I've posted an article titled "Evaluation Criteria for Selecting Your Business VoIP Solution" to Ezine Articles. You can read it by going here: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Neil_Abramson.
I've included evaluation criteria that includes: voice quality, pricing, feature richness, billing, setting up trials, and network integration (for business and SOHO evaluations).
Please let me know if you have any questions on this. I'll writing articles on other VoIP topics, including why faxes can sometimes be a challenge for VoIP. I'll add a section to this blog on that topic in the near future.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Types of VoIP
In my experience, there are several types of VoIP services and several categories of VoIP that can be discussed.
The original type of VoIP was basically what I call "computer to computer". In the early days of VoIP, this rudimentary service was primarily pursued by hobbyists. It required special software that got loaded onto their computers, along with a separate microphone (which were generally not built into computers/laptops as they are now) for talking and headsets for hearing. The quality was very iffy and many times the connections were dropped.
True VoIP is what is known as IP Telephony and can be computer to landline phone, landline phone to computer or landline phone to landline phone. This is the type that businesses take advantage of decrease their telecommunications costs. The quality is much better and equals most traditional phone company service. Reliability is much better than the early hobbyist versions and is now considered as a basic phone line replacement service.
The original type of VoIP was basically what I call "computer to computer". In the early days of VoIP, this rudimentary service was primarily pursued by hobbyists. It required special software that got loaded onto their computers, along with a separate microphone (which were generally not built into computers/laptops as they are now) for talking and headsets for hearing. The quality was very iffy and many times the connections were dropped.
True VoIP is what is known as IP Telephony and can be computer to landline phone, landline phone to computer or landline phone to landline phone. This is the type that businesses take advantage of decrease their telecommunications costs. The quality is much better and equals most traditional phone company service. Reliability is much better than the early hobbyist versions and is now considered as a basic phone line replacement service.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Why Switch to VoIP?
VoIP is sweeping across many companies in North America and Europe. The reason for the switch is naturally money savings but how can the average consumer benefit from VoIP and more importantly what is it?
VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is the technology that allows for the routing of phone calls over the internet. To the average consumer what this amounts to is the ability to make free calls over broadband connections while retaining many features that a traditional telephone line provides. Increasing numbers of providers are appearing, providing a varied range of options on the same premise of giving users the ability to talk over the internet.
When the technology first emerged it may have only been possible to talk to people with the same service. Increasingly however, many service providers offer ways to call any other user as well as phoning land lines and mobile numbers. But considering that VoIP provides the same service as a phone, many might wonder why they should make the switch.
Well, the answer lies in money. VoIP calls are almost always cheaper than traditional phone services, especially with regards to international calls, and if you speak to people on the same provider, there is often no cost at all!
Some providers also offer an option for users to purchase an internet phone to use when they are making calls and ways to bypass traditional phone lines altogether. There are adaptors available to allow clients to use their VoIP lines without even having their computer on. Most providers also offer numbers where you can receive calls just like any other phone.
So, where are the differences and are there any extras? This will most likely depend on the services that your provider of choice offers and what you are willing to spend if they cost any extra. There are advantages to making calls over the internet especially if you are in front of a computer. This makes video calls and online chatting possible. VoIP smartly combines the facilities a computer provides with the conversation comfort of a phone, plus users can easily share files and pass on other information over the same connection that they use to talk.
The reliability of VoIP is rapidly increasing and more users are getting a better quality of service across almost all providers. As more people in the world make the switch, people and businesses in the UK will follow and enjoy much smaller phone bills due to VoIP.
Elisha Burberry is an online, freelance journalist and keen traveller and watersports enthusiast. Originally from Scotland, she now resides in London.
VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is the technology that allows for the routing of phone calls over the internet. To the average consumer what this amounts to is the ability to make free calls over broadband connections while retaining many features that a traditional telephone line provides. Increasing numbers of providers are appearing, providing a varied range of options on the same premise of giving users the ability to talk over the internet.
When the technology first emerged it may have only been possible to talk to people with the same service. Increasingly however, many service providers offer ways to call any other user as well as phoning land lines and mobile numbers. But considering that VoIP provides the same service as a phone, many might wonder why they should make the switch.
Well, the answer lies in money. VoIP calls are almost always cheaper than traditional phone services, especially with regards to international calls, and if you speak to people on the same provider, there is often no cost at all!
