The Latest in Tech Talk

by Harlan Mennen

Voice over Internet Protocol

Voice over Internet Protocol lets you make a telephone call
using your computer and its high speed network. The voice
signal from your telephone converts to voice over Internet
protocol technology to a digitized signal that lets it be
delivered across the Internet. Then when it gets to the
person you're calling, it changes back to regular telephone
technology. You can have a traditional phone conversation
calling any standard phone number. When you call with Voip
using your land line phone using the adapter for VoIP, you
get a dial tone just as usual, and you dial just the way you
always did. VoIP sometimes lets you call directly from your
PC using an ordinary microphone or standard telephone.

Different Ways to Use VoIP

When you do it this way, you type the phone number
on your keyboard and let the cable modem do the dialing for
you. All you need to set up VoIP is speed on the Web -
broadband, DSL or local area network. Without this you'll
need an adaptor to attach to your phone. You can also choose
to hook up a standard microphone into your PC or laptop.

Price of VoIP

There is no standard VoIP service price. Each provider has
its own charge. Some may even let you call other of its
providers for free. Your VoIP provider may also offer you an
area code of your own at no long distance charge. If you
choose an area code elsewhere than your local one, those
calls, just as your home area calls, will be free of charges
for long distance. The only problem, of course, would be if
most of your callers are local. This could leave them with
long distance charges to call you. Just be careful which
area code you choose, with consideration for your consistent
callers.

You may choose a VoIP provider that charges for long
distance, just as you're used to with your home phone. You
might also end up paying a flat rate that will let you call
to any area of the country - and sometimes the world - for a
set number of minutes. What destinations you call with VoIP
is heavily influenced by your choice of provider. The ranges
of calls you can make are as limited as only those with the
same provider or as wide as anyone anywhere on the globe.

With VoIP you can call someone's landline phone, their
mobile phone, those in another part of your country or in
another country. You can even make three-way calls. The
person you call doesn't have to do anything different
than pick up her or his phone.

Save Money with VoIP

VoIP's unusual features are because of its being digital.
With VoIP and your high speed Internet connection you can
save telephone service charges. The plus side of VoIP is
financial, with the reduction in phone use fees. The con
side of VoIP is that some standard services are missing that
you're used to with your phone carrier such as 911 service,
directory assistance and access to listings in the white
pages. Also, its connection to electrical power can be a
negative if the power goes out.

There are many providers of this innovative, money-saving technology. Take your time and find the one that best suits your needs.

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