A-Z VoIP Technology Shows Significant Promise For Call Center Operations

VoIP: Good For The Home?

2007-12-03T21:18:00.002-08:00

VoIP has become extremely popular with the general public. TV and online adverts, news and paper headlines have aired this new technology heavily recently, furthering its overall success. If somehow you've managed to miss all this hype surrounding this recent computer related communications revolution the abreviation VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol or Voice over IP. This technology enables the user to talk with a phone/microphone over the world wide web connection.

Normal phone bills can be minimised by using VoIP since it boasts extremely low rates, considerably lower than conventional telephone, whether the calls being made are local or to the other side of the world. Large corporations are taking advantage of this fact massively by installing the necessary software and equipment, loosing the old requirement for traditional conference calls, many faxes etc, whilst incorporating such media tools as streaming video applications. The recent explosion in VoIP use has hidden the fact that this technology has been around for many years waiting to become economically viable.

In terms of families now wanting to give this exciting new improvement on phone communication a go, mostly this concept is a full gone conclusion people are going stir crazy about it. Do they believe all the hype about how it will hugely improve their everyday lives? Is this technology really as impressive, reliable and affordable as is often touted by the sales pitchers? Any unanswered questions alongside possibilities you may not have realised yet are provided here in this article aimed at furthering your understanding of this new VoIP technology. Once you've read everything here you may be more inclined to get out there and purchase then test run this communications system.

Initially an internet connection to your residence must be present! This connection must be a high speed one, any of the following varieties i.e. satellite, cable or DSL, not 56K dial up. VoIP can only function properly and transform into your new calling station by following this important advice. Quality loss is just far too significant when attempting to use slower connections such as 56K dial ups. These now fairly antiquated connections simply don't have the speed or capacity required to transfer calls digitally. If DSL happens to be your choice of broadband service, and you're hoping to replace your existing phone service with VoIP, a company known as SpeakEasy has just recently created a VoIP product that does'nt require any already installed phone line.

The second most important requirement is a ‘gateway', needing to be connected between your ethernet modem and computer. Your phone line needs to be plugged into this VoIP gateway to then enable calling to be high quality, unhindered by any potential computer problems that may occur. Many computers have a variety of momentary unpredictable problems, e.g. slow memory or crashes which could significantly reduce quality calling time.
Tip! A VoIP Hosted PBX is Dynamically Scalable: Up-size and Down-size on the fly. VoIP Hosted PBX Service lets you buy the exact number of users you need right now - later you can add users when you actually need them.

Adapters are available so that VoIP can fit any phone, old/ existing or new. Typically the promoters of VoIP provide sell adapters to reduce the time you may spend shopping around for one. Albeit a great money saving plan, not buying a new phone will probably mean you miss out on the next big VoIP move, video usage in combination with VoIP on phones, a trend that looks set to blow up everywhere. A company known as Packet8 VoIP sells a great video phone in addition to their usual services.
Tip! The answer is False. Security should be the most important feature of any VoIP solution provider.

Phone services that have VoIP included typically contain the whole range of great offers and gadgets the current phone services provide. Details cover such aspects as three way calling, voice messaging, your own VoIP telephone number and call waiting.

Key aspects associated with this brazen new feature-full phone technology that you should be aware of are that local 911 emergency coverage exists. This feature may come as an additional extra charge on top of the basic package, hitting your wallet on a monthly basis. Don't commit to a calling contract until you have ironed out all the costs associated with what ever deal you choose.

Lastly, remember that electricity is the fuel your VoIP system uses and the occasional power cut will unfortunately put a stop to its functioning, momentarily. This is the one small aspect that traditional phone calls don't have to contend with, due in part to them containing their own small power supplies.
Tip! With VoIP service, there is no charge for any incoming calls, which cannot be said for US cellular service providers. The same also holds true for outgoing ‘local' calls, which depends on your talk plan.

When thinking about obtaining VoIP first consult http://www.voipinternetphonecenter.com/Technology-Your-Business-A-Beneficial-Relationship.php for a huge variety of information e.g. voip for small business.

VoIP Technology Shows Significant Promise For Call Center Operations

2007-12-03T21:18:00.001-08:00

Before plunging into VoIP head first, it's important that businesses understand just what they are "talking" about when they begin looking at VoIP technology for their call center operations. Understanding these subtleties will ensure proper planning and appropriate decisons. The first key is to realize that "VoIP" is the basic term where cost alone seems to be the driving incentive. But IP Telephony is so much more. Unlike VoIP lite, IP telephony is not simply about cost savings. The benefits of IP Telephony to call center operations include rich applications, enabling mobility, increased productivity, and enhanced business continuity.

