3/19/2007 - Move Over Geeks with Headsets—Internet Phone Services are Mainstream Cool

Move Over Geeks with Headsets—Internet Phone Services are Mainstream Cool
Author: Leanne Tremblay

Internet phone services are no longer restricted to geeks. Thanks to slick marketing campaigns, catchy jingles, and super low rates, broadband phone services have hit the mainstream.

It used to be that Internet phone services (also called Voice-over-IP, or VOIP), were not very popular. They suffered from two problems: one, the user could only call from computer to computer, and two, the voice quality was not very good. The first restricted the calling to users who had the same software and were also online at the same time. The second reduced the quality of interaction because the voice was not clear.

Today, broadband phone companies have overcome these problems. The result is Internet phone service that works and sounds like the traditional landline phone, and packs punch when it comes to free features like caller ID, call waiting, and 3-way calling.

In this exploding market, companies are in a sprint to sign up new customers. According voipproviderslist.com, there were more than 650 service providers selling broadband telephone service in North America alone, and the list continues to grow. Some of the better known ones are Skype, Vonage, Packet8, AT&T CallVantage, and Time Warner Cable.

All these services convert voice into data packets, which are then assigned IP numbers and sent over the Internet. When the call is from one Internet phone to another, these data packets completely bypass the existing phone network. However, when one of the phones connects to a conventional telephone service, then the voice call moves over two systems: the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and the Internet. Because Internet phones both look and operate like regular phones, both parties are unaware that their voice is being converted into digital packets and reconverted into voice signals.

For monthly rates between $15 and $40, you can get residential internet phone service that provides unlimited calling throughout North America and low rates to everywhere else. But, if you are looking to replace your traditional phone, you should be aware of several key downsides.

One is that VOIP calls rely on wall power, so during a power outage you won’t have any phone service. Another is that 911 emergency dialing is not automatically tied to a geographic address like it is with regular phones. This means that unless your VOIP service provider can register your physical address, and can forward it to a national emergency center who then routes the call, you must be prepared to provide this information to the emergency operator. This may be impossible if you are unable to speak or if the caller is a small child. Some users have also reported inconsistent voice quality, like clipping, dropped calls, echo, and background noise.

But, if you can put up with these drawbacks in exchange for up to 50% savings on your phone bill, then Internet phone service is for you. You’ll find big company phone features packaged and priced right for residential use, home-based business, and frequent long distance calling.

Leanne Tremblay is the owner of http://www.quickstartvoip.com If you want to know if broadband internet phone service is right for you, then http://www.quickstartvoip.com is a good place to start. You’ll find reviews, articles, and tutorials for choosing, installing and using voice-over-IP phone service in the home or small business.

3/16/2007 - Making the Switch to VoIP Internet Phone Service

Making the Switch to VoIP Internet Phone Service
Author: Debbie Jacobsen

Millions of people have already switched from traditional “land line” phone service to the latest and greatest telecommunications product – VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). VoIP technology makes it possible to make phone calls over the internet, using your existing broadband internet service, and the call quality is great as long as your high speed internet connection is satisfactory. VoIP service is very inexpensive, and provides a money saving alternative to the traditional telephone.

Many cable companies are now offering their version of internet phone service, called “digital phone service”. They charge twice the price of the same VoIP service you can purchase on your own, thus taking a lot of the cost savings out of the picture. The reason they charge you more is that they are a reseller, and not a true VoIP provider. Many people don’t realize that internet phone service is super easy to install, and by ordering VoIP service online (from a true VoIP provider like Vonage, AT&T, Packet8 or Sunrocket), they can save a lot more money and get the same (or better) phone service.

When you order internet phone service online, the VoIP provider will send you a small device called a VoIP adapter. This little box is the “brains” of your internet phone system, and is easily installed in a matter of minutes – no tools or computer skills required! The VoIP adapter connects directly to your broadband modem or router, and your computer and telephone is then connected to this device as well. Once you have made the necessary cable connections, you dial a special phone number to activate your internet phone service. Once activated, you can start making calls immediately.

After you install your residential VoIP service, you can disconnect your land line phone and start enjoying the savings!

Several excellent VoIP providers offer low-priced unlimited local and long distance calling plans, and the average monthly cost for this service averages around $22. If you’re planning on replacing your land line phone with an internet phone however, be sure to sign up with a provider that is well known and provides quality service as well as technical support. Reliable telephone service is important, and it may not be worth it to save a few pennies by subscribing with an unknown provider who may or may not be able to deliver consistently good quality.

The largest and most well known internet phone service providers are Vonage and AT&T CallVantage. These providers offer unlimited local and long distance calling packages for around $25 per month, and both are known for providing high quality service. Packet8 is also an excellent VoIP provider, and is the one I use. Unlimited local and long distance will run you around $20 a month with this provider, and I have been 100% pleased with the quality and service. Recently, Packet8 has added a $199 “annual” unlimited plan, which is a super deal.

