codes or even overseas numbers.

Portability. You can move the VoIP router with you and take your service easily with you. You can even set it up to use your laptop with a virtual soft-phone and a WiFi connections to make calls from anywhere you can get high speed internet access.

Features. VoIP lines come with Caller ID, Call Forwarding, and lots of other great features. The problems with VoIP lines are:

Quality is not as good as traditional phone service, but it's close and getting better all the time. Set up can be very challenging, especially if you are planning on using your own router.

Depending on how fast your internet connection is, it may be possible to make several calls at the same time over the internet. However, the more calls you make at once the slower your internet connection will be and the poorer the sound quality of your calls will be.

Faxes, modem, and alarm systems don't work well over VoIP lines. Sometimes they won't work at all. If you need a lot of lines, you may need more then one high speed connection, so the cost of the high speed internet connection may outweigh the savings.

There are some minor technical issue using VoIP lines and Automated Attendants and Voice Mail systems. If your internet access goes down, all your phone lines go down too.

VoIP lines normally don't work if the power does out, but you can set up back up batteries.

Right now the Government does not tax VoIP service. If that changes VoIP may not be price effective anymore. Making Calls Over the Internet--Business

Business class VoIP works in much the same way as for residential VoIP with one major difference. With business class VoIP a T1 is usually delivered to your office that provides both VoIP voice lines and Internet service. This means that your VoIP provider and your ISP are the same company This distinction is very important once you need more then 3 or 4 lines. Since your Internet connection is coming from the VoIP phone company problems such as latency, jitter, and static are greatly reduced.

Basically, your call has to travel a shorter distance. With residential, your call goes from Verizon DSL or Comcast Cable, to Vonage, to the person your calling. That's 3 steps or hops and problems can occur anywhere along with way. With business class VoIP, the 1st 2 hops are the same provider so things work better and you can get more calls on the same Internet connection.

Business class VoIP also has the advantage of being dynamically allocated. This means that when fewer people are on the phones, the Internet speed is faster. Voice always gets priority, so phone lines are always available. Packages are available from 5 to 105 lines or more and may come with unlimited calling or a large allotment of included minutes.

Business service is far more important then residential, so it's vital that you choose the right carrier. There are several major carriers like Verizon and Sprint and many smaller national carrier that you've probably never heard of. There are even more regional carriers that only service a small area and even more resellers that just package someone else's service. Let the experts at Teleco http://www.teleco4.com help you navigate through the maze of carriers and offers.

Connection Remote Workers or Remote Offices....Voice over IP Stations.

This is the 2nd major use of VoIP. You can "connect" to your office phone system from anywhere there is a high speed internet connection. Using a special VoIP telephone or a Laptop "soft phone" you can work from home or a hotel and it's just like being in your office. You have access to all your phone system features including the intercom, paging, all outside lines, voice mail, and even your extension can ring on your VoIP phone. Best of all, you don't lose the use of your computer. 1 high speed internet connection can run your VoIP phone and your PC at the same time.

With this same technology, you can link multiple office together into one seamless phone system. You can even share lines or the one voice mail system. You can even run your entire phone system over your office LAN or WAN without separate voice wiring (often called Pure IP or IP Based telephone systems), though that is very expensive and complicated and is best suited for very large companies with full time IT staffs.

Voice over IP is very exciting and more and more people are using it everyday. Let the experts at Teleco http://www.teleco4.com help you understand if VoIP is right for you. Voice over IP is available on both the NEC IPK and Toshiba CTX digital telephone systems.

Andrew Taub
10+ Years in Sales, Service, and Technical Programming of PBX and Key Business Telephone Systems

What Is VoIP And How Does VoIP Work?

VoIP will allow users to user their broadband connection to make phone calls over the Internet. The widespread use of VoIP has caused a revolution in the phone industry.

With the VoIP service giving users the chance to make phone calls over the internet it is easy to see why this has rocked the telecom industry.

VoIP at present is becoming the most cost effective way to make long distance telephone calls. Before VoIP telephone service providers had a strong hold on lucrative and 99% of the time over priced long distance services.

Due to the introduction of Voip the long distance calling market has began to open to up to competition. The main reason for this is that most Internet users will begin implementing VoIP. The main reason being that VoIP is the most cost effective way to make long distance telephone calls.

VoIP Development Process

Over the last 10 year VoIP has been slowly developing. In the early days computer users were able to talk to one another through their computers. You were only able to do this if you had a voice enabled computer with good Internet connection and you would need to have a software program installed on your computer.

The main advantage to this was that it allowed user to be able to contact anyone from around the world for free aslong as they had the same setup as you.

The disadvantages to this system was that sound quality was never great, broadband was not being widely used and the user you were trying to contact would have to be online.

Today's VoIP has made these problems a thing of the past.

The two things that were required to make VoIP technology appeal to the wide spread market have been accomplished.

Broadband is now a widly used internet service. This allows users to have a stable internet connection that can always be on.

Secondly the VoIP industry has been able to develop a simple and inexpenisve way of integrating the IP network (aka Internet) with a traditional telephone system.

What this means is that VoIP users are able to use their own telephone to call anyone else in the world who has the traditonal telephone connection.

Traditional telecom companies such as Qwest, AT&T and Bell have developed their own type of VoIP technology. This has given consumers a huge number of choices. Now anybody anywhere with a boradband internet connection is able to call anyone anywhere in the world who has a ordinary telephone connection.

Why VoIP Will Save You Money

The major advantage of VoIP is the low cost, with no significant decrease in voice quality.

