VOIP Service Providers

 VoIP  No Responses »
Mar 302008
 

NOTE – this article is now dated. I will updated it soon.

If you want to switch over to VoIP instead of PSTN all you need to do is choose a VoIP service provider. Most of these providers are situated in the United States. Some VoIP service providers are: Vonage, BroadVoice, iConnectHere and Lingo.

For a monthly fee of $8-$20 they will provide you with features such as voicemail, call forwarding and unlimited calls in certain areas.  For VoIP You need a broadband modem, an ATA ( Analog Telephone Adapter) or IP phone. Both the ATA and the IP phone have a number assigned to it, regardless of your IP ( Internet Protocol ) address. This way, others can contact you wherever you are.

Most people are assigned with a new IP address by their service provider whenever they log on. Others have a permanent IP address which never changes. In both cases you will need a VoIP provider. This way people will be able to contact you through your username instead of your IP address.

As mentioned before VoIP is user-friendly and it’s a low cost service. Most providers offer VoIP for free, they only charge when you make calls to the Public Switched Telephone Network Different VoIP Providers have different protocols. SIP, H.323 and LIAX are only a few of the protocols.

The most popular system for VoIP is Skype. Skype has a proprietary protocol. This makes it hard to connect to the Skype network from another VoIP provider. On the other hand Skype makes up for that with their service SkypeIn. This service allows you to receive calls from standard phone networks.

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Introduction To VOIP Phones

 VoIP  No Responses »
Mar 042008
 

Analog Telephony Adapter VoIP Grandstream HT486
Image via Wikipedia

In order to make calls with VoIP, you will need a telephone which can be connected to the World Wide Web. If you wish to use a standard phone with VoIP you can get an Analog Telephone Adapter. This will digitize your voice and enable you to make phonecalls with VoIP. This adapter has an Ethernet connector and a regular connector. Ethernet connectors are the same as regular phone connectors but they are wider.

 

The ATA will save you money, because you won’t have to buy a new phone. Normally VoIP services will provide you with an ATA. But an IP phone will offer you many perks and extras that come with your VoIP account, such as call display, voicemail and call routing. Also, when you buy your own IP phone you may get a discount on your monthly fee. You can still take advantage of some of these extras with an ATA, but you will have to configure your VoIP account at the service provider’s site.

Hardware-based IP phone
Image via Wikipedia

All IP phones have an LCD display for caller ID and phone configuration. Of course the phones differ, ranging from simple phones for personal to complex machines for commercial use. Advanced models have features such as speakerphones and programmable keys. It is also possible to use wireless phones within an IEEE 802.11b wireless network.

IP phones give you the option to route certain calls. You no longer have to do this for each call individually. Anonymous calls for example can be routed to your voicemail or another number. Your IP phone can also be used to store names and phone numbers. Every call that comes in can be added to your phone and edited or deleted.

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What Do I Need To Use VOIP?

 VoIP  2 Responses »
Feb 152008
 
Skype Limited
Image via Wikipedia

If you’re not sure if VoIP is something for you, then try it out without any charge. If you have a headset and a sound card you can download VoIP software and call anyone anywhere. Skype, Free World Dialup and Net2Phone are some of the popular names you might want to consider. These ‘soft phones’ are user-friendly and they charge you nothing as long as you don’t call a cell phone or landline.

When choosing for VoIP you have a number of options when it comes down to the type of phone you wish to use. You can use a headset, Internet phone or an ATA. Internet phones resemble real phones. Some have number pads, ring like real phones and they are used in the same way. In order to use these ‘soft phones’ you also need VoIP software. The phones are to be plugged in the USB port or sound card.

The ATA gives you the opportunity to connect your traditional phone to your modem. Most VoIP providers will give you the ATA free of charge when you sign up. It connects to a broadband DSL or cable modem. When using an ATA you don’t need a computer to make phone calls. The ATA isn’t only handy because it’s easy to use – you simply pick up your phone and dial – but you can take it with you anywhere, connect it to a modem and make phone calls wherever you are. Calls will be redirected to your ATA with no extra charge.

Hardware-based IP phone
Image via Wikipedia

You may also choose an IP phone. IP phones are plugged into the modem (Internet phones are plugged into USB ports or sound cards). The IP phone has integrated hardware and software. All your numbers can be stored in the phone and it has features like caller ID.

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