| Whenever the topic of Internet phone service | | | | while you're on the road. |
| comes up, I'm surprised to find that most people | | | | Portability |
| don't know that they already have everything | | | | When you get an Internet phone service account, |
| they need to save money on their phone bill using | | | | the phone that you use is going to be assigned a |
| an Internet phone. | | | | unique phone number. This number will remain |
| Fact is, you really only need two things: | | | | good, whether you're making phone calls in New |
| 1. A regular telephone | | | | York or Los Angeles or Miami or Chicago or St. |
| 2. Broadband Internet access. | | | | Louis or even in London, England. |
| If you have these two things (and most people | | | | Familiarity |
| do), then you can take advantage of Internet | | | | Internet phones have all the familiar features like |
| phone service to save money on local and | | | | call waiting, voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding, and |
| long-distance calling. | | | | three-way calling. All of this is available to you with |
| And another thing: sooner or later all telephone | | | | pretty much any standard Internet phone |
| service will use some form of Internet telephony, | | | | package at no extra cost to you. And if you need |
| which is another name for Internet phone service | | | | to, you can even send pictures and documents |
| or VoIP (voice over Internet protocol). The only | | | | while you're on the phone. |
| question is when are you going to jump in and get | | | | CONS |
| started? | | | | Power outages |
| These days, Internet phone service is rapidly | | | | With conventional phone service from the phone |
| becoming more and more reliable. It is gaining a | | | | company, your telephone receives power even in |
| wider audience all the time. Many cable companies | | | | the event of an outage to the electrical grid. This |
| are already taking advantage of this technology | | | | is not the case with standard Internet phone |
| to capture a wider audience for their services. But | | | | service. Your computer (and any associated |
| make no mistake: like any newer technology | | | | equipment like a WiFi router) needs to have |
| there are some wrinkles that need to be ironed | | | | power. If any of these are not working, your |
| out. | | | | Internet phone service will not work. |
| So, to help you make an informed decision, let's | | | | Emergency 911 Calls |
| look at some of the pros and cons to Internet | | | | Another downside to Internet phone service is |
| phone service. | | | | that emergency or 911 calls don't work the same |
| PRO'S | | | | way. When you call 911 with conventional phone |
| Cost | | | | service, if you can't talk the emergency personnel |
| Most Internet phone companies will charge you a | | | | receiving your call can still pinpoint your location |
| monthly fee and in return you can get (and | | | | and send help. It doesn't work that way with |
| make) unlimited calls within the continental United | | | | Internet phone service. Newer technologies may |
| States. You also have the ability to make | | | | be able solve that problem but that's not |
| international calls for a tiny amount of the cost | | | | universally true just yet. |
| that your making those calls for now. | | | | Voice Clarity |
| Again, if you're already paying for broadband | | | | Another downside to Internet phone service is |
| Internet than you already have most of the | | | | that the quality and reliability isn't quite as good as |
| system in place to make telephone calls from | | | | compared to a traditional landline. This is because |
| PC-to-PC anywhere in the world -- pretty much | | | | the same technology that makes the Internet |
| for free. Of course there are other more | | | | possible is not optimized for voice traffic. |
| convenient ways of making Internet phone calls. | | | | When you send an e-mail on the Internet, the |
| For example, you can make a phone call from | | | | message is broken up into small pieces and sent |
| your PC to any standard landline phone. It does | | | | to its destination over different pathways. Then it |
| cost a little more, but the savings are still | | | | is reassembled at the end. This is OK with email, |
| substantial. | | | | but not with a voice call. When you make a phone |
| Mobility | | | | call you don't want there to be a delay, or an |
| Pretty much anywhere you go now you are | | | | echo, or any bad quality on the call at all. While |
| within the easy access of a broadband Internet | | | | quality is better now, Internet phones aren't quite |
| connection. So if you have a cell phone that is | | | | perfect yet. |
| VoIP-compatible then you can logon to your | | | | Conclusion |
| account and make a phone call. If you're a | | | | The future for Internet phone service is very |
| frequent traveler you probably already have the | | | | bright. There are some disadvantages presently, |
| proper headset and cables for your phone. | | | | but with time those are being solved. I look |
| In other words, Internet phone service of this | | | | forward to the future and all the benefits that |
| sort is just as convenient as checking your e-mail | | | | Internet phone service can provide. |