Communications and Voip

Free VoIP Or Paid VoIP - Which One Is Better

2006-12-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

Paid VoIP plans start at around $20 a month which comes to about $250 a year. So why pay for it if you can get it for free? But before I delve into that let me notice that even with the free VoIP to landline or cell phone offers – there are often small long distance charges with common exceptions often dealing with free promotional offers.

There are certain features that the paid VoIP provider might provide which a free one might not. One such feature is the 911 emergency call service functionality. This particular issue has to do with the difficulty of pinpointing a geographical location of a call that is being routed through the Internet. FCC has regulated in 2005 that all VoIP providers hooking up to PSTN network are required to comply with providing full 911 call compatibility or otherwise not to obtain new customers in areas where it is mandatory.

Sometimes there is also raised a question of a voice transmission quality difference between the two types of VoIP although in my personal experience that has not been an issue.

Next there is the local phone number availability. Some free VoIP providers offer it as an add-on paid feature. The same may apply to extras like caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding and voice mail. Others allow you even to have more then one local number and in remote geographical locations.

If you are a business VoIP user the ability to send faxes over VoIP might be important to you as well. Or if you are using VoIP for conference calling with large number of simultaneous participants then it is definitely something to find out – how far will your VoIP provider be able to accommodate you with that.

The final answer to which type of VoIP is better will depend on whether you need these extra features. Also many paid VoIP providers have sign up specials offering either free VoIP phone sets and/or interface boxes for regular corded or cordless phones . So if you are planning on using regular phone sets for dialing up to VoIP network that might be then also something to consider.

And if you are not depending on free long distance VoIP to PSTN offers from the free VoIP providers then the amount of time you spend on the phone can also be a factor in deciding which type of VoIP is best suite to your needs.

Ten Tips For Making Internet Phone Calls (Voip)

2006-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

More than 1.8 million people are currently taking advantage of the benefits of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in the UK (Ofcom, 2006). With around three million PC to PC VoIP users predicted by the end of 2007, another million using the new technology to call traditional landlines, and businesses starting to get in on the action, we looked at why internet phone calls are proving so popular.

1. What is it and how does it work?

In its simplest sense, VoIP means using the internet to make phone calls. By taking ordinary analogue signals and turning them into digital signals, it allows you to ring people using your broadband connection. VoIP manifests itself in a number of ways:

A headphone and microphone headset via an interface like MSN Messenger between two computers. Calls made in this way are completely free.
A headset plugged into a PC to connect to someone else who is using a normal landline or mobile.
A VoIP phone or adaptor that plugs into an old phone to make calls in the same way as a landline.

2. Will I get my own number?

Yes. You can get any phone number that you want – so you can get a traditional geographical number for the city that you live in. Then other people can ring you on your VoIP line.

3. What equipment will I need?

If you’re going for option one or two, all you need is a headset and microphone that you plug into the back of your computer (the pink and the green jacks either at the back or the front of your PC).

This costs from around £5 upwards. Check out Amazon.

You will also need to download an instant messenger. Try Skype, Google Talk, MSN Messenger or Yahoo. Then you (and your friends) need to sign up and get an account. Simply add each other to your contact lists, request a “voice conversation” and you’re ready to chat. But don’t forget to make sure you have plugged your headset in.

If you’re more comfortable using a traditional handheld phone, you will need to buy a VoIP phone or adaptor. VoIP phones look and behave exactly like normal phones, and both the phone and the adaptor allow you to make calls as you always did.

BT and Orange, now offer VoIP as part of their broadband packages, making the whole process much easier.

If not, VoIP phones start from around £10, and adaptors from around £20 from Amazon.

4. What will VoIP cost me?

Once you have bought your headset or phone, you have to decide which pricing option is best for you.

