VoIP: Finally Worth a Look

Writen by Syed Akram

Dear Internet Friends,

Hundreds of thousands of consumers collectively save millions of dollars each month by replacing (or supplementing) their traditional telephone service with personal voice over IP (VoIP) telephony.

Using IP to transmit voice is not new. Large corporations and long distance carriers have used IP to transmit voice on their private networks for years. Likewise, private citizens have used their computers and the Internet to talk with other PC users for a few years now, but in the past users of such solutions have had to contend with poor voice quality and the need for at least one computer to be connected to the Internet.

Widespread adoption of broadband Internet service (cable or DSL) in the last few years though has in turn fueled a surge in the growth of much-improved personal VoIP

Most VoIP service providers offer all-inclusive calling plans that provide you with unlimited local, regional and long distance (within the United States) at flat rates starting as low as $24.95 per month. Some offer usage-based plans at a lower monthly cost and most provide inexpensive per minute rates on international calls as well. In addition, VoIP service providers include a smorgasbord of advanced features such as name and number caller ID, call forwarding, call blocking and voice mail that traditional phone companies sell as premium services.

When you sign up for VoIP service, many service providers give you the option of choosing the area code, and possibly the exchange, for your service. You can select from any area where the VoIP provider has local service.

So what are the drawbacks of a personal VoIP solution? The main drawback is the need for a reliable broadband connection; without one a VoIP solution is probably not for you.

Power outages present another hurdle. Since VoIP requires a live Internet connection, losing electricity means losing your phone service.

The voice quality of your VoIP call is also another consideration. Since the data travels across the Internet, there’s the potential for dropouts or “burbles” similar to what you might experience on a cell phone

Most people we called during our tests were surprised at the quality of the calls, and didn’t realize they were on a VoIP connection until we told them. Keep in mind that the call quality for VoIP providers who don’t manage their IP networks and depend on the Internet for routing will yield varying and sometimes disappointing voice quality and unreliable connections.

Syed Akram was 3 years experience in offline and online marketing. He now actively promoting the new free voip communication technology which improve relationship in internet far more better. His site can be visit at http://www.mdi365.com/futurebiz (Futurebiz’s Free Internet Marketing Tool and Training for Work From Home)

Get a "Virtual Phone Number" - Eliminate Long Distance Charges with VoIP Phone Service

Writen by Allan Ramsay

There’s a revolution brewing in the telephone industry. But it’s not the recent demise of AT&T or the failure of Worldcom. It’s a new, yet proven, technology that lets you talk with friends, family and loved ones over the Internet.

It’s called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or broadband phone, and it lets you use your ordinary home or office telephone to dial and talk to anyone using the Internet as your “channel” of communication. Instead of dialing through the Bell System copper wires, you make calls through your DSL or cable Internet access provider. No microphones or headsets. Just use your existing telephone to talk throughout North America and the world.

This new technology not only saves you 50 to 60 percent on your monthly phone bill. It also provides a host of services the phone company cannot. One of these - a “virtual phone number” — can eliminate long distance charges to friends and family who want to call you. Here’s how it works.

When you order your VoIP phone service you can also order a second phone number in a distant city. For example, if you live in Philadelphia you’re in the 215 area code. And, if you have relatives in Los Angeles, you can order a virtual number in area code 818 (Los Angeles). Then, when a family member in LA wants to call you, they simply dial the 818 phone number, which is a local call for them. Amazingly enough, your phone rings in area 215. Your family gets to talk to you for the cost of a local call: for free.

Virtual numbers are great for kids going away to college. Rick and Patti live in Cleveland and have a son going to college at Kennesaw State University, near Atlanta. They can order a VoIP phone number with the Cleveland area code for the home phone, and get an Atlanta area virtual number. Then, when their son wants to call home, he makes a local Atlanta call and the phone rings at Mom and Dad’s house, 700 miles away.

Of course VoIP phone service also provides toll free numbers - usually at less than two cents per minute - giving you yet another way to make it easy for friends and family to stay in touch.

Get virtual! Join the millions of people jumping on the VoIP bandwagon and start enjoying the rich features and accessibility you can get through broadband phone service.