1st, a VoIP subscriber doesn't require a traditional phone line. Instead, you are assigned a phone number by your VoIP provider.

Prices for these calls can be as low as $9 per month. 2nd, virtually all VoIP subscribers will buy a "bundle" of services that includes unlimited incoming calls and unlimited long distance calls to anyone in a defined geographic area. As an example, VoIP unlimited calling plans to anyone in the US or even Canada will only cost around $20 per month.

Third, virtually all VoIP service providers offer free bundled features that virtually all traditional telephone corporations charge for. These include free voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting ID, three way calling, speed dialing.

VoIP provides better flexibility and portability

An additional important benefit is the flexibility and portability of VoIP phone service. With VoIP your individual telephone number is programmed into the converter that acts as a bridge between your internet connection and your regular telephone.

This has many important benefits. As already mentioned you don't want an actual land line. Instead your telephone number is assigned to your converter (not to your geographic land line). So you are able to take your converter with you anywhere in the globe, plug it into any available broadband connection, and immediately you can employ your regular number to produce and receive calls.

This flexibility also lets you select a number in an area code where virtually all of your long distance calls originate. For instance, if many of your friends, family, business associates or even customers are calling from a specific city that traditionally involved an extended distance call for them, you may pick a number in that area code and immediately turn all their calls to you into local (free) calls for them.

The benefits of VoIP are many, and the savings can be incredibly important. So it's no wonder that VoIP has turned into the hottest telecom technology of the decade. Informed consumers and businesses around the globe are adopting this technology at a phenomenal rate.

Visit Our Home Page At http://www.voiptesting.ws/voip_articles.html To Learn Even More.

Find out more about different voip services by visiting VoIP Phone Company

VoIP Telephone Service Vs. Traditional Phone Service: Understanding How It Works

Over the past 6 years I have been watching the growth of the Internet Based Telephone Industry. With the bursting popularity of Broadband or High Speed Internet like DSL, Cable Modem, or Satellite, telephone service has become a natural addition of applications to run over the Internet.

Many people are not aware that most of the major telephone companies use the Internet to route their long distance calls already and have been for years. They use a protocol called SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) to offer Voice Over IP (VoIP). This same protocol is available in many of the leading messaging programs like Skype, MSN, AOL, etc ... For many years people have been using this protocol to talk over long distances on their computers using programs called "Softphones". Softphones are basically computer programs that run on computers and use the sound card in a computer to convert analogue sound, like a voice, to digital packets that can be carried over the Internet. Then some program or device on the other end can decode the packets and play them back. Of course it goes in both directions. Thus you can use it like a telephone.

This same softphone technology is being embedded in small devices called Analog Telephone Adapters or ATAs. These devices have really become popular in the past few years and the quality of the devices have greatly increased. ATAs basically connect to a normal telephone in your house on one side and to the internet on the other. The ATA acts as a gateway translating the sound from the telephone into SIP that goes over the internet and eventually to the phone system where it is decoded and passed on to regular telephones.

Many companies over the past 5 years have tried to make a business plan using ATA devices. The most popular is Vonage. Vonage has spent literally 10s of millions of dollars on advertising and have established a good market. Their latest adds say they are a million customers strong. I can remember when they were just in a few local markets. Many companies have followed their lead like USP Connect, Packet8, Sun Rocket, etc รขโ�ฌยฆ All these companies have worked out agreements with national and international carriers like ATT, MCI, WorldCom, etcรขโ�ฌยฆ to pass to them SIP traffic and vice versa. This allows them to offer full residential telephone service over the Internet. The dirty little secret that telephone companies will not tell you is that, it is whole lot cheaper to route with SIP than normal analogue phone systems. Therefore, since these new companies do not have to pay for copper telephone wire in the ground like most telephone companies, or for big analogue based switches, their prices are a lot cheaper. Also, Internet based telephone systems are not taxed like local telephone companies. It is not uncommon to get telephone service from $9.99 for 500 minutes a month to $24.99 for unlimited long distance and local calls. You may have to pay a federal excise tax of $2.00 or so, but not all of the crazy taxes and fees like a company like Qwest would charge. It is impossible to understand the bill most of time with Qwest. Qwest, Verizon, SBC, Sprint and other local traditional telephone companies can charge more than $20 a month in taxes and fees. They advertise a $20.00 a month special but then add $20.00 in taxes and fees which are never explained to you. They also have a nasty habit of selling your telephone numbers to telemarketers that inundate you until you can get on the National Do Not Call List. On top of that they will charge you extra for Long Distance. I am always amazed the way people are brainwashed to think they are getting a good deal at $20.00 a month when in reality it is more like $55-$75 a month with taxes, fees, and extra packages.

The other thing you get with SIP based phones are all the new bells and whistles like Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Voice Mail, and 3 Way calling without additional cost. It is just included in their base packages. International calls are also significantly less expensive as well. It is not uncommon to be able to call Asia for 2 or 3 cents a minute or Europe of 1.5 cents a minute.

Additionally, now it is possible to take an ATA anywhere in the world and call another ATA anywhere in the world on the same network for no long distance cost at all. All you need is a high speed internet access and just plug it in and connect it to a phone. You can get your local calls anywhere. You also can have virtual telephone numbers anywhere. If you live in one state, but would like people in another area to call you at no charge or with a local call, you can get a telephone number from that area and have it virtually routed to you ATA where ever you are. So you can have numbers in CA, NY, FL and WY all ringing the same ATA. You can get virtual 800 numbers. Never have anyone call you collect again. Give you children an 800 number to call you from college or from a payphones where ever they may be. This is really an exciting industry and growing quickly.