DEFINITIONS

VoIP is the basic transport of voice in a packet form on an IP-based data network. It is the transmission of telephony over a data network and offers little in the way of features and functionality. IP Telephony uses VoIP but is a software application suite offering rich feature applications. These often-modular applications lend themselves to cost-effective integration with other applications that share the IP network. Voice and Data Convergence may be defined as the integration of voice and data applications in a common environment. Of particular significance is the integration of communications applications with key business applications. The latter are usually tied to business processes, which are central to an organization's operations.
Tip! A good VoIP provider..

IP telephony lends itself to contact centres for the ease of integration with sophisticated multimedia applications as well as computer telephony integration, intelligent call routing and distributed or virtual contact centre applications. The merging of voice and data applications, such as Unified Messaging, is perhaps indicative of where IP telephony as a voice-based application leaves off and convergence starts.

Voice and data convergence may be construed as the coming together of voice and data in a common environment. This simplistic definition belies the significance of convergence. The reality is that converging voice and data enables the integration of voice communications applications (such as teleconferencing and speech access) with key business applications (such as sales force automation and supply chain management). These business applications are predicated on business processes that are the lifeblood of most organizations. By marrying these applications on any network and on any device, the door is opened to deriving new levels of business value.
Tip! The answer is False. Although the public has been fed a steady diet that the minimum requirement for VoIP is a high speed (broadband) connection, this is absolutely false.

THE PROMISE OF VoIP

In recent years the number of companies looking to up grade their call center infrastructure via implementation of VoIP technology has grown dramatically. Merging voice and data on a single network and deploying an IP-based contact center platform allows companies to route calls to home and satellite offices more efficiently. This approach is delivering on the promise of helping companies grow their business, apply productivity enhancing applications, and expand call center operations easily and cost effectively. Scaling for growth to new remote service centers is a smooth transition as each is treated as an add-on node to the existing IP network.

Companies can add remote staff to call center queues when needed and can retain key employees by letting them work from home. The entire process can utilize one application to manage all media for routing and reporting across agent locations. An additional benefit is the ability to deliver business applications over this new network when necessary.
Tip! The answer is True. In fact, it is the tremendous savings of up to 80% off traditional phone calling that makes VoIP attractive to consumers and businesses.

Potential hurdles to implementing pure VoIP include preparing the network with switch and router upgrades, replacing all the desktop phones, and upgrading adjunct systems such as voice mail. These are not insurmountable issues and can either be accomplished all at oce (shotgun) or in a phased in approach. However it is accomplished the business benefits far outweigh any initial challenges.
Tip! Not all VoIP services connect directly to emergency services.

It's safe to say that the great migration to the IP contact center is well underway. While there are many approaches, vendors and users agree that the decision is not driven by the technology, but rather by business applications that the technology enables. While companies may appear to take very different paths to VoIP, each is able to make the right decision for their current and future business needs from a myriad of solution options.

THE MIGRATION TO VoIP

In general, however, the migration is happening very slowly. Art Schoeller, an analyst at The Yankee Group, says, "The move to IP in the contact center is inevitable but not imminent. The transition from TDM to IP, catalyzed by Cisco, is much like the transition from analog to digital systems, which was catalyzed by Rolm. Like that transition over 20 years ago, this transition will take time. And this one is more complex."

Where this transition seems to have found it's lead is among smaller business entities. Most IP contact center installations have occurred in small to midsize businesses (SMB). Many of these SMBs use home agents and remote offices. SMBs tend to be more willing than larger companies to take risks, many are growing, and they are reaping the benefits of flexibility and agility. Seeing this untapped potential larger businesses are begining to follow suite albeit at a somewhat slower pace.....so far.

As of now there are fewer large installations in place, and they are generally multisite, often with overseas positions (including outsourcers). The major system vendors such as Avaya, Cisco, and Nortel all say they have pure IP installations of 2,000 seats or more. That's impressive...and it works. It won't be long before the pace and numbers of installations among larger companies grows significantly. They won't long be able to deny the benefits offered and the potential positive impact on process and cost efficiencies.
Tip! A VoIP Hosted PBX Uses Non-Proprietary Components: When you buy a traditional PBX phone system, you're locking your company into a long term commitment to a proprietary architecture that may or may not keep pace with technological changes. Bottom line, you are betting your company's future that the proprietary technology will remain compatible with evolving industry standards.

