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Gaming captures the hearts of gamers, alleviates loneliness, and creates a new market for businesses.
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VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) - An Overview
You've probably at least heard of the word "VoIP", even if you
didn't quite understand what all the excitement is about. VoIP
stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" and is going to change
the way you think about making long distance phone calls.
Basically, VoIP technology turns analog audio signals (i.e. the
sounds you hear when talking on your regular telephone) into a
digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet.)
So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry?
Because it means that by getting your hands on some of the free
software that's available right now, you can totally bypass your
telephone company, and start making long distance phone calls
for free! This revolutionary technology has the ability to
totally change the phone system of the entire world! Perhaps
you've seen television commercials for one of the pioneers of
VoIP - Vonage. Vonage brands itself as the "broadband telephone
company" and offers enticing perks to customers who switch to
it's VoIP service such as low-cost 800 numbers and very cheap
international rates (fees are waived from the U.S. to Canada,
and international calls are as low as .03 cents a minute to
overseas locations such as Paris). But Vonage isn't the only
company who is interested in harnessing the power of VoIP. AT&T
is setting up VoIP calling in several areas of the U.S. and
there are other major VoIP players on the scene as well, such as
Skype, who is relying on viral advertising to get the word out.
Even some regional cable television companies are now offering
VoIP telephone service at deep discounts to their customers.
One of the interesting components about VoIP is that there's not
just one way to make a VoIP call. There are actually three ways
to make a VoIP call:
1) VoIP via ATA: is the most commonly used VoIP method right
now. Using the ATA (analog telephone adaptor), you connect your
regular telephone to your computer or Internet connection. The
ATA is an analog-to-digital converter and it takes the analog
signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and
transmits it over the Internet so you are able to make VoIP
calls. This is how Vonage and AT&T's CallVantage handle VoIP
calls. The ATA is free with their services. And using an ATA for
VoIP is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug the
cable from your phone into the ATA instead of the wall socket,
and you're ready to begin making VoIP calls. Depending on your
computer, where you live, and what type of Internet connection
you have, you may need to also install VoIP software onto your
computer, but this shouldn't be too difficult for most people.
2) VoIP via IP Phones:VoIP phones look just like a standard
telephone. They have a handset, cradles and buttons. But an VoIP
phone uses an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard
RJ-11 phone connectors. VoIP phones connect directly to your
router and all the hardware and software is already built inside
to handle your VoIP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones to be
available in the near future, which will allow you to make VoIP
calls from any Wi-Fi hotspot. This will allow you to take your
VoIP phone with you when you travel, and stop in at any Internet
café, hotel or other location where you can use your Wi-Fi
laptop, and you can use VoIP technology to "phone home" from
anyplace in the world.
3) VoIP via Computer-to-Computer:This is arguably the easiest
way to use VoIP. There are no fees for long distance calls and
there are several companies offering free or low-cost software
right now for you to make use of VoIP technology. All you need
is the software, a microphone, speakers, a sound card and a
broadband or cable DSL Internet connection, and you can start
using VoIP service right away. Except for your normal monthly
ISP fee, there is no charge for any computer-to-computer VoIP
call, no matter how far away they are. www.skype.com is one such
VoIP service. Chances are, you've already been using the VoIP
technology without even being aware of it, any time you've made
a long distance telephone call recently. Many of the major phone
companies are already using VoIP technology to reduce their own
bandwidth. It's a simple matter of routing thousands of phone
calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. Once
received on the other side of the gateway, the VoIP calls are
decompressed, reassembled and routed back to a local circuit
switch.
VoIP telephony is the wave of the future.
VoIP technology makes sense in terms of ROI, from both an
economic and infrastructure point of view. It may take some
time, but eventually all of the current circuit-switched
networks that are in use today will be replaced by
packet-switching VoIP technology. More and more businesses are
already installing VoIP systems, and as VoIP technology makes
its way into our everyday language, our lives, and our homes, it
will continue to grow in popularity. According to Forrester
Research, nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone
service by the end of 2006. The two biggest advantages of VoIP
for home users are price and flexibility. Currently, most VoIP
providers offer calling plans similar to that of cell-phone
companies, which are commonly called "minute-rate"
plans, for as
little as $30 a month. And as with cell-phone plans, you can
also get unlimited plans for around $79 a month.
