VoIP

Contents 1 What is VoIP? 2 How VoIP works 3 VoIP and web hosting 4 Advantages of VoIP 5 Disadvantages of VoIP

What is VoIP?

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the use of IP instead of phone lines to transmit voice communications (phone conversations). Other names for VoIP include Voice over IP, Internet phone service, digital voice, and broadband phone. When IP for data networking became successful, VoIP followed and has become popular because of the cost savings compared to using phone lines for telephone calls. A popular example of VoIP technology is Skype.

Some telecommunications providers offer VoIP phone plans with unlimited long-distance calling within the country and sometimes to other countries as well for a flat monthly rate. Many consumers have switched to VoIP phones for home and business use.

How VoIP works

With VoIP, analog phone signals are converted into packets of digital data, through either a special VoIP phone or a separate box, and sent over a broadband Internet connection. To use VoIP for phone conversations, users connect to a VoIP network using a VoIP adaptor, a VoIP telephone, or a computer with a softphone installed by using a headset or speakers and a microphone.

VoIP and web hosting

Servers are needed to transmit VoIP, and web hosting providers provide servers. VoIP hosting is one of the emerging technologies in the web hosting industry.

In addition, using VoIP technology to provide phone support is ideal for web hosts whose clients are from different countries. For many web hosts, most of their clients are a long-distance phone call away. VoIP allows technical support providers to be in different locations and provide phone support via calls to and from the company phone support number.

Advantages of VoIP

• The cost savings can be huge for those who often make long-distance phone calls.
• When VoIP is bundled with Internet access, consumers who are already paying for Internet access don't need to pay a phone bill as well.
• Internet-based phone calls aren't charged the taxes that are charged for regular phone services.
• VoIP phones are portable. Users can take their VoIP phones on trips and send and receive calls from the same phone number as long as they have a good Internet connection.
• VoIP technology makes it easy to use voice mail (both stored and sent as an email attachment), caller ID, three-way calling, and call waiting.
• VoIP can transmit more than one phone call over a broadband connection at the same time. A household or office can have numerous VoIP phones and one broadband connection.

Disadvantages of VoIP

• VoIP is dependent on an Internet connection. If your Internet connection is interrupted or you have a power outage, your VoIP phone doesn't work. (It may still receive voice mail.) This disadvantage is lessened when battery-backed power supplies are used, which can provide power for up to several hours in case of a power failure.
• Not all VoIP providers include emergency 911 service. If your VoIP provider does not, dialing 911 from your VoIP phone will not reach emergency service providers.