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Introducing VoIP
Are you tired of the high fees you pay your telephone company?
VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, offers an inexpensive
alternative to traditional telephones. By using your broad band
internet connection, VoIP helps you save money, especially...
Take advantage of internet phone calls (VOIP)
Voice Over IP (VOIP) is a relatively new technology. Voice Over IP allows people to leave behind the old and very traditional analogue phone networks and now adapt in favor of the very new and very progressive Internet-based calling system...
Things You Should Consider When Selecting a VoIP Provider
Monthly costs: A VoIP provider can save you upto 75% on your telephone/long distance expenses. There are many VoIP providers out there so it will benefit you from shopping around. Unlimited calling packages can range from $19.95/month to as...
VoIP Communications Set Up Demo With Circuit City's
 1-866-904-VoIP 893 Highway 138 W Suites 10 Stockbridge, GA 30281 December 9, 2004 Circuit City Store ATTN: General Manager/Mr. Will Hughes 1906 Mt Zion Road Morrow, GA 30360 Dear Mr. Will Hughes: Per request by Mrs. Sara, at the Circuit...
VoIP Technology For The Little Guy....With Worldwide Origination
Not everyone in the world has sufficient internet access capability to take advantage of the benefits from VoIP. Shoot....most folks are lucky to have 1 phone line for that matter. This dose of reality kinda puts the dampers on the "VoIP will take...
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VoIP - A Layman's Look - Should You or Shouldn't You?
So what's all this VoIP hype anyway? I mean we all know that our
voice can be delivered to the four corners of the globe over
telephone lines. (Actually, I missed that part of second grade
math where they taught us that a ball has corners, but everybody
says it, so I'll accept it). Alex G. Bell, the second most
famous resident of Brantford, Ontario, right after Wayne Gretzky
of course, led us down the voice transmission path.
We're also fully aware of the Internet. Otherwise where would we
get our sports scores, weather reports, horoscopes, and
genealogy fixes. So why do we care about the real-time
transmission of our voice, in telephone quality, using Internet
protocol (VoIP)?
Presumably the whole concept was created to deliver some benefit
to us techno-ignorant dwellers of the house of the masses. As
business people we manufacture shin pads, or we distribute cat
food, or we evangelize, but should we be considering VoIP? Will
it make us money, or save us time? Will it make us more
efficient as a Manufacturer, Distributor, or Evangelist? If the
answer to those questions is no, then we shouldn't even think
about it. So let's explore those questions. After all, it's all
about results.
Geoffrey Moore introduced the concept that a product must cross
the chasm of market acceptance in the 'Technology Adoption Life
Cycle' in his book Crossing the Chasm. In his next book, Inside
the Tornado, Moore talks about the tornado of market acceptance
that lies like a siren beyond the chasm. It appears that VoIP is
clawing up the far wall of the chasm, but we don't know for sure
whether it will find that toe hold to crawl out, and catch the
swirling tornado winds of fortune. All indicators are that it's
going to happen. Dorothy and the Tin Man are holding their
breath.
Perhaps the most significant indicator is that the
'business-prevention specialists', a title I usually reserve for
lawyers, but in this case is applied affectionately to the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian
Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), have
begun the task of investigating what should be regulated in the
world of VoIP. The FCC has already delivered a ruling on a VoIP
product offered by AT&T. That fact in itself should make us all
take notice that there must be something good coming, or they
wouldn't be showing up at the dance to make sure the band isn't
too loud.
Larry Stocker, of Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants in
Kansas City says, "if my clients' interest in VoIP is any
indicator, then I think there will be a big increase in the
provision of the service. We have quadrupled our number of
assignments in the last six months alone, for clients that wish
to select the right VoIP service, at the right price, from the
right supplier. That seems to be a good indicator of market
acceptance."
