The invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in March of 1876, has probably had the most profound impact on how we communicate, in history. It enables us to talk to friends, family and loved ones from all around the world. Today, cell phones are becoming increasingly popular and have almost replaced traditional telephones. Now telephone service providers are dealing with their biggest threat yet, voice over IP's (VOIP). A new technology, which is also gaining popularity, but has fallen into criticism. So what are Voice Over IP services? How does voIP work and what are some common misunderstandings connected with these services? Here is some information regarding voice over IP's.
What Is VOIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is a new technology that enables the conversion of voice into a digital signal, which is then transmitted through the Internet. This also applies if you are calling a normal phone line. The signal is simply converted when it reaches the phone. You can also use the service in wireless environments that have Internet hot spots, which allows you to make calls wireless.
How Does VOIP Work?
In order to use VOIP services provided by companies such as Vonage, Packet 8 and JoiPhone, you will need some fairly simple equipment. A computer, a broadband connection and a inexpensive headset. Additionally you might need a special phone and/or adapters. These phones plug into your Internet connection and function mainly like regular phones. Some VOIP services are computer based, others use a digital voIP phone or a VOIP adapter that can be used with a regular telephone. The benefits of a non-computer based service are that your phone is portable and useable anywhere there is a broadband connection due to a built in voIP address that is unique to your phone. But this is also provided by web based VOIP services through a web interface. This interface allows costumers to log in and place calls from all over the world.
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Voice Over IP Myths
The VOIP technology has fallen under some criticism. One major issue is that unlike regular phones, a computer based VOIP system requires external power to function. That means that these phones will not work during a power outage. Customers have also said to have had problems connecting to 911 during a emergency. In fact, a caller’s location can not be determined through traditional ways. The phone company would use information such as your number and/or nearest cell tower to establish your location. Often these services do not have a direct connection
to emergency numbers and your call may be routed improperly. This could provide a serious issue, which is why voIP providers have come up with a solution. The concept works by looking at the caller's IP address that are distributed based on geographic area. Some argue the voice quality is bad, truth is the sound you get through digital signal processors is almost always better then long distance calls. Furthermore, VOIP is not a major investment and is up to 50% cheaper than regular phone services.
The VOIP technology is here to stay and will continue to innovate the industry. The services are easy to use and the equipment upgrade minimal. It can be great for a business or school supporting conference calls, allowing for collaborative sessions where data and applications can be shared. And you can save money by not paying both a broadband and a phone bill. Try it out, you will see how efficient VOIP really is.
Tags:
internet,
communications