With the elimination of long-distances charges, unregulated
charges, and all the freebies that come standard with VoIP
service, it can actually amount to a significant savings for
you. For example, you may be paying extra for features like:
· Call waiting · Three way calling · Call forwarding · Caller
I.D. · Repeat dial · Last call return with VoIP
These services come standard. Plus there are some advanced
features that make VoIP something worth looking into. With some
VoIP carriers, you can set up call-filtering options and
actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers
are handled. For example, you can:
· Forward the call to a particular number · Send the call
directly to voicemail · Give the caller a busy signal · Play a
"not in service" message with most VoIP services.
You can also check your voice mail on the Internet, or attach
messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or
handheld. (By the way, if you're interested in any of these
features, not all VoIP companies are created equal, so do a
little shopping around first, because VoIP prices and services
do vary).
The second benefit that makes VoIP so attractive for home and
small business users is flexibility. With VoIP you can make a
call anywhere you can get broadband connectivity. Since the VoIP
phones or ATAs broadcast information over the Internet, they can
be administered by any provider. For business travelers, this
means they can take their VoIP phone or ATA with them on the
road and never miss a home phone call.
VoIP FAQ:
How does VoIP / Internet Phone Work?
VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a
digital signal that travels over the Internet. If you are
calling a regular phone number, the signal is then converted
back at the other end. VoIP can allow you to make a call
directly from a computer. If you make a VoIP call using a phone
with an adaptor, you'll be able to dial just as you always have,
and the service provider may also provide a dial tone. If your
service assigns you a regular phone number, then a person can
call you from his or her regular phone without using special
equipment.
Does My Computer Have to be Turned On for VoIP to work?
Not if you are making VoIP calls with a phone and adaptor or
special VoIP internet phone, however your broadband Internet
connection needs to be active. You can also use your computer
while talking on the phone.
Is There a Difference Between Making a Local Call and a Long
Distance Call?
Some VoIP providers offer their local service for free, normally
only charging for calls to non- subscribers to the VoIP service.
Some VoIP internet telephony providers charge for long distance
calls to numbers outside your calling area, similar to existing,
traditional wireline telephone service. Other VoIP providers
permit you to call anywhere at a flat rate for a fixed number of
minutes. Your VoIP internet telephony provider may permit you to
select an area code different from the area in which you live.
This means that if your VoIP provider charges for long distance,
then charges could be based on whether you call within your area
code rather than geographic area. It also means that people who
call you may incur long distance charges depending on their area
code and service.
Can I Take My internet Phone Adapter with me when I Travel in
order to use VoIP?
You may be able to use your VoIP service wherever you travel as
long as you have a broadband Internet connection available. In
that case VoIP service would work the same as in your home.
How Do I Know If I have a VoIP Phone Call?
The phone will ring like any other call.
Additional Considerations for VoIP service:
If you're considering replacing your traditional telephone
service with VoIP, there are some possible considerations you
should be aware of: Some VoIP services will not work during
power outages and the VoIP service provider may not offer backup
power. It may also be difficult for some VoIP services to
seamlessly connect with the 911 emergency dispatch center or to
identify the location of VoIP 911 callers. In May 2005, the FCC
ordered providers of Internet-based phone calls to certify that
their customers will be able to reach an emergency dispatcher
when they call 911. Dispatchers also must be able to identify
the caller's phone number and location. You can review
additional information about VoIP and 911 considerations at
www.911voip.org VoIP providers may or may not offer directory
assistance/white page listings. Aspects of these considerations
may change with new development in Internet Voice technology.
You should always check with the potential VoIP service provider
to confirm any advantages and limitations to the VoIP service
they offer.
About the author:
To provide reliable VOIP
information, David Dunlap has created a comprehensive resouce
directory at http://voipservicepro.com where all of your VOIP
questions can be answered.
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