Another good indicator would be the number of suppliers,
including the tier-one Telco's that have entered the fray to
provide VoIP in their own particular flavor. That fact should
cause us pause. It should cause us to challenge the original
premise that 'talking over the Internet will be free', and that
there will be no long distance cost any more. If that were the
case, would all of these big companies - the renowned leaders in
the telecom world - be scrambling to get to market to provide
the service? Maybe it's just their way of giving back to
society. I'm more inclined to think there are huge profits at
stake.
And now you say, 'but I've already got the Internet, why isn't
it free'. Well first of all, you'll need some kind of device
that delivers 'telephone quality' over the Internet. Remember, I
said 'real time'. Those $20 microphones just don't do it. In
addition, have you ever tried to put someone on hold on the
Internet, or call forward, or take a voice message - you know,
the things
that businesses do everyday.
Presumably that's what all these suppliers are running the relay
for - to sell you that 'stuff' at the end of the race. Whether
they sell it to you outright, or whether you rent it from them
for a monthly service fee isn't the point. The point is that
there is a cost to get access, as well as proper business
applications. Included in the cost, which will be recovered
through charges to you, are signaling, routing, protocol, and
interface technologies. Oops, that's not layman's talk.
In addition to the access 'stuff' as a layman would say, there
has to be access to the Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN), or I would never be able to call my mother. VoIP calls
have to terminate on everyday telephone sets because I'm pretty
sure my mom doesn't have a VoIP set up at her house. She doesn't
have a bankcard, won't stay in a hotel that doesn't have 'real
keys', and still loves her dial phone (definitely in Moore's
technology buying group called Skeptics or Laggards). There is
no way I'll be talking to her over her Internet connection - she
doesn't have one, and never will. So this VoIP thing will have
to access the normal phone system. That's where the FCC and CRTC
step in. Their position is that if the PSTN will be accessed,
then access fees will have to be paid by the providers. And up
goes the cost.
In his book, Implementing Voice Over IP, Bhumip Khasnabish, says
"The goals of VoIP implementation are to achieve (a) significant
savings in network maintenance and operations costs and (b)
rapid rollout of new services."
O.K., so it's not free but there should be 'significant savings'
if that holds true. Assuming those savings will be passed on, it
should make me more money through cost reduction. Presumably
these 'new services' will be designed to save me time, make me
more efficient, or provide easier access to my target markets.
Just think if one step can be eliminated in the manufacture of
shin pads, if distribution channels for cat food are more
streamlined, or the Evangelist can find more heathens to
convert.
Bill Webster, another Schooley Mitchell consultant in Calgary,
Alberta says, "the key is to assess the reliability and quality
of service. If the quality is what you need, and by the way,
it's improving every day, then a cost-benefit analysis is
required comparing your current access to VoIP. Often times VoIP
is the winner. As new services with VoIP become available over
time, that win will be even more evident for the regular
business person."
So there you have it. Should you or shouldn't you, as the title
queries? It seems that the answer is akin to; should I or
shouldn't I, when Alexander Graham introduced the telephone
concept in the first place. I'm pretty sure that everyone, at
least those that are alive today, eventually got one. Bell had
to deal with laggards too.
It seems that this is the way the market will develop if the
supply and regulatory indicators hold true. VoIP is not out of
the chasm yet, but when this many suppliers enter the arena,
then functionality is driven up to deliver the 'better mouse
trap', price is driven down through competitive alternatives,
reliability (the bugs are worked out) is driven up by the same
forces, and you have emergence.
It seems that if you take Webster's advice and prepare the
proper cost-benefit analysis, you're likely going to be getting
your kite ready for the VoIP tornado.
About the author:
Dennis Schooley is the Founder of Schooley Mitchell Telecom
Consultants, a Professional Services Franchise Company. He
writes for publication, as well as for
schooleymitchell.blogging.com and franchises.blogging.com, in
the subject areas of Franchising, and Technology for the Layman.
http://www.schooleymitchell.com, 888-311-6477,
dschooley@schooleymitchell.com.
