Questions And Answers On VoIP Phone Service
VoIP phone services let you replace your traditional landline
phone with one that connects over the Internet. Today, your
phone works on what is called the Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN), a private network that reaches into your home
through the standard phone jacks in the wall.
With VoIP services, your phone connects to the Internet over
your cable or DSL modem. To do this, VoIP service providers
bundle a small device, called a telephony adapter that plugs
into the broadband modem and translates the electrical pulses
from your phone into IP packets that travel over the Internet.
The way you use your phone is the same, even though the network
underneath changes.
What makes it so popular? What made VoIp phone service gain so
much attention is MONEY. Internet telephony is cheap. A local
and long distance dialling package can cost as little as $19.95
a month. You won't find any mainstream, traditional calling
plans that meet these rates.
What do you need? To set up your VoIP, you just first need a
reliable broadband Internet connection. If your cable or DSL
service cuts out even occasionally, you need to stay away from
VoIP services. Every time your Internet access hiccups, so will
your phone service.
Second, you will need to install the telephony adapter (TA),
which comes with the service. Using a standard phone jack, you
can plug your existing home phone into the TA, and then plug the
TA into your cable or DSL modem using a standard network cable.
Who should you sign up with? To answer the question of to whom
you should sign up with, many providers offer limited national
coverage, so the first order of business is to hunt down a
provider that offers local area codes and phone numbers in your
location. For example, I'm a big fun of AT&T's CallVantage, but
the service lacks 802 area codes for Vermont. So I will use
Vonage.
You should also consider up-front cost in the form of activation
fees and penalties for disconnecting a service. For instance,
Lingo, Packet 8, and VoiceWing, all charge $40 to $60 if you
cancel the service within the first 12 months.
How do you know who is reliable? Brand names like AT&T
CallVantage and the new Verizon VoiceWing probably offer the
best assurance that the service won't disappear. But there's a
parade of VoIP startups, ranging from the well-established
Vonage and long-running Packet 8 services, to up-and-coming
offerings like Lingo, VoicePulse, and Broadvox. If it's
assurance you want, go with the biggest. And right now, the
biggest are Vonage and CallVantage.
Another thing to consider is what happens if the VoIP provider
goes out of business. Traditional telephone service is highly
regulated, but VoIP providers are popping up all over the place
in a laissez-faire marketplace. Should your provider go under,
it's quite likely you'll lose access to your phone number (in
addition to your phone service). There simply isn't a mechanism
for recovering from such an issue yet.
What's the best way to switch?
If you're able to, adopt VoIP for a second line, a home office
or kids' phone, for example. That way you won't be in deep
trouble should the service go south on you. And you'll get a
very good feel for all the quirks that Internet phone services
can bring. If you are happy with the second line after three
months or so, it's probably safe to switch your primary line
over.
About the author:
Sandra Stammberger is the owner of VOIP 2006. Her website offer
information on available technologies and software/hardware
product reviews. Visit Voip
2006 now.