Free Phone
What is VOIP?
VOIP is Voice over Internet Protocol. It simply means that your voice can be transmitted across the internet just as words, pictures and videos are. Your voice is converted to a digital signal and transmitted across the internet. Regular telephone calls made from a standard telephone travel across phone lines as an analog signal. VOIP phone calls are not charged regular long distance rates because the data is being sent via the internet that is normally billed at a monthly flat rate.
VOIP calls can be made using a VOIP telephone, using a regular telephone with a VOIP adapter or from a computer with a microphone headset.
There is one major difference between regular analog phone service and VOIP phone service. VOIP will either not provide 911 services or handle it differently than 911 services from a standard telephone, depending on your provider.
And the only other caveat is that you might lose the ability to make a VOIP call during power outages. This is true of some wireless analog phones as well.
Computer Software for VOIP
Google Voice and Skype are two of the top VOIP software providers. Yahoo Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger also allow VOIP. Each of these products allows voice calls as well as instant messaging and file transfers.
With Google Voice all calls are free except international calls. Rates are different depending on what country you are calling. Although prices vary, they typically range from $0.03 per minute to about $0.78 per minute. There are a couple of exceptions. For example, calling the country Thuraya is $4.99 per minute and Inmarsat is $6.90 per minute. All calls within the United States are free.
Skype is also free to download and use. All Skype to Skype calls are free. Video calls, instant messaging and screen sharing are all free as well. Calling Inmarsat with Skype ranges from $2.62 per minute to $5.83 per minute. Skype also offers a monthly payment plan. Customers can select from Unlimited North America for $7.99 per month, Unlimited World for $13.99 per month that allows unlimited calls within North America and to 40 other countries, and Unlimited World Extra for $19.99 per month that allows unlimited calls within North American and to 40 other countries and a $15 Skype credit each month.
VOIP Phones and Adapters
Cisco is the largest provider of VOIP phone equipment. Many small businesses use Cisco IP phone equipment. Skype sells their own VOIP phone and that can be purchased for less than $20. Most Cisco small business phones have more than one line and use VOIP technology and many also have at least two Ethernet ports.
There are also USB phone adapters available for less than $50. This allows you to use your cordless or regular phone to make and receive VOIP calls. You can also still use your phone to make regular calls by clicking a button to switch back and forth.
So why use VOIP?
VOIP offers many benefits to standard analog phone calls. Obviously the largest benefit is cost. VOIP calls are tremendously less expensive than standard long distance calls. The quality is the same or even better than analog and now with new hardware, you don’t have to be that computer savvy to use VOIP. All of these things make VOIP a smart choice for small businesses and individuals who want to communicate and save money.