Now there are some Cons to this type service. If the power goes out, the ATA turns off. So does your TV, refrigerator, air conditioner and all of your cordless phones in the house anyway. However, since you are not connecting to a computer, it can break without any repercussion on your service. The use of 911 is becoming more available with the advent of E911. Congress has mandated that all VoIP providers now support E911 that acts the same as regular 911. However there are some older areas in the world that are not equipped to receive E911 so the best the provider can do is give you the general emergency assistance number there. If you live in areas like this, use a cell phone for emergencies or keep a local land line for emergencies and dial long distance over SIP. It will still save you hundreds of dollars a year. You also may need a little assistance setting it up if you are technically challenged. However, be rest assured it is a one time setup of plugging the right wires where they go and you are off and going. So donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt be scared if you are over 60 years old. Your generation can benefit too from this technology.

The best thing is that this industry is very competitive. Because of the low cost of the service, companies can do some attractive marketing plans. I personally use USPConnect because they offer a very aggressive referral program and have a very high quality of service. If you would like more information go to www.Free4LifeCalls.com.

So donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt believe the hit pieces placed by local telephone companies bashing VoIP based phones. They are running scared. It is becoming very apparent that in the future traditional telephone service will become obsolete. They are all moving to VoIP, so you should too and take advantage of the great savings! I personally believe that telephone service should be free and I can use the money I save to go golfing or something.

This ainรขโ�ฌโ�ขt your Daddyรขโ�ฌโ�ขs old land line Telco anymore! Times are a changinรขโ�ฌโ�ข.

Wilford Lee Technology Consultant http://www.Free4LifeCalls.com

VoIP Technology Shows Significant Promise For Call Center Operations

Before plunging into VoIP head first, it's important that businesses understand just what they are "talking" about when they begin looking at VoIP technology for their call center operations. Understanding these subtleties will ensure proper planning and appropriate decisons. The first key is to realize that "VoIP" is the basic term where cost alone seems to be the driving incentive. But IP Telephony is so much more. Unlike VoIP lite, IP telephony is not simply about cost savings. The benefits of IP Telephony to call center operations include rich applications, enabling mobility, increased productivity, and enhanced business continuity.

DEFINITIONS

VoIP is the basic transport of voice in a packet form on an IP-based data network. It is the transmission of telephony over a data network and offers little in the way of features and functionality. IP Telephony uses VoIP but is a software application suite offering rich feature applications. These often-modular applications lend themselves to cost-effective integration with other applications that share the IP network. Voice and Data Convergence may be defined as the integration of voice and data applications in a common environment. Of particular significance is the integration of communications applications with key business applications. The latter are usually tied to business processes, which are central to an organizationรขโ�ฌโ�ขs operations.

IP telephony lends itself to contact centres for the ease of integration with sophisticated multimedia applications as well as computer telephony integration, intelligent call routing and distributed or virtual contact centre applications. The merging of voice and data applications, such as Unified Messaging, is perhaps indicative of where IP telephony as a voice-based application leaves off and convergence starts.

Voice and data convergence may be construed as the coming together of voice and data in a common environment. This simplistic definition belies the significance of convergence. The reality is that converging voice and data enables the integration of voice communications applications (such as teleconferencing and speech access) with key business applications (such as sales force automation and supply chain management). These business applications are predicated on business processes that are the lifeblood of most organizations. By marrying these applications on any network and on any device, the door is opened to deriving new levels of business value.

THE PROMISE OF VoIP

In recent years the number of companies looking to up grade their call center infrastructure via implementation of VoIP technology has grown dramatically. Merging voice and data on a single network and deploying an IP-based contact center platform allows companies to route calls to home and satellite offices more efficiently. This approach is delivering on the promise of helping companies grow their business, apply productivity enhancing applications, and expand call center operations easily and cost effectively. Scaling for growth to new remote service centers is a smooth transition as each is treated as an add-on node to the existing IP network.

Companies can add remote staff to call center queues when needed and can retain key employees by letting them work from home. The entire process can utilize one application to manage all media for routing and reporting across agent locations. An additional benefit is the ability to deliver business applications over this new network when necessary.

Potential hurdles to implementing pure VoIP include preparing the network with switch and router upgrades, replacing all the desktop phones, and upgrading adjunct systems such as voice mail. These are not insurmountable issues and can either be accomplished all at oce (shotgun) or in a phased in approach. However it is accomplished the business benefits far outweigh any initial challenges.

It's safe to say that the great migration to the IP contact center is well underway. While there are many approaches, vendors and users agree that the decision is not driven by the technology, but rather by business applications that the technology enables. While companies may appear to take very different paths to VoIP, each is able to make the right decision for their current and future business needs from a myriad of solution options.

THE MIGRATION TO VoIP

In general, however, the migration is happening very slowly. Art Schoeller, an analyst at The Yankee Group, says, "The move to IP in the contact center is inevitable but not imminent. The transition from TDM to IP, catalyzed by Cisco, is much like the transition from analog to digital systems, which was catalyzed by Rolm. Like that transition over 20 years ago, this transition will take time. And this one is more complex."

Where this transition seems to have found it's lead is among smaller business entities. Most IP contact center installations have occurred in small to midsize businesses (SMB). Many of these SMBs use home agents and remote offices. SMBs tend to be more willing than larger companies to take risks, many are growing, and they are reaping the benefits of flexibility and agility. Seeing this untapped potential larger businesses are begining to follow suite albeit at a somewhat slower pace.....so far.

