A Look at Internet Voice Technology (VoIP) for Residential
Looking Back
Remember back about 10 years ago when the Video Phone and
Internet Phone were introduced to the commercial market? Perhaps
you were one of those who tried it and found yourself disappointed.
The audio seemed only to work well when set to simplex, which
is like a 2-way radio where only one person can speak at a
time, instead of full-duplex, which is more like a regular
phone.
Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, was a little ahead
of its time with limits to the capabilities. For instance,
not only could you talk only to people who had the same software,
but they also had to be logged in or connected to the internet
in order to call them.
Today's Technology
Over the years, the technology has made remarkable progress.
Telephony’s improved data compression rate, better sound
quality, and the availability of residential broadband has
given consumers more affordable solutions with even more features
than you might have currently. Today, there are a number
of available service providers with most offering the equipment
for free along with pricing packages that can reduce your
phone bills by up to 50% or more.
How It Works
Internet Voice, commonly known as VoIP (Voice over Internet
Protocol), uses your broadband Internet connection to make
and receive phone calls instead of your regular phone line.
It works by converting your phone calls to data packets and
sends the information over your Internet connection, like
email, and is received on the other end just like a regular
phone call.
Source: Vonage.com
What's the advantage? Using your Internet connection instead
of your phone line is less expensive. You can call anywhere,
anytime for less and still get features like Call Waiting,
Call Forwarding, Caller ID, 3-way Calling, and so much more.
One common misconception about VoIP is that it's a bandwidth
hog, when, in fact, voice is a very efficient type of traffic.
As a rule of thumb, 14 Kbps of bandwidth per call is ideal.
This includes the compressed voice packet and the IP overhead.
While your broadband connection will range from 768 Kbps –
1.5 Mbps, this is negligible and not worth concerning yourself
over.
The Disadvantages
If you're considering replacing your traditional telephone
service with Internet Voice, there are some things you should
consider when looking at the various providers.
- Some Internet Voice services don't work during power
outages and the service provider may not offer backup power;
- Additional steps may be required for setting up
911 calls where you will need to register an address for
location identification; or
- DSL users cannot completely eliminate their land
line because the broadband runs through this connection;
or
- They may or may not offer white page listings.
Let's Talk Features
VoIP service providers offer different packages to fit your
specific needs. Actual usage, desired features, and potential
expansion capabilities will be the determining factors when
selecting a package. The basic plans most VoIP providers offer
include:
- Low-cost Basic with Limited Usage
- Unlimited US and Canada
calls
- Unlimited Business with Fax
You're almost certain to save money switching to VoIP.
Not only is the monthly service itself generally less expensive
than your current phone company's monthly service, the features
you get with VoIP are much more extensive and are, most of
the time, offered for free. Features like:
- Web Based Administration – Allows you
to configure your phone settings and log all your calls
in real time.
- Caller ID – Standard with all VoIP
service providers.
- Voice Mail – Replaces your answering
machine and lets you listen to voice messages on-line.
- Call forwarding – Forward calls to
your cell, office, or any other number after a predetermined
number of rings.
- Portability – Take your phone adapter
anywhere around the world, use your same phone number, and
call anytime, anywhere in the US for free, and vice-versa
- Software Phone – this application can
be installed on any PC and will function exactly the same
way as any VoIP phone
What You Need
- An Internet connection - While VoIP works
with a regular 56kbps dial-up connection, it is highly recommended
you use a Cable or DSL broadband connection.
- A Computer – The only reason you will
need a computer (PC or Mac) is to configure the phone adaptor
to work with your broadband service provider. Once this
is done, you will not need to do this again.
- A Digital Phone Adapter – DPA's, also
referred to as phone adapters, are provided mostly free
of charge. This is similar to your Cable/DSL router that
converts the signal to use a regular phone or fax unit.
- A Telephone – There are also options
for plugging in multiple phones to a single DPA unit.
- A VoIP Service provider – There are
several available. Here are a few you might want to
check out:
1.
Vonage
2.
Packet8
3.
Lingo
4.
AT&T
CallVantage
5.
Verizon
Get More Info
VoIP-Info.org
- This web site covers everything related to VoIP - software,
hardware, service providers, reviews, configurations, standards,
tips & tricks and everything else related to voice over
IP networks, IP telephony and Internet Telephony.
FCC - The Federal Communications
Commission provides a list of Frequently Asked Questions for
those looking to switch to VoIP.
VoIP User Forum - An independent
information guide to Internet Telephony
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tech.com