| For the uninitiated, the term broadband phone is | | | | cost savings. Some services allow you to add one |
| loosely used to describe the technology currently | | | | or more virtual numbers to your main phone |
| available where one can make telephone calls | | | | number. This means that your phone may be able |
| from a telephone system that sends the voice | | | | to receive calls from 2 or more different area |
| signal over your internet connection. The call may | | | | codes. This virtually eliminates long-distance |
| terminate at a regular phone line or another | | | | phoning charges for anyone calling within those |
| broadband phone. | | | | numbers' area codes. |
| Until recently, the technology was not being used | | | | Reason #3: Freedom from Tariffs |
| widely because of its perceived limitations, | | | | For the time being, calls made over the internet |
| including lack of features available. The primary | | | | are not subject to a lot of the tariffs that afflict |
| issue however has been that of poor call quality. | | | | your regular phone bill. How long will this persist? |
| Now, continuing improvements in the industry and | | | | There are different opinions on this in the |
| increased competition pushing the development of | | | | industry, but right now it's a nice advantage that |
| the technology have resulted in significant | | | | makes for an even lower phone bill. |
| progress, to the extent that some analysts now | | | | Reason #2: Availability of High Speed Internet |
| predict that broadband phones (really Voice over | | | | All the cost saving and convenience reasons |
| Internet Protocol technologies) will dominate the | | | | already mentioned would not do much to propel |
| long distance calling market by 2010 - maybe | | | | the growth of the broadband phone market if |
| sooner. | | | | consumers did not have access to high speed |
| Here are some specific reasons why you may | | | | connections at their homes. Broadband phones |
| find broadband phones a good fit at this stage. | | | | perform the best when using cable or DSL |
| Reason #5: Portability and Ease of Use | | | | highspeed internet connections. |
| The equipment provided by the broadband phone | | | | Reason #1: Clarity of Sound |
| companies can be used wherever you have | | | | The top reason why broadband phone services |
| access to a high speed connection. Most | | | | are currently making swift inroads is that the call |
| broadband service companies do not restrict you | | | | quality has significantly improved. All of the major |
| from traveling with your phone. As long as the | | | | players now offer services that work |
| network that you are plugging into will | | | | satisfactorily for residential use and some can |
| "automagically" assign your broadband device an | | | | consistently meet the most stringent business |
| internet address (IP address) - and most will - you | | | | requirements for clarity. |
| are up and running. | | | | Finally, considering the initial small investment that |
| This means that you can be in a hotel in Japan | | | | may be required to get a broadband phone |
| and still be accessible at the same phone number | | | | account up and running, the volume of savings |
| - your kids or staff don't need to know the | | | | you are likely to experience within a short period |
| hotel's number. | | | | is very significant. The flexibility, ease of use |
| Reason #4: Long Distance Savings | | | | (technical know-how not needed) combined with |
| Broadband services typically come with lower long | | | | improvement in quality definitely makes this |
| distance rates than you can get from most | | | | bandwagon a good ride. |
| traditional carriers. This calculates into immediate | | | | |