VOIP Basics

VOIP is a fairly new technology. Companies like Vonage and Skype are intriguing consumers with the service. But just what is VOIP?

Voice over Internet Protocol is voice communications (telephone calls) over the internet. Instead of using traditional phone lines, the VOIP process uses the same broadcasting system as the World Wide Web.

VOIP to VOIP calls are typically free – much like the cost of using the web. You pay for a basic service and the calls are covered under that fee.

VOIP to traditional telephones are usually only the cost of a local call. These calls vary from the VOIP to VOIP in that the call starts over the internet and is transferred to the normal phone network for the last portion of the journey.

The technology continues to improve. VOIP phones are being developed that allow subscribers to make calls away from the computer. The quality of the phone calls themselves is also improving. As more users come on board, the providers are finding ways to avoid drop calls, filter out surrounding noises, and improve the transfer of voices.

VOIP can be the best choice for some individuals and for some small businesses as well. With the use of stand alone VOIP phones that can plug directly into broadband connections and with the addition of advanced features like call waiting, call transfer, and conference calling, this new type of voice communication gives a big punch for a small investment.