Another very good VoIP provider that has been growing by leaps and bounds is Sunrocket. Sunrocket offers an “annual” unlimited local and long distance plan for $199 – which works out to less than $17 per month. Sunrocket is not yet available everywhere, but if you can get service in your area and don’t mind forking over $199 for a year of service, you can’t go wrong with price or quality!

All VoIP providers offer a ton of free calling features that are considered “add on” items with regular land line service. With internet phone service, expect to get free voicemail, call waiting, caller id, call forwarding, etc… All VoIP providers include the United States and Canada in their “unlimited” plans. If you need international calling, consider Vonage or Sunrocket – they have the best unlimited international calling plans for the money.

For more information on Internet Phone Service and VoIP providers. Internet Phone Service - The Future is Here!

3/12/2007 - Make Free Internet Phone Calls With VoIP And Save A Ton Of Money On Phone Bills

Make Free Internet Phone Calls With VoIP And Save A Ton Of Money On Phone Bills
Author: Clair Sandra

Have you heard all the buzz about VoIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an emerging technology which allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet – many times for free. It is already starting to replace existing telephone networks, with many people and businesses choosing to cancel their traditional phone line and use VoIP instead. Why? Price. Consumer are finding that they can save a lot of money using VoIP technologies.

Originally developed to provide voice communication between computer users in different locations, in recent years, VoIP has been further developed into a telephone network in its own right. People using VoIP can call any telephone anywhere in the world and can receive calls on telephone sets connected to the Internet.

Currently, there are quite a few VoIP services available for consumers to choose from. Some of these still rely on PC-to-PC connections but many VoIP providers offer other services such as PC-to-phone and phone-to-phone connection.

In order to use VoIP, both parties need a broadband connection. This is a high-speed Internet connection usually provided by a cable or DSL modem- broadband modems are usually used to connect computers to the Internet.

The simplest form of VoIP is a computer-to-computer voice connection. This is also the type of connection which allows users to make free phone calls over the Internet.

All that is required to make your first free call over the Internet is a computer, a headset consisting of earphones and microphone, and VoIP software. The VoIP software can be downloaded from the service provider’s site. The best thing is that most software packages are free and allow you to connect to any computer running the same software.

There is no charge for this type of connection and calls can be made to anywhere in the world free of charge. If you choose you could also use an Internet telephone that plugs into the sound card or USB port on your computer. However, this is an additional expense which is really not necessary.

Until recently, the major disadvantage with computer-to-computer calls was that both parties had to have the same kind of software installed in order to make a connection; but things are changing now and emerging technology is beginning to allow users to make calls to users utilizing different VoIP software. Almost every software package, however, has the ability to connect with landline or cellular phones.

How It Works

Although each VoIP software package is different, most VoIP software function the same way. Usually, you can call another person on the network by typing in their user name or number. If that person is online they will see a popup box alerting them that you want to talk. The other party can see who is calling and can choose to either accept or reject the call.

Before the popup appears, however, there has already been some communication between the two computers. The VoIP software has information about the speed of your Internet connection and the type of code that can be used to compress and decompress audio data. When a call request is made, both computers negotiate which code is going to be used to make allowances for the connection speed.

Other types of VoIP Services are available which allow you to make PC-to-Phone connections, and also calls that do not involve the use of your computer at all. Although these premium services vary in price, in most cases by using VoIP technology you will be saving a significant amount of money on your phone bills each month.

We show you how You CAN make cheap international calls and lower your phone bills through the use of cheap prepaid phone cards, call back services, cheap international phone cards, dial-arounds, VoIP, internet calling and more at http://www.make-cheap-international-phone-calls.com

3/9/2007 - Is VoIP Internet Phone Service Right for You?

Is VoIP Internet Phone Service Right for You?
Author: Debbie Jacobsen

Thousands of people each month are subscribing to VoIP service and having their regular telephone line disconnected. Internet phone service is a HUGE deal for us consumers, as it provides us with a super cheap alternative to traditional telephone service, and gives us something very important: CHOICES! Perhaps for the first time in our lives, we are no longer required to use our local phone company for telephone service – isn’t that great?

VoIP is not for everyone, though. There are some requirements and drawbacks to internet phone service that may or may not influence your decision to switch. Most people consider the potential issues associated with VoIP to be minor, and find that the low cost and free features of broadband phone service far outweigh any negatives.

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

A Brief Introduction to Internet Phone Service

VoIP is the most popular acronym used to describe internet phone service. It stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, which is a technical term describing a standard set of rules that define how voice signals are transmitted over the internet. Some other common terms used to describe VoIP are “broadband phone service” and “IP phone service”. As the term VoIP implies, INTERNET SERVICE IS REQUIRED in order to use VoIP.

A small device called a “VoIP adapter” is used to perform all of the complex functions required to make it possible for voice signals to be transmitted over the internet. The adapter is connected by network cable to your broadband modem or router, and another cable is directly connected to your telephone. There are other hardware configurations, but this is the most basic one. No phone jacks are required.