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| Voice over IP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| Encyclopedia article with background information, technical details, and the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP. |
| en.wikipedia.org |
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| Voice-Over-Internet Protocol |
| An overview of VoIP from the Federal Communications Commission. With news, FAQs, factsheets, and findings. |
| www.fcc.gov |
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| voip-info.org - voip-info.org |
| A wiki that covers VoIP software, hardware, service providers, reviews, configurations, and standards. |
| www.voip-info.org |
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| Howstuffworks "How VoIP Works" |
| Voice over Internet Protocol lets you make free long-distance phone calls using your computer. It’s essentially a phone network that uses the Internet ... |
| www.howstuffworks.com |
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| VOIP.ORG.UK - The UK resource for IP telephony |
| UK resource with the emphasis on small businesses and home users. Includes news, reviews, and forums. |
| www.voip.org.uk |
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| Packet8: VoIP Internet Phone Service Provider and Voice Over IP ... |
| Packet8 offers VoIP Internet Phone Service and Voice Over IP Telephony phone systems. |
| www.packet8.net |
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| Voip |
| 1-800-TRY-VOIP; Voip.com: do more, pay less. Use a broadband connection and your voip.com adapter to make and receive calls using a regular phone. |
| www.voip.com |
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| Vonage - Leading the Internet Phone Revolution |
| Use your high-speed Internet connection to make all of your phone calls with Vonage digital phone service. Plans start at $14.99 per month. |
| www.vonage.com |
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| VoipBuster - The Free* Calls Company |
| Free* phone calls with the VoipBuster. Call your online friends for free as well as a special selection of popular international destinations. |
| www.voipbuster.com |
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| The VoIP Weblog |
| OK, VoIP customers, the $24.99 a month party is just about over. ... The issue definitely kept me from switching to a VoIP service for over a year because I ... |
| voip.weblogsinc.com |
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| IVR Platforms / IVR Hosting / IVR Development |
| Get to market quickly with our A to Z VoIP platforms and services >> ... Our IVR and VOIP hosting, turnkey platforms, and developer services - powered by ... |
| www.voxeo.com |
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| VoIP |
| Connecting a business to a VoIP network doesn’t require a big, expensive integration overhaul. Quintum’s VoIP access solutions are designed with “integrated ... |
| www.tmcnet.com |
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| VoIP - Internet Telephony |
| voip, Internet Telephony Magazine. ... Internet Telephony is the leading VoIP magazine in the world covering all topics VoIP. ... |
| www.tmcnet.com |
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| Convergence & VoIP - Network World |
| The Convergence & VoIP research center is your source for the latest convergence and VoIP news, analysis and research links from Network World. |
| www.networkworld.com |
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| VoIP News - Enterprise, Carrier, Small Business VoIP Information |
| VoIP news, trends, experts, product reviews. Carrier and enterprise-class voice over ip. |
| www.voip-news.com |
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| O'Reilly Network -- What Is VoIP |
| Ted Wallingford looks at why the VoIP technology, the key ingredient in Vonage, Skype, Cisco CallManager, and a host of other technology products, ... |
| www.oreillynet.com |
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| What is VoIP? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer ... |
| This page describes the term VoIP and lists other pages on the Web where you can find additional information. |
| www.webopedia.com |
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| Access >> VoIP | CNET News.com |
| EarthLink expands VoIP service. Eight more cities will get access to Net phone service that requires no ... Verizon sues Vonage for VoIP patent infringement ... |
| news.com.com |
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| Pages tagged with "voip" on del.icio.us |
| All items tagged voip ??? view popular ... SunRocket Internet Phone Service · save this. by dbrogdon to VOIP ... saved by 18 other people ... 3 hours ago ... |
| del.icio.us |
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| VoIP (Voice Over IP) Solutions - AudioCodes |
| VoIP, VoP Chip Processors and Voice over IP packets solutions developed by AudioCodes, leaders in the VoIP market for VoIP equipment and VoIP technology. |
| www.audiocodes.com |
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