Allan Ramsay is a 25-year veteran of the I.T. industry and principal at http://www.VoIP-USA.net, providing voice over IP phone service, landline, long distance plans, cellular phones, cellular calling plans, broadband access to the Internet and a host of Internet and telecommunication services to residential, SOHO and small business customers nationwide.

What Is VoIP Security?

Writen by Rupert Laura

Security is an obvious concern when it comes to any sort of technology, but even more so with any technology that is run through the Internet. Because VoIP runs through the Internet any information can be intercepted by anyone at any time. Because many things go through phone line, private information can wind up in the hands of the wrong person. Obviously, nothing is a one hundred percent guarantee because as fast as technology is made to keep information from getting in the wrong hands, the wrong hands are working to figure out how to break through those systems. Luckily, VoIP security is becoming more and more well rounded all the time and soon it’ll be so well done that even the best of the best won’t be back to get their hands on personal information.

One of the ways that most VoIP providers secure their customers personal information is through the tunneling and encryption process. These techniques keep hackers and those will ill intent from capturing information packets as they pass through the internet. Most VoIP providers use Layer 2 tunneling and an encryption method called Secure Sockets Layer or SSL to keep anyone from getting into the information they shouldn’t have. The security of VoIP will undoubtedly change and become more sophisticated as technology allows and consumers demand more security and more privacy. For some time to come VoIP security will remain a huge concern, just because it’s widely known that all information that passes over the internet could potentially fall into the hands of someone with ill intent.

Don’t let VoIP security issues keep you from getting VoIP services. The benefits of VoIP far outweigh the security risks. The bottom line is that you are more at risk every time you get online sending emails and paying bills than you will be every time you use your VoIP services. So, the features and convenience are well worth the small security risk associated with the internet access associated with it!

Laura Rupert is a freelance writer who contributes to The Tech FAQ

Voice Over IP CompaniesWhich One Is Best for Me?

Writen by Jon Arking

VoIP (pronounced “Voip”) is a technology that allows people to communicate with one another by sending digital voice packets across the Internet, rather than across more traditional telecom networks. Not only is this sort of communicative system more productive, allowing more data to be sent over the same lines as those used to send voice data, it’s also much cheaper. For this reason, VoIP has sustained a strong buzz in industry circles lately. As the price of Internet services drop, and the cost of communications becomes increasingly competitive, a number of companies have begun a feverish push to sell VoIP services in homes across America. That means that it’s cheaper than ever to use VoIP services and save some good cash! However, like most new technologies, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of the service.

Most companies, like Vonage, offer comprehensive VoIP systems that completely replace your local phone carrier. These services are cheap, foregoing local phone charges completely, but require some home setup. That means that unless you’re somewhat familiar with home networking, you might have some trouble setting up these systems. Most large companies offer installation services, however the hardware for the VoIP digital signal still resides in the home. Subscribers are responsible for maintaining the network. Other newer services do NOT require home installations. However they do require the user to at least have a local phone carrier such as Verizon or AT&T. These newer services do not require the users to install anything in their homes. Instead, they use local phone lines to connect the user and eventually route their calls to IP networks after the user first incurs local charges. Thus, these services are convenient and require little or no commitment, yet the savings are not as great. As the VoIP market gets hotter, companies are coming up with new ways to maximize both convenience and savings.

A good example of this innovation can be found at JaJah.com. JaJah, a newcomer to the VoIP game, uses an online website to control the source and destination of a VoIP call. Users enter the phone number from which they will be calling, as well as the destination number they wish to call, and the website takes over from there. The user immediately receives a call from the website which, when answered, connects the user to their intended destination number using almost all IP-based network lines. There are other companies like JaJah that people might want to check out before making a VoIP decision. Ultimately, it’s up to you, the user, to decide which service best fits your wallet as well as your lifestyle.

Useful Voice over IP links:

VoIP Review Site - http://www.voipreview.org/
Vonage - http://www.vonage.com/
SunRocket - https://www.sunrocket.com/
Voice Eclipse - http://www.voiceeclipse.com/
iConnectHere - http://www.iconnecthere.com/
EarthLink TrueVoice - http://www.earthlink.net/
JaJah - www.JaJah.com

Jon Arking is a software architect in the greater Philadelphia region. He maintains a website offering free, one-on-one computer and technical support at http://www.JustHelpMe.Net

How Does VoIP Really Work?