Vonage offer an anytime calls package with inclusive UK minutes and international calls starting from 0.02p a minute for £7.99 a month. There is an activation fee of £9.99 but they do give you a free adaptor for your home phone.
BT offer an anytime plan from £4.99 a month for BT Broadband customers. Calls to international landlines are charged from 1.25p per minute (with a 3p set up charge). Mobile phone call charges vary from 5p a minute at weekends up to 13p a minute at peak times.
Orange offer VoIP with their Broadband Unlimited package (£19.99 a month). To make calls you just plug your normal phone into your Orange Livebox modem, and it works even when your computer is off. Calls to 01 and 02 national numbers are free, calls to UK mobiles are 10p a minute and calls to 100 international destinations are free too. If you are also a pay monthly Orange customer, calls to other Orange mobile phones are free too.

But VoIP can also be completely free. If you know what time your friends will be online you can make your calls PC to PC and you won’t have to pay a penny.

5. How does it compare to using a standard landline for cost?

The fact that 70 per cent of UK households rely on a landline that costs around £11 a month for their broadband (Ofcom, 2006), does cause some problems for specialist VoIP companies like Vonage as you don’t want to be paying two line rental costs.

Also, the fixed line telecoms business has become very competitive, so a great as it sounds, it’s also a good idea to check the fixed line market before committing to a VoIP line. Click here (link to www.homephonechoices.co.uk) to compare fixed line prices.

6. Reliability and quality issues

Despite Ofcom estimates of the number of active VoIP households, actual user volumes are difficult to track; early users suffered with poor quality connections, echoes and delays. The quality of your call can also be affected by your bandwidth, so if you have an ADSL line with a contention ratio of 50:1, your connection might not be as good during peak times.

But while these issues have improved, your broadband still needs to be switched on to make calls, increasing both your electricity bill and the chance of your network being infiltrated. In addition, you will have difficulty making calls any time you’re experiencing broadband connection problems.

7. VoIP in an emergency

Because you need electricity to make VoIP calls, since your broadband connection must be on, and, because you cannot ring emergency services from all VoIP networks, the chances are that you will still need a normal phone in an emergency.

Even if you are able to call emergency services, Ofcom still recommends that you check with your provider to see whether or not they will automatically know where you are calling from. Click here to see if you can ring 999 from your VoIP provider.

8. Call features

If the last two paragraphs have put you off, VoIP has some great call features that make up for its early teething problems.

Apart from the obvious cash savings, you can also make easy three-way calls – great if you have friends in different parts of the world.

A host of other features include online message centres for retrieving messages, a facility that allows you to send voicemails via email and the excellent benefit of being able to take your landline wherever you go. With VoIP you can make free and very cheap calls from any PC, any time you have access to a broadband connection – even from your mobile if you have a Smart Phone.

9. Should I bin my landline?

Unfortunately, most of you can’t since you still need your traditional line for your broadband. However, if you have cable, it’s worth comparing the cost of the calls you make against the costs of a VoIP provider.

Even if you can’t get rid of your landline, using VoIP for PC to PC calls is also a great way of getting a second landline without paying for another line rental at £11 a month.

In the USA, where you can purchase a pure broadband connection without a phone line or having to pay line rental (known as a naked DSL), VoIP is a much better option. At the moment though, Ofcom has decided that it is up to service providers to decide if, and when, they will offer naked DSL in the UK without a cable connection.

10. The future

BT is now offering a VoIP cross-over phone. This “intelligent” mobile phone uses the mobile network when you’re outside, and then switches to your VoIP connection when inside your house, allowing you to make calls from 5.5p for an hour. Orange should also be offering something similar soon.

To Switch or Not to Switch: Is VoIP Right For Your Business?

2006-12-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

VoIP. It’s the four-letter word you’ve heard of, read about, and may have overlooked — until now. As VoIP’s consumer popularity hit an all-time high in 2006 — reaching more than 7 million subscribers in the United States alone — businesses of all sizes were forced to sit up and take notice. With possible cost savings of up to 40 percent, and the business VoIP industry projected to double by 2010, VoIP is one four-letter word that small and medium-sized business owners can no longer ignore.

How Does VoIP Work?

What exactly is VoIP and how do you know if it’s right for your business? VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, allows callers to place phone calls from almost anywhere using a broadband Internet connection. As the acronym implies, VoIP works by transferring voice signals over Internet lines and public/private data networks, rather than traditional analog phone lines.

