WHAT IS VOIP?

VoIP, an acronym for Voice over IP, is a technology that allows one to make telephone calls using a Broadband Internet connection instead of a regular telephone line, thereby having phone service over the Internet delivered through your Internet connection, instead of from your local phone company.

Voice over Internet Protocol, is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet (or through any other IP-based network). Voice over IP traffic can be utilized on any IP network, including those without a connection to the rest of the Internet, such as LAN, for example.

Traditionally, a phone conversation is converted into electronic signals that travel along a network of switches, in a dedicated circuit that lasts the length of a call, as is with cellular providers, and long distance carriers.

The conversation is converted to packets of data that travel over the Internet or private networks, just like e-mails or Web pages. The packets get reassembled and converted to sound on the other end of the call.

In contrast to a PBX business phone system with its proprietary components, or with a cellular service that requires a tower and/or satellites to connect, VoIP is not limited to single users. It can accommodate multiple-line and group-access users regardless of their location or the type of phone they are using.

The two main advantages are cost and functionality. All that is required is a high-speed Broadband Internet connection in order to take advantage of VoIP. You can use a regular (i.e. analog) phone that is connected to an adaptor (ATA). This adapter converts your voice to data packets; sends it to the Internet; and then to a VoIP service provider. The person you are calling doesn’t need any special equipment to receive the call. The service routes the phone call via Internet to the called party's local telephone company to complete the call. Also, while VoIP does require your broadband Internet connection to be active, it does not require your computer to be online to take advantage of the phone services.

When you choose a VoIP service provider, you will be sent a converter (adapter) to allow a regular phone to use the VoIP service. Your phone number is programmed into the converter (adapter), allowing you to take your phone converter (adapter) and phone number wherever you travel in the world to use them, just as long as you have access to a high-speed broadband Internet connection. Because your telephone number is based in you converter and not your home, you have the option of choosing any area code for your phone number. Some carriers will allow you to have more than 1 phone number in different area codes for a small additional fee, called a virtual phone number. For instance, you can have one number in your local area code and another phone number with an area code from another city. By having a virtual phone number in another city where you have a lot of friends and family, you will be saving them money because they can call you on a local number instead of paying for long distance charges to contact you. Both phone numbers will ring your VoIP phone wherever you have your converter hooked up to a high-speed Internet connection.

There are a few drawbacks to VoIP, with regard to limitations of use, reliance on other services, and implementation challenges, but VoIP will only improve with time.