Writen by Michael Lemm

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. By using a VoIP phone and VoIP technology you can effectively use the internet to make phone calls. VoIP does this by placing the voice calls on network which encrypts the voice in data packets at one end and encrypts it in voice calls at the other end. In VoIP, encryption and decryption is from a analog signal (i.e. your voice call) into digital signal (data packets) and again into the analog signal.

You can make VOIP calls by a regular phone with VOIP adapter or even from your computer using a simple microphone. VoIP applications can generally be used with a simple microphone and computer speakers, but IP telephones or VoIP boxes can also be used, providing an experience identical to normal telephoning. Many VOIP manufacturers are designing phones which are specially meant to work with this technology, called SIP phone, and now extensively used by growing VoIP users.

In the past year, the quality and reliability of VoIP technology has improved to the point that vast numbers of users have abandoned their standard telephone contracts entirely, in favor of VoIP. Local as well as long distance calling is available for VoIP. Rates and plans can vary from one VoIP service provider to another VoIP service provider.

Advantages of using VOIP

Using VOIP you can effectively cut down your phone bills, since you just pay to your regular internet connection and small fees to your VOIP service provider. Setting up conference calls with VOIP is very easy.

You can even set up your own VoIP network and don’t need any special equipment like PBX etc. You can call to any local telephone, mobile, long distance number or any international number through VoIP phones. More importantly, the person you are calling by using VoIP technology does not need any special equipment; just a regular telephone.

Many additional features like call forwarding, call tracing, reminders, caller ID are readily available in VoIP Phones. You can even assign a local telephone number to your VOIP phone set, and just need a fast internet connection to use your VOIP service anywhere in the world.

VoIP Dilemma

VoIP applications and services require data transfer in real time. During a call an interactive data voice exchange takes place. Unfortunately, TCP/IP is not well suited for this purpose. Sometimes you have to wait for a few seconds, to hear the other side answering. But with recent developments streaming the flow of voice signals has improved. PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone calling quality is still not as sharp as regular PSTN calls. However, with SIP phones and a reliable high speed internet connection there is little or no difference….and sometimes the quality is even better.

SIP Phones

SIP Phones are the phones which are specifically designed to work as VOIP phones. SIP phone can be considered as a network endpoint routing voice via its IP address. This allows a DID (direct inward dialing) number to move with a user. With SIP phones you can use advanced features like voice mail to email etc. Using a SIP phone also closely resembles a regular analog phone in look, feel, function, and ease of use.

FCC and VoIP

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates VOIP Services in the USA. They are in charge to create and promote telecommnuication regulations….such as VOIP services….to benefit consumers. In November, 2004 FCC ruled that individual States do not have the jurisdiction to impose taxes on VoIP services, which made the cost of VOIP services even more attractive in relation to standard PSTN phone services.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications….including Business-VoIP-Solution and DS3-Bandwidth.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, resources, and insights.

VoIP Security - How Secure Are Your Calls?

Writen by Sacha Tarkovsky

The move to Voice over Internet Protocol (or VoIP) has grown in popularity so to have the security issues that surround VoIP systems.

Security issues are now a major concern of companies thinking about changing to a VoIP system.

Vunerability to attack

VoIP is internet based and this creates the problem of being open to all the attacks that are associated with this method of communication.

It opens up the telephone network to attacks from hackers, who could infiltrate and listen to phone conversations and steal confidential data, and Spammers have the opportunity to target a system with denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.

Before making the move to VoIP, companies need to thoroughly acquaint themselves with the security issues surrounding this new technology and plan protection in advance.

VoIP networks are threatened with the same security risks as traditional IP data networks and similar meashures need to be taken to add protection and security.

Protecting a VoIP System,

Companies should adopt a multi layer security strategy to secure their VoIP systems.

This can be done by dividing the network into secure zones adding protection with firewalls and intrusion prevention techniques.