Some providers also offer an option for users to purchase an internet phone to use when they are making calls and ways to bypass traditional phone lines altogether. There are adaptors available to allow clients to use their VoIP lines without even having their computer on. Most providers also offer numbers where you can receive calls just like any other phone.
So, where are the differences and are there any extras? This will most likely depend on the services that your provider of choice offers and what you are willing to spend if they cost any extra. There are advantages to making calls over the internet especially if you are in front of a computer. This makes video calls and online chatting possible. VoIP smartly combines the facilities a computer provides with the conversation comfort of a phone, plus users can easily share files and pass on other information over the same connection that they use to talk.
The reliability of VoIP is rapidly increasing and more users are getting a better quality of service across almost all providers. As more people in the world make the switch, people and businesses in the UK will follow and enjoy much smaller phone bills due to VoIP.
Elisha Burberry is an online, freelance journalist and keen traveller and watersports enthusiast. Originally from Scotland, she now resides in London.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
What is VoIP?
VOIP -or else known as Voice Over Internet Protocol- is a service that allows its user to make phone calls without using a standard telephone line. Instead, the user can make his phone call over the internet, meaning that the communication will be transmitted digitally, using speech compression algorithms, instead of using the telephone's signal. In this respect, traditional telephones are like analogue TVs and VOIP phones are like digital television - the future!
VOIP Technology boomed in the early 2000s with the adoption of VOIP phones by many small businesses wanting to keep their communications costs low by combining their broadband and telephone spend into one. Furthermore, this new way of communicating at a lower cost across borders and oceans allowed SKype to flourish with their product that attempted to replace the instant messaging trend set by MSN Messenger. Skype was for a long time "the face of VOIP", and attempted to bring the product to the mass market by going as far as giving away free VOIP handsets which you could plug in your computer and make international calls at reduced prices.
VOIP Service Providers usually charge on a flat fee basis, however this depends on the type of call (audio, video or data) and the providers' dealings. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that international callers can make huge savings using VOIP technology as it effectively breaks down geographical barriers by using the internet's network as a medium.
VOIP Telephones usually have many functions that out-date traditional telephones. VOIP allows users to make savings on their phone bill, but can also include functions that one would have to pay for with a traditional phone service provider such as caller ID, video calls, and encryption of the calls/data you are making. VOIP phones have been adopted by many small businesses and call centres wanting to lower their costs, and have encountered a huge success as the ability to receive and make phone calls has never been easier: all you need is a connection, and you can call Japan for a flat rate! Many call centres now use VOIP as it is cheaper and allows calls to be made from any internet connection -providing it is fast enough- and VOIP is set to be the future of telecommunications.
Lloyd Oliver is a technology journalist who writes for G3, a VOIP Service Provider who delivers solutions for small medium and large businesses.
If you want to find out more about IP Telephony, make sure you read G3's in depth analyses of VOIP technology and the ways in which you can use it.
VOIP Technology boomed in the early 2000s with the adoption of VOIP phones by many small businesses wanting to keep their communications costs low by combining their broadband and telephone spend into one. Furthermore, this new way of communicating at a lower cost across borders and oceans allowed SKype to flourish with their product that attempted to replace the instant messaging trend set by MSN Messenger. Skype was for a long time "the face of VOIP", and attempted to bring the product to the mass market by going as far as giving away free VOIP handsets which you could plug in your computer and make international calls at reduced prices.
VOIP Service Providers usually charge on a flat fee basis, however this depends on the type of call (audio, video or data) and the providers' dealings. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that international callers can make huge savings using VOIP technology as it effectively breaks down geographical barriers by using the internet's network as a medium.
VOIP Telephones usually have many functions that out-date traditional telephones. VOIP allows users to make savings on their phone bill, but can also include functions that one would have to pay for with a traditional phone service provider such as caller ID, video calls, and encryption of the calls/data you are making. VOIP phones have been adopted by many small businesses and call centres wanting to lower their costs, and have encountered a huge success as the ability to receive and make phone calls has never been easier: all you need is a connection, and you can call Japan for a flat rate! Many call centres now use VOIP as it is cheaper and allows calls to be made from any internet connection -providing it is fast enough- and VOIP is set to be the future of telecommunications.
Lloyd Oliver is a technology journalist who writes for G3, a VOIP Service Provider who delivers solutions for small medium and large businesses.
If you want to find out more about IP Telephony, make sure you read G3's in depth analyses of VOIP technology and the ways in which you can use it.
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