Introduction to VoIP
Mike Bromley
What is VoIP?
First things first, VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. At a base level that means phone calls over your broadband connection. You really do need a high-speed connection to take advantage of VoIP to get phone calls comparable to a normal landline phone. Traditional "dial-up" connections are not really sufficient.
VoIP works in a different way to your home phone. Your home phone is based on an analogue network, whereas VoIP is based on a digital one. Essentially when you speak into a VoIP enabled phone or headset your voice is converted into digital packets; it is then compressed to help your Internet connection run more efficiently and then it is transferred down the connection much like an email. Once it reaches its destination the process is reversed.
Why might I want to switch to VoIP?
It’s a good question. We all have a working phone in our homes or business, why should we change? Lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP
Advantages
Well to put it simply - cost. VoIP makes calls significantly cheaper. And (Depending on your package) for a low cost monthly subscription local and national calls can be made for free, and international calls made at a significantly lower rate.
When you subscribe to a VoIP service it is possible to get a phone number for life. You will be able to take your number with you whenever you move (or even travel) with obvious benefits. The contract packages that companies who are offering the service contain for the most part all the features and more that your current phone service supplier offers. You are likely to find most VoIP companies offering free voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting ID, 3 way calling, speed dialling and much more.
VoIP is very much in it's infancy; the technology is progressing all the time. Future benefits that we may not be able to envisage yet are certain to appear, you current analogue phone system will not be able to compete.
Disadvantages
Your VoIP phones system will be exclusively based on your broadband connection, if you ISP has a period of service downtime then you will not be able to make calls. Additionally if your electricity supply has a power out then you will not be able to make any calls, this includes calls to the emergency services. Some providers have already got a work around with the emergency calls, so make sure when you decide on a supplier they provide this.
A further disadvantage currently is the set up of the VoIP is not the simplest procedure to undertake, though many suppliers will assist with installation.
The quality of the call via VoIP can be slightly less than your current analogue phone, but the technology is steadily improving, and before long you will not be able to tell the difference in call quality between the two mediums.
© Mike Bromley 2005
About the author:
The author runs asite about VoIP Service Providers at www.speakonline.co.uk
The latest information and news on VoIP :
Mobile VoIP company Fring adds a number of advanced features to its Windows Mobile app, including file transferring.
Mumbai gunmen used U.S. VoIP service to talk to their superiors during their ...
A U.S. VoIP phone service kept one of the terrorists who carried out deadly attacks in Mumbai, India, in November in touch with his handlers based in Pakistan, according to reports describing a dossier of evidence compiled by Indian officials.
SDK helps developers VoIP-enable Pocket PC applications. (ThomasNet)
VoIP EVO SDK for Pocket PC contains C-API DLL and COM control of VoIP EVO client that can be used from any programming language C++ and .NET Compact Framework. It comes with Windows as well Linux server (running as service), and enables VoIP conferencing with crystal clear sound for both low and high-bandwidth users (Speex Codec). Supported development environments include Visual Basic .NET, ...
FXO Chipset enables backup of VoIP traffic. (ThomasNet)
Comprised of FX1000 system control interface and FX1041 data access arrangement codec, LSI(TM) FX1000 foreign exchange office chipset enables connections between IP applications such as media gateways and VoIP devices and conventional analog lines. Solution provides Internet-based communications services with backup or alternate routing over PSTN, resulting in integrated communications services ...
Motorola Combines WiMax, WiFi, Ethernet, VoIP In One Device (InformationWeek)
The Motorola wi4 WiMa CPEi 775 will be available only to carriers initially and will not be offered for retail markets.
VoIP: Beyond the Status Quo (CircleID)
On New Year's Eve 2008 I felt compelled to respond to the stories being written about the Death of VoIP which lead to my recent blog post: VoIP is NOT Dead!
ESS Technology Announces World?s First VoIP Single-Chip Solution to Embed Two...
ESS Technology, a leading provider of high performance audio/video solutions, today announced the ES9701 as the newest member of its VoIP product line. First in the industry to embed two Subscriber Line Interface Circuits (SLICs) and an Ethernet switch, the ES9701 brings the highest integration and lowest bill of materials to consumer VoIP adapters and IP phone applications.
Mumbai gunmen used US VoIP service (ARNnet)
Indian dossier says handlers used a virtual phone number provided by service provider CallPhonex to call a cell phone used by one of the terrorists in Mumbai.
Truphone adds Skype, Twitter to iPhone client (CNET via Yahoo! News)
The Internet telephony company Truphone has turned its client for the iPhone and iPod Touch into an aggregator for a range of popular VoIP and instant-messaging applications.
ESS Technology Announces Worlds First VoIP Single-Chip Solution to Embed Two ...
FREMONT, Calif.----ESS Technology, a leading provider of high performance audio/video solutions, today announced the ES9701 as the newest member of its VoIP product line. First in the industry to embed two Subscriber Line Interface Circuits and an Ethernet switch, the ES9701 brings the highest integration and lowest bill of materials to consumer VoIP adapters and IP phone applications.