A company should in fact secure the network itself by putting in place layers of security to protect at all levels including:

Telephones, conversations, computers, and servers.

A specific method of authentication (encryption) should be standard as to should control access ( by passwords and firewalls)

Companies should always look to encrypt data sent for confidentiality, and use call software to establish a tracking of calls for all employees, to create accountability of information sent.

Internal Security

A potential breach in security that many companies ignore at their peril is internal traffic flowing over a VoIP system.

It is critical this is addressed and secured as well.

An increasing number of workers use voIP to communicate with company staff from wireless phones or soft phones and this creates a serious potential security problem.

Therefore companies should look to encrypt voIP traffic moving internally over a corporate network to prevent attacks from within the company itself.

The increasing use of desktop-based soft phones to make and receive VOIP-based telephone calls creates a breach in firewall security that of course can be exploited by unscrupulous employees.

The best way to address this problem as we have said, is to restrict access to the network.

In addition, make sure all inbound VOIP traffic that flows through a firewall is routed through a gateway server, thus eliminating a direct connection to the Internet and all the security issues this entails.

Securing a VoIP System.

Many corporate users are discouraged from using VoIP systems as they feel they are not secure however, this is the same as saying it is not safe to use a computer connected to the internet, it can be secured its up to companies and individuals to do so

Securing VoIP systems is like securing any IP network.

Just as you protect your PC with virus software, firewalls etc so to should you protect a VoIP system with similar meashures.

VoIP can and is secure, providing adequate steps are taken.

Security is a network issue as well

Security is not a server issue it’s a network issue and companies can achieve security by placing the above measures in place to make their VoIP system secure just as they do with an IP network.

Further FREE information on voip security cheap and free calls including articles, features and offers please visit our website:

Source: http://www.net-planet.org

Alarm Systems & VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Phone Lines

Writen by Matthew Francis

An astounding and unexpected number of people are dropping their (POTS) plain old telephone system, for the latest trends in phone service, VoIP. According to Frost & Sullivan there were 100,000 VoIP users at the end of 2003. Just halfway through 2004 the number jumped to more than 500,000.

The draw to such a change is most often cost related. Traditional phone companies charge use fees and by the minute charges, coupled with long distance fees. VoIP companies are charging a flat fee somewhere between $15.00 to $30.00 US per month, for unlimited calls to anywhere in the US and Canada.

VoIP works by digitizing voice signals from your phone and sending them over the Internet via your home or business computer. While people are scrambling to make the switch and begin to count the money they are saving, they may not realize that there is a good possibility that they are cutting the link between their alarm system and the monitoring station. Another link that is lost in most cases is traditional 911 services, as VoIP does not capture data for emergency response.

When your alarm goes off due to an attempted break in, is no time to find out that the monitoring response that you have been faithfully paying for is not available for you. The Alarm Company has no way of knowing that you switched services. You should be sending a test signal monthly, to assure yourself that the system is working properly, no matter who you are connected through. Be advised that if you are using VoIP and the signal goes through, it does not mean that it will always be as clear. The volume of traffic on the Internet can and will vary the quality of the digitized signal it sends.

If you find yourself intrigued by this revolution in phone services and are dependent on alarm system dispatch as part of your security plan, you should consider the pitfalls and options.

* If power fails to the premise it is likely that your VoIP will fail also, unless your PC has a backup power source.

* You may not be able to use 911 services.

* Your signal may go through giving you a false sense of security, as it may not work next time.

* You may have already switched to VoIP and not realize that your alarm is not being monitored.

I myself have elected to utilize VoIP to save money on long distance. I also maintain a standard limited use phone line to take care of my security communications, 911 and phone backup should power fail. The (limited use) phone line, cost me less than $15.00 per month and is offset by the savings on my long distance bill.

Cellular communicators are available that will make your alarm call over any available cellular network. The device will have to be purchased for about $200.00 to $500.00, and an additional fee of approximately $10.00 per month is added to your monitoring bill.

Some alarm companies offer radio signal transmitted monitoring services, which do not depend on phone lines of any sort to transmit your alarm signal. The availability of such services is limited and depends where you live.

