| > | | | | connects to your broadband router. After you |
| The facts about Voice Over IP. | | | | have that in place, you can simply plug your |
| Have you been hearing the term VOIP or Voice | | | | regular phone lines in and be up and running. |
| Over IP from friends and family? You might be | | | | How is the quality of the phone calls? |
| wondering what the heck they are talking about. | | | | In the early days of Voice Over IP calls often had |
| It sounds foreign to some, but many are | | | | some interference. As this technology has |
| benefiting from this low cost method to replace | | | | become more widely adopted the quality is |
| their traditional phone service. | | | | almost not noticeable between traditional phone |
| Voice over IP or VOIP is also call IP telephony. | | | | service and Voice Over IP. |
| Basically VOIP involves your voice conversation | | | | One variable is the speed of your internet |
| getting converted from a analog into a digital | | | | connection. You will need broadband internet to |
| signal and then is transmitted over the Internet | | | | consider switching from you local phone provider. |
| through an IP or Internet Protocol network. Ok, | | | | What about all the risks I hear about 911 service |
| so enough of the technobabble. | | | | and Voice Over IP? |
| Why is this beneficial for me? | | | | You may have heard news announcements about |
| For one, cost is a huge benefit. If you already | | | | the risks of Voice Over IP and the interaction |
| have broadband internet access at home, you can | | | | with the 911 system. In most cases this is not an |
| simply sign up with your broadband carrier or | | | | issue with the major providers. |
| other carriers like Vonage or even Skype. The | | | | You simply register your address with your Voice |
| pricing ranges from $9 to $24 per month for | | | | Over IP phone number and that way the 911 |
| unlimited calls including long distance. That’s | | | | system is able to track your location if you need |
| where most people realize significant savings. This | | | | to call for an emergency. |
| flat fee gives you the peace of mind that you | | | | Make sure you research the 911 options of the |
| won’t have a $100 or more phone bill after | | | | carrier before you commit. Some do not offer |
| the call to Grandma and Grandpa. International | | | | this option as of yet. |
| calls are also significantly less money. If you have | | | | How Does Voice Mail work on the Voice Over IP |
| friends or family abroad you should look into this | | | | Systems? |
| right away. | | | | One of the best features of Voice Over IP is that |
| One other nice feature that some don’t | | | | the Voice Mail systems are often much more |
| know about is you can get a phone number that | | | | current. Vonage for example has a solution that |
| is not in your state. The benefit there is that your | | | | emails you a sound file when a voice mail arrives. |
| friends, family, and relatives can call you at a local | | | | This is excellent as all your communication can be |
| number where it is not long distance for them. | | | | received via email without checking the voice mail |
| This saves them money as well. What a deal! | | | | on your phone. |
| What if I don’t want to change my phone | | | | You can also retrieve your voice mail by calling |
| number? | | | | your phone number as usual and retrieve your |
| Rest assured this is taken care of as well. Most | | | | messages. |
| major Voice Over IP (VOIP Providers) will allow | | | | The bottom line is that Voice Over IP will save |
| you to transfer your home phone number to | | | | you money and is very convenient to use. This is |
| your new VOIP account. This usually takes a | | | | especially true for those that spend significant |
| couple weeks but insures that you don’t | | | | amounts of money on long distance calls. |
| lose calls by switching to the new service. | | | | Check it out today and see if Voice Over IP is |
| Will Voice Over IP work with my existing phones? | | | | for you! |
| Absolutely. You will need a special modem that | | | | |