You’ve probably heard about Voice over Internet Protoco (abbreviated VoIP or VOIP). It is one of the hottest computer technologies today.

VoIP was developed to provide voice communication between computer users at different locations. Although still used in this manner, it’s been developed much further — into a full-fledged telephone network that allows us to place telephone calls through the Internet.

People who use VoIP can place calls to any telephone anywhere in the world. The calls are received on telephone sets connected to the Internet or Local Area Network (LAN). VoIP is already replacing some telephone networks with people and businesses canceling their traditional phone lines in favor of the cost savings of VoIP.

Background

Israeli computer enthusiasts were the first to make computer-to-computer voice connections back in 1995. That same year, the technology was further developed into a software package called Internet Phone Software. All you needed to speak with another computer user then was a modem, sound card, speakers, and microphone.

The software digitized and compressed audio signals before sending them over the Internet. These voice connections only occurred between computers equipped with the software. The original sound quality was very poor.

Technology progressed. By 1998 gateways had been established allowing PC-to-phone connections. Later that year phone-to-phone connections using the Internet for voice transmission were in place. Phone-to-phone connections still required a computer to initiate the call, but once the connection was established, callers could use a standard phone set.

That Was Then — This Is Now

There are now a variety of VoIP services available, for both residential and commercial use. Some continue to rely on PC-to-PC connections, but may also offer PC-to-phone and phone-to-phone services.

There are phones that plug into a sound card or USB port of a computer. These phones may have number pads and ringers that allow you to use them just like conventional telephones. The computer can even be bypassed completely by connecting a phone directly to a broadband modem (either DSL or cable).

How Does VoIP Work?

The first step in using VoIP is converting your voice into digital data. This is done by ’sampling’ your voice. The analog sound signal is divided into distinct steps that can be assigned number values. After your voice is digitized, the data can be compressed.

The compressed digital data is then split into ‘packets’ of about 1500 bytes that can be transferred via the Internet. In addition to voice data, the packets contain information about their origin, destination, and a time-stamp that permits a reconstruction in the exact order. When the packets arrive at their destination, the data are reassembled and converted back to analog. The receiving party then — voila — hears your voice.

A broadband Internet connection, however, is needed to speed up voice data transmission. Many households and businesses are already using broadband, either DSL or cable, which makes adding VoIP fairly simple.

So, if saving money is on your To Do list for this year, check out VoIP.

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit voip-solutions-now to learn more about this subject.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To learn more about Packet8 VoIP service, visit http://www.savewith8.com. For more information on VoIP internet phone service, visit my blog: Internet Phone Service - The Future is Here.

Have you seen them? The commercials about Net phones and how they can save you a ton of money on long-distance? Okay, so now you want to know how it works, what’s in it for you, are there any hidden charges that will have me paying the same if not more per month than my current, reliable land-line phone, Am I going to sound like E.T. attempting to phone home on this thing and what are they not telling me that could nix the whole deal? Well, here you are.

How it works:

VOIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol, is just that. Your voice is sent in what are known as packets, accross the internet and re-assembled at the receiving end. Kind of like that machine in the “The Fly”, only a lot more stable (no incects messing up your DNA or anything). You plug your internet connection (which must be broadband, DSL or Cable) into your modem (as usual), you then plug the modem into your adapter, and then connect your adapter to your other devices (Phone, Fax, Computer).

Not that difficult, but since configurations vary from provider to provider,I urge you to check it out yourself.

What’s in if for you:

Lower prices. Truthfully, VOIP delivers on it’s promise of lower prices. There are taxes and fees, but they will only bump your final monthly bill about 2 to 3 dollars. Quality, still lags behind land line, but that is to be expected. What is not to be expected how far VOIP quality has come in a short amount of time. Many people never notice a difference between
speaking to someone using VOIP and speaking to someone using land line technology (See “Net Phones Grow Up” by Jeff Betolucci and Tom Kortie, PC World, September 2005).

What Are They Not Telling Me That Could Nix the Whole Deal?

