VoIP Calls are Easy!
Is VoIP for Me?
Now is the time to get a little more technical as obviously Voice over IP telephony is an advanced technology. However, do not be put off by this as it is relatively simple to understand, and there are methods you can use to try it out for low cost or even free. For example, Skype and similar programs offer all Vo/IP principles to be used at no cost to either the caller or receiving party. These services allow you to make phone calls using either your regular phone or a computer headset with a microphone. Try calling a friend on the other side of the world!!
By now, most people have heard of the broadband phone, but not everyone is certain what it is, and how it pertains to individuals and business requirements. Voice over Internet Protocol, (VoIP), IP Telephony, Internet Telephony, Broadband Telephony, Broadband Phone, Computer to Computer and Voice over Broadband is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network. As you can imagine, no wires (wired Infrastructure) are required.
Those Companies providing Vo-IP service are commonly referred to as providers, and protocols which are used to carry voice signals or packets over the IP network are commonly referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP protocols. They may be viewed as commercial realizations of the experimental Network Voice Protocol (1973) invented for the ARPANET providers. Some cost savings realized are due to utilizing a single network to carry voice and data, especially where users have existing network capacity not being fully utilized that can carry Vo/IP at no additional cost. VoIP to VoIP phone calls are sometimes free, while VoIP to public switched telephone networks, PSTN, may have a cost that’s borne by the user.
There are two types of PSTN to VoIP services: -Direct Inward Dialling (DID) and access numbers. Direct Inward Dialling will connect the caller directly to the Vo-IP user while access numbers require the caller to input the extension number of the VoIP user.
VoIP Solutions
Voice over IP (VoIP) and converged networking solutions deliver a broad range of benefits and efficiencies to companies, including enhanced productivity, lower operational costs, and increased management visibility. Foundry Networks unlocks the value in a converged network by offering an expansive set of Voice over IP-ready networking solutions that deliver uninterrupted service quality, reliability, security, and compatibility for IP-based phones, video, and converged desktop applications.
Reliability
Conventional phones are connected directly to telephone company phone lines, which in the event of a power failure are kept functioning by back-up generators or batteries located at the telephone exchange. Early adopters of VoIP may also be users of other phone equipment, such as PBX and cordless phone bases that rely on power not provided by the telephone company. Furthermore, consumer network technologies such as cable and DSL often are not subject to the same restoration service levels as the PSTN or business technologies such as T-1 connection.
So Why Change
By switching to Vo-IP telephony, consumers will save a significant amount of money from that of traditional phone services. VoIP users enjoy a variety of free calling features which they previously had to pay for with traditional phone service. Those features include voicemail, caller ID, call conferencing, call waiting, call forwarding, and many others. VoIP users can have their voicemail messages e-mailed to them for easy playback and referencing, and with some providers, users can click to call contacts directly from their Outlook. Furthermore, consumers can obtain extra numbers (also known as virtual numbers), enabling out-of-town friends and family members to dial a local number with which to reach the VoIP user easily and affordable. These are the same features, but at a lower cost. Most consumers with private accounts average savings of about $40 per month.
Most VoIP providers allow users to take their service with them anywhere in the world. With a high-speed Internet connection and the Vo-IP phone adapter, callers can place and accept IP calls from any location at any time at no additional charge.
Tags: voice over internet protocol, voip, voip phone, voip telephony