During a telephone call, your conversation goes through the VoIP adapter and is routed over the internet to its final destination. This is why VoIP is so inexpensive - it doesn't rely on the telephone companies expensive network and switches. With VoIP internet phone service, you can call any phone anywhere in the world. The person you are calling does not have to also be using an internet phone.

Potential Issues With VoIP

Although internet phone service looks and acts just like regular phone service, there are some technological differences that can cause issues with your service from time to time.

• E911 Dialing is a “must have” for anyone using VoIP as their main phone line. This allows emergency calls to route to the closest 911 dispatch office and identifies your location to the emergency operator. Although in 2005 the FCC mandated that all VoIP companies provide E911 service to all subscribers, not all VoIP companies are offering this yet. It’s important to choose a VoIP provider that has E911 service available in your area – your life could depend on it. You are responsible for keeping your E911 address current in order for this service to work properly. If you move and forget to change your address with your VoIP provider, emergency services will not be able to locate you.

• A “live” internet connection is required in order to use VoIP, because calls are transmitted over the internet. This can present a problem when your internet service is down. Broadband is also required by most VoIP providers, because internet phone service needs to have enough bandwidth in order to work properly. Be sure you have reliable broadband internet service through a reputable provider if you’re planning on using VoIP as your primary phone.

• Power is required in order to use internet phone service. Without power, your cable/DSL modem won’t work, and your VoIP adapter won’t work – you will have no phone service. If you live in an area that is prone to power outages, this might be a big issue for you.

• Existing phone wiring will not work with your new VoIP service unless you make some modifications. Traditional telephone wiring is designed to transmit to/from the phone company switch, not the internet. If you want to use your existing phones and phone jacks with VoIP you need to disconnect and reroute the telephone wire coming into your house. This is a fairly easy task but beyond the scope of this article. If you use an expandable cordless phone system with VoIP however, this totally eliminates the need to fool with any wiring.

Is Broadband Phone Service Right for You?

These are some of the more common issues that you need to be aware of before making the switch to VoIP internet phone service. As with most things, there is usually an easy workaround that can minimize or prevent any problems. With 10 million VoIP subscribers in the United States alone, it’s obvious that the downside of VoIP is not keeping people away. When you consider the tremendous cost savings, free long distance calling and all the free calling features you get with internet phone service, most find that it’s no problem dealing with a few occasional inconveniences.

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3/6/2007 - Internet Phones Can Save You Time and Money

Internet Phones Can Save You Time and Money
Author: Roger Overanout

Communication technology has advanced so rapidly and the entire industry has been revolutionized as a result of the advent of the Internet. Communication has become lot easier. These days you don’t need to wait for many hours to get a telephone line to talk to your friends and relatives living in some other country. We can easily make Internet telephone calls using the World Wide Web. Internet telephone services are a great advantage to the people who make frequent international calls.

Internet telephone services work similar to the other communication services operated through the net. Special software such as Skype is used for setting up an internet phone connection. An internet phone service operates better with a broad band World Wide Web link. Using the Internet telephone service you can just dial up to call your friends in much the same way you use a normal telephone service. You can use the external speakers supplied with the computer and a microphone, but using a microphone headset would be more convenient because it improves the sound quality.

Many people are always looking for ways to save money. If you are one of them and trying to find different ways to cut your telephone bills, then Internet telephone service is an ideal choice for you. There are many Internet telephone service providers around the world. They set up a broadband or DSL connection with a broadband phone adapter that is plugged directly into a modem or router. You can then simply connect your existing phone to the adapter and start making calls. You can see that setting up an Internet telephone service is very easy.

The regular telephone service companies usually charge something around $20 to $30 for the basic service and this does not include any other feature such as voice mail, call waiting and 3 way calling. The internet telephone services feature all the regular services plus voice mail, call waiting, etc and they usually don’t charge more than 25$ for the service, which is almost the same as your regular connection. So it is very obvious that the Internet telephone service can help you to save you a lot of bucks while giving you the opportunity to enjoy all the extra features. You can save nearly $500 per year on your telephone bill, which is a very useful amount.

The Internet telephone service has been made possible by VoIP technology. VoIP technology or the Voice Over Internet Protocol is how voices are carried over the Internet. It is similar to the other communications network. Using the VoIP technology, you can connect your digital phone to the computer and speak to your friends and relatives while you are surfing the Internet. The digital phone services can be much cheaper than the normal telephone and they also feature caller id and call forwarding. VOIP technology helps you to keep the cost of the landline telephone down. The Internet telephone service can be used in any place where an Internet connection is available. So it is really ideal for people who have to travel all over the world. You can receive and make calls from any part of the world.

However there are some drawbacks with the Internet telephones also, the Internet telephone service cannot be used in emergency cases and you may experience some delay in getting a connection. But Internet technology is continuing to develop each day and Internet phone service is also bound to develop further as a result of this.

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