There are a couple of concerns with VOIP. One is that, with VOIP relying on an internet connection, if your internet connection is down for some reason, you have no phone. The other concern is 911. 911 systems and VOIP vendors have not been playing nice in the sandbox. Fortunately, E911 is being enforced by the FCC and all VOIP vendors must provide 911
service that rivals that of landline users by November 28, 2005. So, basically, the second issue is no longer an issue.

What’s the difference between Net Phones and a Service like Skype?

Skype requires a PC for both users. It is PC to PC communication. There is no true “Phone”, while Net Phone uses your phone and a portable adapter. The adapter can be taken on the road and used anywhere you find a high-speed connection. Skype is not a replacement for your current phone service, net phone is. You can bypass the phone company completely. You don’t end up paying for services that the phone company charges you for, like voicemail, 3-Way calling, Call-Forwarding, etc.,; these fees are all covered in your $25-$40 a month for unlimited calls.

Economically, VOIP makes sense. You get comparable quality for a much lower price and more standard features. Hopefully this will help you make a more informed decision or at the very least help you decide if VOIP is right for you or your small/home business.

Yolanda McDonald is Business Systems Analyst in Baltimore, MD. She has 15 years of experience in programming, design and analysis on several platforms including Midrange, Client/Server and the Internet. You can find more of her articles at http://www.ymcdonald.com.

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

If you have a computer, a headset, and an internet connection, you can make free PC to PC phone calls to anyone in the world! The only catch is that the person you are calling must also have an active account with the same VoIP service provider, and must be online to get the call. With any VoIP service, “in-network” calling (all callers subscribing to the same carrier) is always free, but most providers require that you pay a small monthly fee which allows you to make “out-of-network” calls as well. Since this article is about making totally FREE internet phone calls, only the VoIP providers that offer 100% free calling will be mentioned.

There are several internet phone service providers that offer PC based phone calling, but only a few do not require a monthly service fee when you register. Because the PC to PC calling service is free, you may have to put up with ads on your dial pad or be limited to a certain call length, but for a free long distance call this is probably acceptable to most people. If you want to make calls to a landline phone, you can do so by paying a low cost per minute (much less than traditional long distance).

So here’s how to make free PC to PC phone calls:
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Since PC to PC calling uses a technology similar to instant messaging, most VoIP provider’s software allows you to text message the person you are talking to. Conference calling is also possible - just click on another active user and they can join in the call!

As of this writing, here are some VoIP providers I found that offer free PC to PC internet phone calls with no monthly fees. Because services can change from time to time, make sure you agree with the terms and conditions before creating an account. Skype is the largest and most well known provider with over 190 million downloads to date.

* www.skype.com

* www.google.com/talk

* www.earthlink.net/software/nmfree/onlinecalling

* www.voipbuster.com

* www.inphonex.com

* www.pc-telephone.com/free-phone.htm

As with any software, your computer must meet certain requirements in order for the installation to succeed. As a general rule, your computer should have at minimum a 400 MHz processor, 10 MB of free disk space and 128 MB of RAM. You also need a sound card, and either a headset with microphone or speakers and a microphone. Of course, you need an internet connection as well. Software is available for PC, Mac and Linux platforms. Skype has software for Pocket PC as well.

PC based VoIP will work fine over a dial up connection of at least 33.6 Kbps, but be sure to close all email applications and don’t do any web surfing while talking because these processes will degrade performance. For the absolute best internet phone calling experience, broadband is the way to go.

Free software-based PC to PC internet phone service is a great way to “test the waters” if you are interested in trying VoIP before jumping into a paid service. It’s also perfect if you’re on a tight budget and want to make some free long distance calls. Anyone in the world can use VoIP as long as they have an internet connection; just make sure all your friends and relatives use the same carrier if you want to keep the calls free.

This type of VoIP service is not compatible with 911, so it should not be used as your one and only phone. If you want save a lot of money on your phone bill and use VoIP as your primary phone, consider subscribing to a hardware-based VoIP carrier like Packet8, Vonage, Lingo or Voip.net.

© Copyright 2005, Debbie Jacobsen. All rights reserved.

This article may be used without special permission as long as it remains intact, including live links.

For more information on VoIP, visit my blog: Internet Phone Service - The Future is Here!.