As of now there are fewer large installations in place, and they are generally multisite, often with overseas positions (including outsourcers). The major system vendors such as Avaya, Cisco, and Nortel all say they have pure IP installations of 2,000 seats or more. That's impressive...and it works. It won't be long before the pace and numbers of installations among larger companies grows significantly. They won't long be able to deny the benefits offered and the potential positive impact on process and cost efficiencies.

"The industries making radical changes are the ones who are suffering the most pain from economic and market forces, such as teleservices [outsourcers], airlines, telecom and high-tech companies," says Lawrence Byrd, a convergence strategist at Avaya. "These companies are seeking substantial cost savings from infrastructure consolidation, for example reducing 30 separate [automatic call distributors] to one or two, moving away from the complex and expensive network routing architectures of the 1990s, and intelligently routing the right customer to the right agent, wherever they are."

"These companies understand that they must make more significant investments in network optimization, as well as changes to their business processes and how they manage their people. But they are willing to do so for the payback offered. IP telephony in the contact center is the technology enabler for such transformation," he says.

THE TRENDS FOR VoIP

Today, many of the large call center installations - those exceeding 200 seats - are hybrid solutions, some sites are TDM, some are IP. Companies use IP trunking between sites and IP to some desktops, for example, at new sites or sites where the switch has been upgraded. The traditional PBX can serve as a gateway, converting between TDM and IP.

Businesses with multiple locations are turning autonomous sites into satellite sites, significantly reducing the numbers of servers, applications and licenses required for functions such as routing, reporting, Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), quality monitoring and workforce management.

Another trend is higher adoption rates in Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific. North America is generally slower to adopt IP contact center technologies because of more conservative and risk-averse decision-makers, and more large installed systems. However, of Cisco's 1,500 installations worldwide for example, approximately half are in North America.

Yet another trend is for companies to adopt VoIP in the enterprise first and then in the contact center. Gartner analyst Bern Elliot says IP system sales already have overtaken TDM system sales for corporations, but "IP adoption in the call center will lag." Elliot predicts that traditional TDM-based call centers will remain the dominant architecture for new system sales in North American until mid-2006. IP-based call center systems comprise approximately 10% of new system sales today.

LEASONS LEARNED

Businesses leery of IP contact centers typically express concerns about security, quality, reliability and scalability. Early implementers say they faced challenges, primarily with quality of service, but they used assessment, configuration, testing and monitoring to successfully address those issues. However, the rule of thumb is that if you've done what you need to do for your network for other applications, running phones on IP is not a leap of faith.

Many early implementers say voice is more secure and more reliable over IP than it was in a TDM world, and the enhancements to their networks for voice also have benefited their data applications. For example, many clearly saw the potential benefits for growth, flexibility and disaster recovery.

When a significant disaster occurs and a business must trigger its disaster-recovery plan, it is a relief to easily be able to add seats at other sites and reroute calls quickly, with no effect on service. It is also reassuring when system continuity enables the following of the rigorous security processes applied to all other applications for your voice and call center applications.

Many companies have found that TDM is just too expensive for what they want to do. Often they'll discover that a pure IP solution offers their company lower total cost of ownership than TDM, with additional savings over time by avoiding proprietary hardware. Frequently they'll also see benefits from virtual operations across sites and CTI in hours instead of months. Also seen have been savings on wiring, moves, adds and changes, and networking of remote locations, while buying flexibility for the future including multimedia enhancements.

THE FUTURE

The breakthrough in adoption of IP in the contact center will occur as more companies share evidence that it is low risk, it works, and there are quantifiable business benefits. Any initial trepidation will soon disappear as companies recognize that VoIP is a technology that's right for them.....and whose time has come for the call center industry.

Tip....for assistance in finding just the right fit in a VoIP solution for your call center operation take advantage of the FREE consulatative services at Business-VoIP-Solution.com.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com. 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.

Switch to Broadb and Phone Providers and Save Hundreds of Dollars Per Year

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

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

รขโ�ฌยข Great savings in phone bills especially in long distance calling.

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

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

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

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

VoIP can work with:

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

Or

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

VoIP and Internet Telephone - The Ins and Outs

The fact that the Internet opened up a whole new world of communication options has not been lost on those providing telephone service - or on those who spend lots of money on voice communication. The ever-changing technology and emerging market for more cost-effective and better communication is creating a demand for people who can create, design and install VoIP systems. There's also a growing market for those who can repair and maintain those systems.

So what's so great about VoIP and Internet telephone systems? Cost is probably one of the biggest benefits touted by the companies providing the services and one of the biggest reasons so many people are ready to try the market. With VoIP and Internet telephone options, there's no cost for long-distance calls - even to foreign countries which is typically very expensive for those companies that make those kinds of calls. Think it's impossible that someone would offer unlimited long-distance for nothing? You actually already have that option already in the form of email and chat. All you need is a microphone for instant voice communication in a chat room, and that form of communication is free with your paid Internet connection.

VoIP and Internet telephone systems just take that to the next level through a voice communication system that allows faster and clearer streaming than through a traditional Internet computer connection.

So if it's so great, why isn't everyone using VoIP and Internet telephone service? There are some drawbacks. The first and most important is availability. Though this is improving, you may not be able to connect to your VoIP or Internet telephone connection from just anywhere you happen to be. For busy company officials and even individuals, this is a serious lack that makes the system less attractive.

