Voice over IP (VoIP)Voice over IP is in
the news almost daily these days. Whether it's major
telecommunications companies utilizing this technology for
their long distance back haul, businesses installing new
digital phone systems wanting the latest in feature set and
cost savings, or you and me trying to save a buck on our long
distance - it's a growing trend.
So what exactly is Voice over IP (VoIP)?Voice over
Internet Protocol. Simply the ability to transmit Voice traffic
(an analog conversation) over the internet (a packet based
protocol or data conduit). This is done much the way music is
digitized when converted to MP3.
Voice
over IP can be nifty software that turns your computer into a
telephone, utilizing your broadband internet service to carry
the call. You don't need a headset, just a microphone and some
speakers. But I recommend a headset! Here are the two premier
software services:
- Skype - They were the first to really gather momentum.
Learn more about Skype
here.
- Google Talk - Anything they don't do first, they mimic
and try to do best. Click here.
It might even be on your phone!Many new WiFi enabled
cell phones can be setup to use Skype for calls. Why would you
want to do this? Because most cell phone packages (in the US)
are for nationwide calling only. If you have a colleague in
Hong Kong, or England, like some people I know, Skype to Skype
calling is absolutely free - cell calls are not. And I know of
no standard long distance packages that include international
calling in the basic set of minutes.
Bottom LineVoice over IP can save you money.
But maybe not as much as you think! Before jumping into any
VoIP Service, check
this out, so you don't make a big mistake!
Links to other sites on this topic:
Learn more about saving money with
Voice Over IP
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