| Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology | | | | needs: Quality of Service. Because the underlying |
| that lets people have actual voice conversations with | | | | network for VoIP is the Internet itself, it has been noted |
| other people using the Internet, instead of traditional | | | | that VoIP communications are susceptible to outage |
| telephone lines. VoIP is also referred to by the terms | | | | whenever there are service issues with the Internet. It's |
| Broadband Telephony, Voice over Broadband, | | | | true that the Internet itself is not a 100% reliable |
| Broadband Phone, IP Telephony and Internet | | | | network, and it's less reliable than the public telephone |
| Telephony. Basic VoIP technology converts the | | | | network, but you're likely already running much of your |
| speaker's voice from an analog sound into digital | | | | business using the Internet, so the additional risk in using |
| format, then compresses that digital data and sends it | | | | VoIP is not as some might claim. |
| (using something called Internet Protocol, or "IP", | | | | Security. Again, because VoIP operates over the |
| packets) to the other person over the Internet. Once | | | | Internet, your calls are theoretically susceptible to |
| the data packets are received on the other end, the | | | | attacks from hackers. In recent years, VoIP providers |
| data is decompressed and converted back into the | | | | have begun taking steps to make your calls more |
| voice sounds that are heard by the other person. | | | | secure, so this might not be as serious of an issue as it |
| There are a number of advantages (and | | | | once was. Furthermore, if you have an online |
| disadvantages) with using VoIP services for your | | | | component to your business (especially if you have an |
| business. When you're deciding whether VoIP would | | | | ecommerce element), you've probably already gotten |
| be right for your company, you're likely to hear the | | | | sufficiently comfortable with your vulnerability to a |
| following complaints and issues - so it's important to | | | | hacker attack. |
| give them due consideration, keeping in mind your | | | | |