Another drawback comes in the form of emergency calls. According to some sources, the VoIP systems are seriously inadequate in emergency situations. Because of limited availability of services, it's very possible that users may not have the ability to make calls at all. Even if calls are possible, the systems are sometimes not sending signals to the nearest towers, meaning you may not be contacting the most local emergency response teams. It's also sometimes difficult for those emergency personnel to target your location. All these problems will likely be dealt with over time, but they're still concerns to some people now who rely on cell phones for emergencies and are reluctant to take the chance that their VoIP or Internet telephones will work in emergency situations.

The legalities almost always become an issue and VoIP is no exception. Because this type of communication has the potential to have a major impact on the communication industry, there's little doubt that it'll eventually be regulated as telephone companies are regulated. This is of significant concern to those municipalities that provide telephone service and depend on the revenue from that service as income.

This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Scott Knutson is an entrepreneur and writer. For more of his articles visit: Internet Phone | Internet Phone Service | VoIP Service

VOIP For Your Business

Many companies are now beginning to look into alternatives to high priced telephone systems currently in use. They are realizing that there are huge benefits financially to those switching over to VOIP. They are realizing there is greater functionality with VOIP as well as cost savings and room for growth.

The simple basics of VOIP is that it uses high speed internet lines to carry voice traffic instead of telephone lines.

There are two basic technologies.

IP telephony runs over a local area network also known as a LAN. this is a very cost effective way for communicating within an organization. It allows voice transmissions between people within a company who are part of an internal network.

VoIP is carried over a wide area network also know as a WAN. VoIP can be used to transmit voice through a WAN (such as the internet) or carry voice over a public WAN (such as the Internet) or a private WAN, which provides enhanced security for communications.

Why would a business consider making this change?

Large companies currenly use PBX systems. This is a private phone system within an organization. Users work with a certain number of lines for all external calls.

Some companies use a cental office exchange service know as Centrex, which is basically a PBX in which all routing occurs not on a company's premises, but at the local telephone company.

Some use "Key systems", which are very small PBXs, designed primarily for small offices.

These systems all share the same problem. When it comes to long distance the costs are enormous. As more and more this becomes a global world, long distance becomes a major necessity and this means one thing...large long-distance bills, Coupled with this these systems are difficult to change or expand with company growth and are unsuited to support more technically advanced communications. Because these systems are based upon proprietary technologies, companies are limited to only what the phone companies provide.

VOIP services make this a thing of the past. As VOIP gains popularity among companies seeking more cost effective services these antiquated phone systems are slowing disappearing. Expansion of services will be a breeze because of the technology involved with VOIP.

Companies will benefit from reduced overall costs as IP-based voice technology can virtually eliminate toll calls. It also slashes the cost of making add-ons, moves and changes to the system.

Enhanced functionality. VOIP offers all the options that callers are used to using such as call waiting, caller ID, unified messaging, directory services and vertical-specific applications. In addition, VOIP is a standard, open protocol, allowing companies to build their own audio applications or purchase other applications that will come from software developers.

Easy Expanion. As your company expands and grows this cost effective system will allow for expansion with very little cost.

Easy To Use. With VOIP, employees wil have many options--they can use a VOIP phone that is identical to a regular desk phone or use a "softphone" which loads into desktops, laptops or PDAs as software. Added benefit is that they will be able to use their telephone number in any location.

In time VOIP networks will become even more usefull as it will be able to support the convergence of data, video and voice services. This will enable companies to be ready for a plethora of multimedia applications that are emerging from developers. VOIP technology will give guaranteed levels of reliability, quality of service and security.

VOIP is now a fully developed technology, providing companies with a valuable voice system today, and allowing for the latest technological advances that will develop in the future.

Companies need to get in on the ground floor to take advantage of all the new technology that is coming and the savings it will afford.

Jean Sutherland is a technical writer for the popular website http://www.voip-place.com/ where everything VOIP is discussed. She is also the owner of the successful website The Company Newsletter at http://www.thecompanynewsletter.com where you will find loads of free software, articles on marketing and common computer questions.

The Internet Phone Is All A Buzz Among Technology Buffs

Years ago, a telephone was dialed manually and it featured a handset that we used to talk to our friends and family. While that telephone still exists today, the internet phone is changing the way people talk - literally. An internet phone is a process by which voices are routed via the internet for, what is often, considerably less than the cost of a conventional telephone.

An internet phone can process incoming calls, audio and video conferences, etc. In addition, the internet phone can be used anywhere that has the capability of connecting to the internet, including on a vacation. In fact, the internet phone allows individuals to travel worldwide and still be able to make or receive phone calls.

Even with all of itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs benefits and the many advancements of technology, the internet phone does have a few drawbacks. For example, quality challenges are sometimes present as there may be delays or scratches in the connection. While conventional telephones are connected to reliable telephone company lines, internet phone users do not have the same advantage. Power failure does not necessarily affect conventional phones, but where an internet phone uses a modem to connect calls, a power failure could result in the loss of a connection. The only exception may be if the individual has a notebook computer and operates his/her internet phone via battery backup on their computer.

Another drawback to the use of an internet phone is the difficulty in routing emergency calls. In fact, some locations may result in an impossible connection to an emergency call center. There are plans in place, however, to correct the problem by implementing the technology that would allow successful emergency calls. The security of internet phone calls may also be in question as the majority of calls are not supported by encryption. This makes it easier for anyone to overhear or gain access to the conversation, even without permission or the knowledge of the talking parties.

As the popularity of the internet phone continues to grow, the creators will continue to implement improvements that will keep their customers chatting. When the internet began years ago, nobody could have envisioned a day where faxes, phone calls and mail would be exchanged via the world wide web. Today, all of that has changed. Where there once was only postage fees for mail, e-mail is now free. Where there once was fax paper and toner, there are now ways to deliver faxes directly to an e-mail box. And, where there once was dialing a phone, there is now dialing into an internet connection and video conferencing. As the internet expands with each passing day, the internet phone is sure to grow with it.

