| Have you wondered about VoIP telephone technology | | | | web, voice messages sent as an attachment in an |
| or does it just sound like something out of this world to | | | | e-mail. |
| you? Weird even? Well, you're not alone. This has | | | | CONS: |
| been a learning experience for me. I've had to do | | | | - In the area of reliability, your VoIP service is only as |
| research and more research to finally understand this | | | | reliable as your internet connection. And in the case of |
| enough to write this small article about it. | | | | a power outage you're probably at a very real |
| So here it goes: VoIP is just an acronym for voice | | | | disadvantage. However if you currently have a |
| over internet protocol. Or, in other words, it's a method | | | | portable or wireless phone then you've experienced |
| of sending spoken words using a computer and the | | | | the same problem in an outage, so this may not be a |
| internet instead of a regular land line or cell phone. | | | | factor in your decision. |
| I think that pretty well explains it in layman's terms. If | | | | - Here's an interesting "con"- VoIP calls do not keep |
| you want more in depth information than that you'll | | | | the parties connected throughout the conversation. |
| have to do your own research! | | | | Because your conversation is transmitted in "data |
| Now that we have our definition out of the way, the | | | | packets" the connection is only made when the data |
| question is should you get in on it? Of course we all | | | | needs to be sent or transmitted and it may sound like |
| know the answer is based on personal preference, but | | | | you're constantly being cut off. |
| here are a few facts to help you decide. | | | | - But the connection delay (caused by the distance the |
| PROS: | | | | packets have to travel) and system congestion |
| - Most everything you read will tell you it's cheaper | | | | (caused because these voice and data packets travel |
| than the regular land lines. The reason for this is the | | | | over the same network with a fixed bandwidth) can |
| way internet access is billed compared to regular | | | | be solved by teletraffic engineering. Don't expect me |
| telephone calls. Regular telephone calls are billed by the | | | | to explain that one...won't happen! |
| minute or second, but VoIP calls are billed per the | | | | Now let's recap: |
| amount of information or data sent over the internet. | | | | - We can buy an adapter and use our existing land line |
| - You can basically call for really cheap or even free | | | | phones to call over our internet connection for cheap |
| using your internet connection and have calling plans | | | | cheap cheap. |
| that are half the cost of standard phone | | | | - If we find the right service provider for this service |
| plans.Adapters are available so you can use your | | | | we can have some cool services not available with |
| current touch tone phone with your high speed internet | | | | our regular phone service. |
| connection to make VoIP calls. If you do this you won't | | | | - If the power goes out I'm dead in the water unless I |
| have the out of pocket expense of a new VoIP | | | | have battery backup. |
| gadget, well other than the adapter. | | | | - My conversations using VoIP phones may sound |
| - For business purposes VoIP also offers the | | | | intermittent but that can be solved with the right |
| advantage of running both voice and data | | | | teletraffic engineering. |
| communications over a single network which can | | | | - And if I own a business this VoIP technology could |
| represent a significant saving in infrastructure costs. | | | | save me some real bucks. |
| - In most cases, VoIP technology will have services not | | | | If you're counting, it looks like the pros out weigh the |
| available on regular land line phones. These services | | | | cons but I'd say more research might be needed |
| might include the ability to check voice mail via the | | | | before a purchase is made. |