| VoIP has been around for about fifteen years, but | | | | VoIP adapters and VoIP phones. VoIP adapters allow |
| most of its rise in popularity has come in the past five | | | | users to use their existing telephone to talk over IP, |
| years. The first company to provide a product using | | | | and VoIP phones are devices that use the internet |
| VoIP technology is thought to be the Israeli company, | | | | connection but look and feel just like a telephone. |
| Vocaltec, when they first bought out their service in | | | | These have developed as providers have looked to |
| 1995. It ran on a PC and was used by listening through | | | | improve not just VoIP's quality but also the user |
| the PC's speakers and taking through a microphone. | | | | experience, meaning it is more likely to be taken up by |
| All early VoIP worked this way, and some still does. | | | | a mass market. |
| The Vocaltec service was referred to as an 'internet | | | | VoIP's quality is something that has improved |
| phone'. The quality was poor by telephone standards. It | | | | significantly. The growing popularity of broadband has |
| was mostly used for personal use and not really | | | | been crucial to this. A high percentage of internet |
| suitable for business. | | | | users now use broadband, which is important as the |
| VoIP technology grew over the next two or three | | | | internet connection is the most important factor in the |
| years. People began to see the potential for this cheap | | | | quality of VoIP. This has meant that more people have |
| alternative and experimented with different ways of | | | | access to quality VoIP. The growing competition within |
| using, and improving, this technology. Larger | | | | the VoIP industry has meant they are all trying to |
| telecommunications companies started to think about | | | | improve quicker than their competitors. This has lead to |
| developing VoIP services, and how it could also be | | | | a better all round service for customers. There are |
| used for business rather than just a cheap, poor quality | | | | now many business VoIP providers who provide a |
| service. | | | | quality service, while still cheaper than the equivalent |
| With early VoIP it was only possible to make calls | | | | telephone providers. |
| from PC to PC. As the technology improved it | | | | Skype is probably the best known cheap VoIP |
| became possible to make calls from a PC to | | | | provider. Calls with Skype are free PC to PC, and calls |
| telephones. This allowed users to call anyone, but they | | | | from a PC to a telephone are very cheap. It is mostly |
| would have to use their PC to make these calls. It is | | | | useful for personal use calling friends and family, but |
| now possible to use an internet connection but talk | | | | not suitable for business. There are sign though, that |
| through a telephone or telephone like device, using | | | | they are looking to move into this area. |