For more information about internet phone, click the link to visit our website at http://www.frankware.com We have some great free articles and resources about internet phone.

VOIP Advantages and Disadvantges

Advantages of VOIP services

You get to make free long distance calls, and you get all the free features such as caller id, call waiting, three-way calling, voice mail and more.

VOIP cost about half the cost of traditional phone services and it seems that the taxes and surcharges are much lower. Also your bill is easier to understand and it can be viewed via the Internet. You can track all of your incoming and outgoing calls and the minutes that you are using with real time reporting.

Great instant online and phone customer support that is far better than the service that you receive through the big companies. There are no holding problems, delays, or automated calls.

Disadvantages of VOIP services

Sometimes you hear an echo sound through your phone; it sounds like you are repeating yourself. Also if your cable or DSL goes out, so does your phone line.

There is no emergency reliability. Maybe you will never need it, but if you have to use 911, you have to give exact address and name. They have a hard time tracking where you are and this could cost you valuable seconds.

You must have a DSL router or a second computer set up to run a second phone line. With traditional phone services, a phone jack is in almost every room.

Research your choices

To view our recommended sources for voip and read more articles about voip, visit Nationwidebillrelief.com/voip.html

Use due diligence in order to make a wise choice in choosing your phone service. We hope this advice is helpful for you in making a sound choice on your home telephone service.

Juston Garland - Staff Writer for Nationwidebillrelief.com strives to help customers save money by describing his past and present situations and researched companies and internet experience.

Nationwidebillrelief.com

provides quick and easy access to the best deals available in Internet services, home loans, local and long distance services, home and auto insurance. Visitors can compare prices and find the providers that can best meet their needs and current budget - all for free.

VOIP a Global Telecommunications Revolution

VOIP is an acronym for Voice Over Internet Protocol, and it works by using your broadband internet connection to route your call more efficiently and cost effectively than conventional calling. The most common VOIP method works like this. Your standard telephone is connected to VOIP gateway, usually located somewhere in your house like a basement or utility closet. This gateway takes your voice and converts it from an analog signal to a digital signal. Once it exists in digital format it is broken down into smaller more manageable units known as "packets" and is transmitted over the internet the same way data is transmitted to and from your computer. These "packets" contain information about their final destination and have instructions to enable them to be put back together in the proper order. Once the packets reach the closest location to their desired destination they go back through another VOIP gateway which translates the signal back into an analog format. The gateway then passes the signal over to a PTSN (Public Telephone Switch Network) and your call is routed to the number that you dialed.

As people become more familiar and comfortable with VOIP calling newer and more advanced methods of communication will occur. In the very early stages of adoption are IP Based telephones. Instead of using standard telephone equipment with an RJ45 telephone connection to a VOIP Gateway these phone interfaces directly with the internet through a standard network connection. This enable you to use your phone at home unplug it when you leave and then plug it in at your office and your calls are automatically routed to the phone wherever itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs plugged in. As WIFI networking becomes more prevalent expect to see wifi compatible cellular phones emerge to make calling even more portable.

While VOIP is still in the early stages of adoption there are still some hurdles that need to be overcome. The most important ones include emergency calling, and the need for uninterruptible power sources. However as VOIP and other IP based telephony continues to grow and advance, VOIP service providers will find ways to solve these problems.

ร�ยฉ Copyright VOIPTelephoneSystem.org, All Rights Reserved.

Jessica Liu is a staff writer at http://www.voiptelephonesystem.org a news and information website about VOIP and VOIP related technologies.

VOIP Hardware Guide

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that taken the telecom industry by storm by introducing significant changes in the field of telecommunications. Because of the changes it has brought to the traditional telephony system it has become a hot favorite in both the residential and commercial market.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is basically a process, which converts your voice into digital signals that travel over internet. Its most prominent feature is its affordability. With VoIP you can make long distance calls at a fraction of cost that you used to pay to your telephone companies. It is primarily because of the fact that transferring digital signals over internet is quite cheaper than transferring analog signals over the traditional telephone lines.

The VoIP hardware needed to make VoIP calls depends on the type of VoIP service being used. VoIP service is available in three different modes. These are ATA, IP phone and PC-to-PC. All these services are common and available for the use at the home PC. ATA or Analog Telephone Adaptor lets the user to connect the regular telephone to the computer and use it for VoIP service by converting analog sound bits into digital data. Internet Protocol phones are those phones which are specially designed to be used with VoIP service. They look very similar to the standard phone models but their components are different from them. Moreover, a cordless IP phone will enable the user to use the VoIP services on the move. The PC-to-PC VoIP can be set up by installing the software provided by the VoIP service providers. Yahoo and MSN messengers are the examples of such software. In the PC-to-PC VoIP, users can make long distance calls through their computers and can communicate through the headphones with attached microphones.

As the VoIP is gaining popularity the market for the VoIP services and hardware is becoming more and more competitive. Presently there are several companies that are offering VoIP services and hardware to the growing market for the VoIP. However, the VoIP technology is so new that even the latest VoIP hardware becomes outdated in few months. Thus, one needs to be very careful while investing in the VoIP hardware. First of all, you should decide what kind of VoIP service is perfect for you. Then compare the cost of the VoIP hardware with that of the traditional phones. If it costs more than the traditional phones then there is no use of buying it as it is not advisable to buy VoIP equipment just for the sake of having the latest technology. Moreover as the products become outdated very fast you should purchase them only when needed. If you are using VoIP then you should be ready to spend more money in future to upgrade your hardware. Also, the installation costs are to be paid every time you change or upgrade your hardware. Finally, before going to shop for VoIP hardware you must collect information about the different vendors and should only select a licensed or authorized dealer.

