My experience with VoIP
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) has been around long enough
that almost everyone has heard of it by now. However, I have found
that most people don’t know what it is or what it can do for them.
This month’s newsletter provides a brief description of the service.
and details my own experience with it.
Basically, the way VoIP works is that you take an analog call and
converts it into a digital signal that can be sent through the
World Wide Web. During this conversion, the analog call is interrupted
in “packages” and shipped separately over the Internet. HAS
very similar process is how cell phone calls are transmitted
from phone to tower to tower to phone. The trick is to have
packages were reassembled in the same order they were
disassembled on. If they don’t reassemble right
you’ll hear the “can you…hear me…now” scrambled
calls you ever receive on your cell phone.
As I mentioned in the introduction, I personally use VoIP in my
home through my cable Internet service. I found a great supplier in
[http://www.lingo.com]. Here are some practical things I discovered.
with my VoIP service:
1) Make sure the carrier you select has local numbers for your area
2) Make sure you only have to dial 7 digits for a local call
(some carriers make you dial your own area code even when
you are calling someone locally)
3) VoIP rates range from $10 per month to $50 per month for
residential service. Find the right one for you. fit lingo.com
my needs because it’s only $20 a month and my wife can call
your friends and relatives in Western Europe for free!
4) If your return on investment buying VoIP is due to
international calls, make sure the carrier you select gives you
you free long distance services for specific countries
What are you planning to call? I have seen some friends make this mistake.
and they end up paying the same amount as when they had normal
fixed line service.
5) If you have DSL service you will NOT be able to disconnect your
phone line when you purchase VoIP service. your telephone line
transmits your Internet signal through your service. some DSL
carriers allow you to have no dial tone on your phone line
and it only has DSL (called “naked DSL”). Bell South does not offer
“naked DSL” service, so be careful.
6) I have discovered that the quality of the service is not as good as that of a
“landline”. Having said that, the voice quality isn’t horrible.
either. I would equate it to being better than a cell phone.
quality of service.
7) Home or commercial security systems are not designed to work
VoIP. I use ADT at home and have had wireless kits installed
throughout the house they work well. don’t make the mistake
to turn off your landline phone if you have a security system until
you’ve taken care of this.
8) Installation was easy, I don’t want this to become a
testimonial for lingo.com, but they made it very easy. Yew
If you have any problems, just email me and I’ll be happy to walk you through it.
via.
9) The really great thing I have found with the VoIP service
(especially from lingo.com) is that you can make changes to your
service from your website directly. For example, if you wanted
set up a voicemail account, you can do it from your computer. Same
things go for everyone
the normal features: caller ID, call blocking, etc.
10) You don’t have to go out and buy a new phone when you buy VoIP service.
11) If you are a business owner, be careful about jumping
VoIP with an operator. There are some great phone systems
There are VoIP providers for companies with multiple locations.
However, VoIP has problems with “hunt” or “transfer” groups,
and other major business applications. you want defiant
for help if you go that route for your business.
12) Most importantly, before I started using VoIP, I was paying
about $50 a month for a phone line; $20 for long distance;
and $40 per month for Internet service. Total: $110 per month.
I now pay $60 per month for all 3 services! That’s $600
per year I have saved!