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Though not a new technology, VOIP, or Voice
Over Internet Protocol, has recently begun
gaining ground on the traditional long
distance telephone industry. Simply put,
VOIP is the ability for a person to talk on
the telephone over an Internet connection.
Using a variety of types of equipment to
switch analog sound bits into digital data
packets, VOIP has made placing long distance
phone calls more efficient, more convenient,
and much less expensive. Because there is no
phone company or long distance provider
involved, there are no monthly fees, long
distance toll charges, or other charges
associated with a traditional telephone
bill. There are many VOIP service providers
out there, and more cropping up on a regular
basis. That means there is a demand for
these providers to offer even lower cost
services than they already do. In an effort
to increase customers, some providers are
now offering what they call "free" VOIP
services. It is important to be aware that
this type of service is not truly free.
A primary problem with so-called free
VOIP services is the limitations that are
often placed on the service subscriber. Many
"free" providers limit the people you can
call to only just users of the service you
are yourself subscribing to. Sometimes you
can call members of other "free" VOIP
services. Because the commercial VOIP
service providers, such as Vonage, connect
to a traditional phone network, paying
subscribers can call anyone with a
telephone, whether it is connected to the
Internet or not. As a subscriber to a "free"
service, you can't place calls into the
public telephone network, and those on a
public network can't call you. This
restriction negates the potential
convenience that VOIP offers.
There are some "free" VOIP service
providers that now offer customers the
opportunity to call anyone, whether members
of the service or not. This, of course,
comes at a price. Service providers can
offer this possibility to their customers at
arguably lower rates than conventional
long-distance providers, both domestically
and Internationally, covering most of the
globe. Though this is still cheaper (and
probably a lot more convenient) than
traditional long distance phone service, it
is not free, and should not be advertised as
such.
Subscribing to any of the free VOIP
services are not truly free of cost. Chances
are if you are interested in VOIP, you
already have a home computer equipped with a
soundcard and speakers. But if you want to
subscribe to a VOIP service, you are
required to have a broadband Internet
connection, as dial-up just won't cut it
anymore. Though prices for broadband
Internet have come down, it is still a
little more costly than dial-up, averaging
$30-$40 per month. In addition, you will
probably have to invest in a microphone that
is specially equipped with an
analog-to-digital converter and a USB
connector. This will allow you to talk
through your home computer when you place
calls. Or, you can purchase an IP phone or
headset that plugs directly into your home
computer. This allows you to talk into a
handset or headset, and have a dialing
mechanism, much like a traditional
telephone. Many IP phones come with a number
of added features. Though these are one-time
start-up purchases, it is important to note
that service providers claiming to offer
totally free VOIP services can't really
fulfill their claims.
VOIP isn't too good to be true. It has
the potential to forever alter the course of
telephone communications. It is flexible
(you can travel with your phone and phone
number around the world), it is more than
reasonably priced for the services you
receive (services often include Call Waiting
and Caller ID as part of standard service -
features you pay extra monthly charges for
with a traditional phone company), and it is
convenient (you can check your voice mail
from your email account, the voice reception
is often clearer, and you don't get dropped
calls like you do with a mobile phone). But,
as with many other products and services,
you get what you pay for. So, beware of
"free" VOIP services. They are not always
free, and if they are, they are most likely
very limited in what they can offer their
customers.
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