Mansi Aggarwal recommends that you visit VOIP hardware for more information.

How You Can Benefit From VoIP

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is quickly taking the internet over by storm.

The most obvious benefit of VoIP is the big savings it provides compared to what people pay for their phone service from their telephone company.

Let us have a closer look. Say you pay $30 a month for your basic telephone line, that will be $360 a year. That does not include any extras like Caller ID, Call Forwarding or Voice Mail. Those alone can easily bring the annual basic phone bill to over $500 plus taxes.

All that without considering any long distance costs. And you know how much that can add up to.

Now, many VoIP providers give you a year of full featured internet telephony for under $200. And that includes just about any extra calling features, like Caller ID, that you can think of. Then, you also get with it a long distance to and from traditional phones - for a fraction of the cost of what you can get from your local telephone company or even from the best long distance discount service! Plus - you can also get some extra perks like local phone numbers in various parts of the words.

As if that weren't enough the voice quality of VoIP is often much superior to what you get from a regular phone. The main reason for that is that the regular phone everyone is so used to carries the voice over a very narrow band of sound frequencies - from zero to little over 3,000Hz (cycles per second). Meantime VoIP, in it's original digital range, gives you much wider voice bandwidth - comparable to the hearing range of an average human being which is 20Hz to 20,000Hz. When I first time used my VoIP phone and heard the voice quality of it for myself I could hardly believe my ears - it was that good!

If you are ready to join the VoIP wave there is no better time then now - the surf is up!

Ramzes Berezecki is recognized for his informative writings relating to VoIP and Internet Telephony. For more informations and help in choosing you VoIP visit his blog at http://voipchoice.blogspot.com as well as http://selectinvoip.com

What's The Story With VoIP?

Unless you've been residing in a cave for the last couple of years, you've probably at least heard the word "VoIP" even if you didn't realize what all the excitement is about.

VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" and it's going to change the way you think about making long distance phone calls. Basically, VoIP technology turns analog audio signals (like the sounds you hear when talking on your regular telephone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet.) So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry? Because it means that by acquiring your hands on some of the free software that's available right now, you can totally bypass your telephone company, and start making long distance phone calls for free!

Here's what's got the phone companys buzzing: This revolutionary technology has the ability to completely change the phone system of the entire world! Maybe you've seen television commercials for one of the pioneers of VoIP - Vonage. Vonage brands itself as the "broadband telephone company", and offers enticing perks to customers who switch to its service, like low-cost 800 numbers, very cheap international rates (fees are waived from the American to Canada, and how about .03 cents a minute to call Paris?) But Vonage isn't the sole company who is interested. AT&T is setting up VoIP calling in many areas of the U.S. and there are more major players on the scene as well, such as Skype, who is relying on viral advertising to get the word out.

One of the really interesting thing about VoIP is that there's not just one way to make a call. There are actually three:

ATA - is the most commonly used VoIP method right now. Using the ATA (analog telephone adaptor), you connect your regular telephone 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.

This is how Vonage does it, and AT&T 's CallVantage will be doing it. The ATA is free with their services. And utilizing an ATA is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug the cable from your phone into the ATA instead of the wall socket, and you're set. Based on your computer, and where you live, and what type of Internet connection you have, you might have to also install the software onto your computer, but even my grandmother knows how to do that these days.

IP Phones - They look just like the phones we're used to. They have a handset, cradles and buttons. But an IP phones use an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. It connect directly to your router and all the hardware and software is already built inside to handle your IP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones to be available in the near future, which will allow you to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi spot. (Can you see the power of that? Just take your IP phone with you when you travel, and stop in at any Internet cafร�ยฉ, hotel or other location where you can use your Wi-Fi laptop, and you can "phone home" wherever home happens to be!

Computer-to-Computer. This is arguably the easiest way to use VoIP. Not only do you not have to pay for long distance calls, there are several corporations that are offering free or low-cost software right now for you to make use of the VoIP technology. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers a sound card and a broadband or cable DSL Internet connection, and your loved ones sound as if they're in the next room. And, except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is no charge for any computer-to-computer callรขโ�ฌยฆno matter how far.

And guess what? Chances are, you've already been using the VoIP technology without even being aware of it, any time you've made a long distance telephone call recently. Many of the major phone companies are already applying VoIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth . It's a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. Once received on the other side of the gateway, the calls are decompressed, reassembled and routed back to a local circuit switch.

IP telephony is the wave of the future. It makes sense in terms of ROI, from both an economic and infrastructure point of view. It may take some time, but sooner or later all of the current circuit-switched networks that are in use now will be replaced by packet-switching technology. More and more businesses are already installing VoIP systems. And as the technology makes our way into our everyday language our lives, and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity.

According to Forrester Research, they predict that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006. The 2 biggest benefits for home users so far are price and flexibility.

There are some advanced features that make VoIP something worth looking into. With some carriers, you can set up call-filtering options, and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers want to be handled. For example, you can:
ร�ยท Forward the call to a particular number
ร�ยท Send the call directly to voicemail
ร�ยท Give the caller a busy signal
ร�ยท Play a "not in service" message
ร�ยท Send the caller to a funny rejection hotline

With most VoIP services, you can also check your voice mail 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 created equal, so do a little looking around first, because prices and services do vary).