VoIP calls are placed using ordinary telephones, computers, or special VoIP phones, depending on the service provider and personal preference. VoIP users place calls in the same way they always have, simply by picking up the phone and dialing a number. Those with computer-based service place calls by using a headset or a computer microphone.

VoIP users can place local, long distance, and international calls to any phone number in the world, whether it’s a land-line, cell phone, or another VoIP user. Like traditional phone service, the only difference in placing a local call and an international call is cost.

Business VoIP Users Enjoy Cost Savings, Increased Flexibility

Today, most business owners switch to business VoIP for two primary reasons – significant cost savings and increased productivity. Typical business VoIP telephone system plans offer a low, flat monthly rate for local and long-distance calling. And, international calls typically cost just pennies per minute. The result: lower phone bills.

Beyond the bottom line, another feature that appeals to small and medium-sized business owners is the flexibility of business VoIP telephone services. As companies grow and change, business VoIP offers the ability to easily scale their phone system up or down. Companies that are planning to move offices or add users find business VoIP phone systems to be an effective solution, especially those with multiple employees in different locations.

Of course, one of the primary motivations to switch is the ability to eliminate the hidden fees and complex billing of traditional phone companies and gain more control over the phone system.

Calling Features Make Users More Productive

Many business VoIP telephone plans provide features such as three-way calling, voice mail and caller ID, at no additional charge. However, additional VoIP-specific features actually make employees more productive. According to a study conducted by Sage Research, VoIP features save employees an average of up to three hours per week.

These features include: 1) integration of voice mail and faxes with your e-mail system, 2) remote office features that allow satellite offices to function as part of the main office, 3) auto-attendant systems, and 4) call routing to employees regardless of location.

Even with these benefits, VoIP isn’t right for every business. For instance, voice quality can vary depending on the Internet connection. If your business uses a dial-up Internet connection, VoIP is probably not for you.

Because some firewall ports must be open in order to allow voice data transmission, another common issue is network security fears. The reality: it is often easier to tap in to a physical phone line than a digital line. And, listening in on VoIP transmissions is nearly impossible if the proper network security precautions are taken.

How to Make the Switch

Switching to business VoIP has never been easier. More provider options are available today than ever before, and cost of service and equipment is falling. Of course, savvy business owners must do their homework to find the right service, features, and provider.

To help find information and help make the decision, business owners can use comparison resources like http://www.VoipReview.org, a shopping and comparison source for residential and business VoIP phone service, for information about plans, features, and prices. The site even allows users to purchase VoIP service directly from providers after finding their provider of choice.

To determine how VoIP-ready your company is today, visit our site to test your Internet connection and determine how many phone lines your connection can support.

As it quickly becomes the modern standard in business, there’s no question that VoIP is the future of phoning. The only question is: when will your company join the revolution?

Cutting Costs With VoIP

2006-12-15T13:08:00.000-08:00

Communications/VOIP

Companies can benefit from implementing Voice over IP (VoIP) in their call centers, more so if they do it through a service provider, says Tim Wyatt- Gunning, joint CEO of Storm. He says cost savings on voice calls using VoIP range from up to 40% on international calls to countries such as Europe and the US, and up to 70% to destinations such as Japan and China, compared to using Telkoms telecommunications infrastructure.

Keeping Prices Down
We are able to keep our prices on an even keel by negotiating good bandwidth rates in the competitive international carrier market, and there are plenty of alternative routes. He says the company has been able to reduce its VoIP rates by 30% over the past 18 months by negotiating better rates with international carriers. About 10% of outbound calls from call centers are international, 50% to cell phones, 20% national and the balance are local within 50km.

Huge Call Center Savings
Call centers can save an average of 40% on calls to cellphones with VoIP arid 10% to 25% on national calls, depending on the destination and call volumes. A VoIP service can reduce the cost of calls to 0860 numbers by 25% against the average rate, he says.

If a company handles its own VoIP communication, it would need costly equipment and bandwidth infrastructure, and build direct relationships with overseas carriers. It could cost R1m to set up the infrastructure for a 20-seat call centre, but now a company can rent the functionality and access it over an IP network. This is a good low-risk option for in-house and outsourced call centre operations, and will allow them to focus on lie business instead of managing and maintaining technology infrastructure.