Alarm companies of all sizes are working with manufactures and providers of VoIP services to find ways to properly integrate Alarm Systems with these phone communications industry changes. I would expect many changes in the near future as this does not seem to be a passing fad. Be on the lookout for information on these changes, so that you can always make an informed decision.

Matthew Francis Alarms@expertsknow.com

22 year veteran of the alarm industry Installer, salesman, licensed alarm company owner, monitoring station designer, promotions and marketing director with one of the worlds largest security dealers. He now works as a consumer advocate, teaching consumers how to buy or get systems for free (without being taken). He is committed to being unbiased.

His web site is http://www.expertsknow.com

Packet8 Review

Writen by Debbie Jacobsen

Packet8 internet phone service is one of the top VoIP service providers in the United States and Canada. They are owned by 8X8, Inc., which is a U.S. company located in Santa Clara, CA. In business since 1987, 8X8 has made a significant contribution to the development and advancement of broadband phone technology.

VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone service made its public debut in 1995, and 8X8 introduced Packet8 broadband phone service for residential use in 2002. In 2004, Packet8 introduced internet phone service for small to medium businesses, and was also the first VoIP provider to deliver video phone service. Using technologies that they have developed and patented themselves, Packet8 has become one of today’s best VoIP providers in terms of service, reliability, and market share. As a Packet8 user for over a year now, I can personally attest to their ongoing commitment to constant improvement and quality service.

Offering unlimited local and long distance service within the US and Canada for $19.95 per month, Packet8 is one of the lowest cost internet phone service providers in the USA. Great features like voicemail, voicemail to email, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, call return, and call blocking are available for free; and this is just a small sampling of the free features they give you! They are continually adding service enhancements and new features, all designed to work seamlessly with the Uniden 1868P whole house phone system as well as their videophone. Enhancements planned for summer 2006 are caller ID with name and a new soft phone service called Packet8 Softalk. A soft phone is a PC-based telephone; most of the larger VoIP carriers are now offering softphone service due to the huge popularity of the service that Skype is now famous for.

Packet 8’s main competitors are Vonage, AT&T CallVantage and VoIP service offered by local cable television providers. At $24.99 per month for Vonage unlimited residential service and $29.99 per month for unlimited local and long distance calling with AT&T, Packet8 is the clear leader when it comes to price. Unlimited internet phone service offered by cable companies is currently averaging around $40 per month, depending on the cable provider (cable companies often refer to VoIP telephony as “digital phone service”). All these VoIP carriers offer similar free features and unlimited local and long distance within the USA and Canada. Vonage now includes free calls to Italy, France, Spain, UK and Ireland in their unlimited plan, which makes Vonage service the better buy if you often call these countries.

Although VoIP usage statistics vary, it is estimated that there are around 48 million internet phone users today. Within the next 5 years the number of people using VoIP is projected to grow to 100 million. Due to the portability of VoIP, the tremendous cost savings vs. traditional telephone “land lines”, and the included features available for free - VoIP is here to stay.

VoIP is so easy to install and use that the hardest thing about broadband phone service is choosing a provider. No matter which VoIP service provider you choose, you can’t go wrong as long as you stick with an established, progressive company that offers excellent customer service and has a reputation for quality. Depending on your needs, Packet8 VoIP service may or may not be the perfect fit for you, but it is definitely worth considering.

To learn more about Packet8 VoIP: Save With 8

Not yet ready for VoIP, but want to save money on phone service? Check out some good long distance alternatives at http://www.long-distance-savings.com.

Tips On How VoIP Internet Phone Calls Can Save You Money

Writen by Steadman Issenburg

One of the emerging communications technologies that is constantly improving and gaining in popularity with consumers is VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol. This technology essentially allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet using either your own telephone or your computer without the use of a local telephone company.

Perhaps one of the most important benefits of VoIP telephone calling is its low cost, often saving consumers anywhere from $30 - $50 a month or more on their telephone bill. Most unlimited calling plans start somewhere around $25 a month, and they allow you to call anyone in the country whenever you like, for as long as you like. If you really want to economize even further, you can also get VoIP calling plans that have a limited number of minutes for as little as $15 or $20 a month.