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

In a way, VoIP is just a "better mousetrap." But it looks like it's one mousetrap that's here to stay.

James Johnson the author of this article discovers and presents information so you can become more knowledgeable in the subjects you are searching for. I hope you find this article helpful. More information on VoIP is available at http://www.1st-in-voip.info or VoIP service Provider.

The Lowdown on VoIP

It seems like technology is headed for a massive telephone change over. The traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is looking to be replaced by VoIP. VoIP is short for Voice over IP. VoIP is the routing of conversations over an IP network or the Internet. VoIP uses a packet-switched network instead of the circuit-switched voice transmission lines used by traditional telephone networks. VoIP does not need an Internet connection to work. A company that has a LAN connection with all of its computers can utilize VoIP technology.

VoIP is a great technology, but has a variety of issues with implementation. VoIP may face problems with latency because IPs do not provide Quality of Service guarantees, nor do they provide their packets of information in sequential order. High-speed Internet connections are required for VoIP and firewalls often prove tricky for VoIP technology. To combat this, many people use Session Border Controllers (SBC).

VoIP technology has many advantages. There are more new features with VoIP because of the lack of an International Telecommunications Union. VoIP is still very much an open market for developers, so the technology is constantly being improved. VoIP also has a lower cost than traditional sources because of the monopolies that exist or traditional phone companies being controlled by the government. Some users even see VoIP phone calls as free because they do not have to pay extra for the service. The user only pays the Internet service provider, and therefore the usage of VoIP seems to be free. You can also take your VoIP phone wherever you go because all you need is a network connection to make it work. VoIP technology will also benefit network agents who work for call centers. Agents can help callers from anywhere in the country with an Internet connection. Finally, because VoIP is on the computer, there is increased functionality. Conference calls can be held, information can be sent, and things like address books can be updated and shared over VoIP.

While VoIP has many advantages, there are a few drawbacks to the service. One of the biggest drawbacks is reliability. Telephone lines have back up generators in case of power outages, so phones can keep working. Because VoIP is connected to the Internet, a power outage will end a VoIP call when the computer shuts down. To combat this, users must buy an expensive uninterruptible power supply or a generator that must then be installed on the premises. Internet connections are also subject to disconnection, depending on crowded networks, and the quality of the ISP. If the Internet connection drops, then the VoIP call will be dropped. VoIP is also a problem for emergency calls. Because of the nature of the Internet and VoIP systems, emergency workers cannot trace calls. In the event that someone with an emergency has a problem but is unable to give an address, the emergency worker will not be able to trace the call and find the person. VoIP carriers are already attempting to fix this problem by implementing a technical work-around. Finally, it will be very difficult to integrate VoIP on a massive scale, because while the standard Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) has a common standard, VoIP does not.

VoIP has many advantages as well as some large drawbacks. The main roadblock in the way of global VoIP adoption is reliability. When VoIP proves that it can be just as reliable as traditional telephone services have been over many years, then it will start to be adopted. VoIP technology is always improving, so the problems with VoIP today are likely to be solved sooner than many people expect. VoIP can truly revolutionize both the business world and home life.

Mike Schuda is fascinated by new technologies and writes for VoIP Lowdown ( http://www.voiplowdown.com ).

VOIP Software Guide 101

Planning to go to a telephone booth or buy a card to make a long distance call but hesitant to spend so much money! Now scrap off your worries and adopt the VOIP service. VOIP is the commonly known abbreviation of Voice Over Internet Protocol. VOIP enables you to make calls worldwide via your Internet connection. Basically VOIP is a category of software and hardware that uses an Internet connection to pass voice data in packets using IP (internet protocol) in place of regular public switched telephone network.

There are many Internet telephony applications available such as Dialpad, CoolTalk, NetMeeting etc. Usually most of these applications are coupled with some popular Web browsers while others are stand-alone products.

The advent of VOIP and its surging popularity has led to depreciation in the costs of conventional telecommunications systems. Now you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt have to pay for separately for your local charges but only your Internet rent. All you have to do is to say hello to Voice-over-IP and make use of the remarkable technology with which data and speech are transferred simultaneously and for which a separate telephone cable connection is not needed. This will save upto 80% of the amount you spend in making foreign calls through the standard way.

At present VOIP service is offered by leading providers such as Vonage, Lingo and Skype. Lingo is an ideal option to make international calls especially to Europe and Asia. Lingo is also commendable choice when you tend to move out of US because then you can carry your US number and call at US local rates from anywhere in the world. In comparison to Skype and Vonage, Lingo is cheap in cost.

Skype is perfect to use when you and your computer are inseparable and you have friends and family who use the same technique. Skype is deemed to be the best voice portal these days. Skype allows free calls to other Internet phone users while calls to regular phones and mobile phones are to be made at per minute fee. Skype also offers certain other add-on plans.

Out of these Vonage is the best provider of commercial and residential VOIP telephony. Vonage is different from Skype and other IM-based VOIP services for it offers a myriad of options to choose and many other uncommon features.

However at the end of the day you should opt for VOIP software that goes with your broadband connection. So before downloading any VOIP software do some research over the bandwidth the service requires, and then ensure that your internet service provider is able to match up with that.

Moreover you may not be able to avail excellent VOIP service if you are using a dial-up connection for with breaking connection, the clarity of voice and consistency in the call may also break.

Finally the cost of the call also matters a lot. So prior to downloading software, select a place where you have to call frequently. Once decided, check the fare of call with respect to the software. You may prefer to go with software that offers calls to your desired place at least rates.

Mansi Aggarwal recommends that you visit VOIP software for more information.