Obviously, if you do a lot of long-distance telephone calling, this can add up to some serious savings over the course of a year. And if you happen to make very many international calls, you’ll also find significant savings in this area as well. Although international calls are not usually covered by the unlimited calling plans, the per minute rates that are charged by most VoIP providers are extremely reasonable, as low as even $.10 to $.15 a minute. And if you shop carefully enough, you can even find some providers that offer unlimited calling internationally only among their own subscribers. This could be very useful for family members who happen to live in different countries.

Another way that VoIP technology can save you money is if you happen to travel a lot. Frequent travelers can take their VoIP adapter with them on the trip and connect it to a high-speed internet terminal, allowing them to place telephone calls from their VoIP number no matter where they may be located. This can often save quite a bit of money over having to place long-distance calls from hotels or public telephones, and it can save precious minutes on your cell phone bill.

One other way that you can save money by using VoiP technology for internet telephone calls is that most VoIP providers bundle services such as voice mail, three-way calling, and so on, in with your regular VoIP plan at no extra charge. Quite often, you’ll have to pay extra to get these kind of features when using a land line telephone company instead.

Finally, an added benefit of a VoIP service plan is that it is usually free of most of the taxes and regulatory fees that often accompany your monthly bill from a telephone company. Of course, that may change in the future, but for now it is savings that can be realized.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways that you can save money using VoIP technology to make internet telephone calls.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including communication. You can find att voip and computer telephony software and more by visiting our communication website.

Broadband Phone Service is Not VoIP

Writen by Daymon Hoag

Ever come across a site that claims broadband phone is also known as VoIP or vise verse? Or a web page that explains PC-to-phone is VoIP? How about Internet phone service? VoIP right? Wrong! VoIP is neither broadband phone, PC-to-phone or Internet phone service. It’s time to set the record straight once and for all.

VoIP is an abbreviation for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP is a technology that makes such things as broadband phone service, PC-to-phone, and Internet phone service possible by using the Internet to send and receive phone calls. The technology is VoIP while the means are broadband phone or PC-to-phone and the like.

So now we know what broadband phone isn’t, I suppose this would be a good place to explain what it is, exactly. Broadband phone service as discussed before, uses VoIP technology to send and receive phone calls using your regular everyday household touch tone corded or wireless telephone.

Technically broadband phone service doesn’t even need your computer to work, you just need a broadband Internet connection, and both DSL or cable broadband will work. You’ll also need a broadband telephone adaptor to plug your phone line into instead of the usual wall jack. Pretty simple huh?

What broadband phone service allows you to do is bypass your telephone company, and connect your call directly to the same grid your phone company uses. Can you guess what that is? Right, the Internet. All this time your phone company has charged you just to connect your call to the Internet! What a rip off, right?

Now just wait, it gets better. So far Uncle Sam and the telcos have not been able to tax or collect on sir charges as had been the case for many years with your landline phone company. Right now additional charges are very minimal. Did you know that taxes and hidden fee’s can make up as much as 20% of your landline phone bill?

Now on to PC-to-phone service. PC-to-phone works in much the same way broadband phone works, but without an adapter. Instead you just need a headset or speakers and microphone and PC-to-phone software installed on your computer. You can use PC-to-phone to call someones phone from your computer, and sometimes people can even call your computer.

Now before you get excited, PC-to-phone is not free. The cent per minute rates are low for long distance, but you normally get charged the same amount for a local call. Whats worse, PC-to-phone services actually do no service for you at all. It uses the software that you downloaded and host on your computer to track your calls, and doesn’t cost them a penny when you make a call. You’re just paying for the software over, and over, and over again.

Internet phone service is just a vague term for broadband and PC-to-phone type services. So now that you know what VoIP is not, and what broadband phone service and PC-to-phone is, why are you still using that landline phone? Broadband phone service is without any doubt the cheapest phone service on the planet and is the best way to take advantage of VoIP technology. Not to mention, it finally gives you a way to “stick it” to your phone company.

Daymon Hoag is founder of Cheapest Service and provisioner of quality Broadband Phone Service