"The industries making radical changes are the ones who are suffering the most pain from economic and market forces, such as teleservices [outsourcers], airlines, telecom and high-tech companies," says Lawrence Byrd, a convergence strategist at Avaya. "These companies are seeking substantial cost savings from infrastructure consolidation, for example reducing 30 separate [automatic call distributors] to one or two, moving away from the complex and expensive network routing architectures of the 1990s, and intelligently routing the right customer to the right agent, wherever they are."

"These companies understand that they must make more significant investments in network optimization, as well as changes to their business processes and how they manage their people. But they are willing to do so for the payback offered. IP telephony in the contact center is the technology enabler for such transformation," he says.

THE TRENDS FOR VoIP

Today, many of the large call center installations - those exceeding 200 seats - are hybrid solutions, some sites are TDM, some are IP. Companies use IP trunking between sites and IP to some desktops, for example, at new sites or sites where the switch has been upgraded. The traditional PBX can serve as a gateway, converting between TDM and IP.
Tip! The quality of high-speed connections may vary, as it is dependant on many factors, including the number of other users on your cable line, or your distance from the nearest DSL booster node. This means that the VoIP quality may vary daily or during each call.

Businesses with multiple locations are turning autonomous sites into satellite sites, significantly reducing the numbers of servers, applications and licenses required for functions such as routing, reporting, Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), quality monitoring and workforce management.

Another trend is higher adoption rates in Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific. North America is generally slower to adopt IP contact center technologies because of more conservative and risk-averse decision-makers, and more large installed systems. However, of Cisco's 1,500 installations worldwide for example, approximately half are in North America.

Yet another trend is for companies to adopt VoIP in the enterprise first and then in the contact center. Gartner analyst Bern Elliot says IP system sales already have overtaken TDM system sales for corporations, but "IP adoption in the call center will lag." Elliot predicts that traditional TDM-based call centers will remain the dominant architecture for new system sales in North American until mid-2006. IP-based call center systems comprise approximately 10% of new system sales today.
Tip! ) Experience and Track Record - Let's face it, for most companies VoIP is a relatively new technology. Every day new companies emerge with announcements that they have decided to offer Hosted PBX service.

LEASONS LEARNED

Businesses leery of IP contact centers typically express concerns about security, quality, reliability and scalability. Early implementers say they faced challenges, primarily with quality of service, but they used assessment, configuration, testing and monitoring to successfully address those issues. However, the rule of thumb is that if you've done what you need to do for your network for other applications, running phones on IP is not a leap of faith.

Many early implementers say voice is more secure and more reliable over IP than it was in a TDM world, and the enhancements to their networks for voice also have benefited their data applications. For example, many clearly saw the potential benefits for growth, flexibility and disaster recovery.

When a significant disaster occurs and a business must trigger its disaster-recovery plan, it is a relief to easily be able to add seats at other sites and reroute calls quickly, with no effect on service. It is also reassuring when system continuity enables the following of the rigorous security processes applied to all other applications for your voice and call center applications.

Many companies have found that TDM is just too expensive for what they want to do. Often they'll discover that a pure IP solution offers their company lower total cost of ownership than TDM, with additional savings over time by avoiding proprietary hardware. Frequently they'll also see benefits from virtual operations across sites and CTI in hours instead of months. Also seen have been savings on wiring, moves, adds and changes, and networking of remote locations, while buying flexibility for the future including multimedia enhancements.
Tip! Improved Features for Improved Productivity: Most enterprise VoIP Hosted Voice service providers include advanced calling features that are not available with traditional phone systems. Features that will improve the way you control your calling, like Visual Voicemail, Unique DID's, Find-Me/Follow-Me, Click-to-Call and Outlook Integration.

THE FUTURE

The breakthrough in adoption of IP in the contact center will occur as more companies share evidence that it is low risk, it works, and there are quantifiable business benefits. Any initial trepidation will soon disappear as companies recognize that VoIP is a technology that's right for them.....and whose time has come for the call center industry.

Tip....for assistance in finding just the right fit in a VoIP solution for your call center operation take advantage of the FREE consulatative services at Business-VoIP-Solution.com.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including 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, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

SunRocket You Say? Who Is SunRocket VoIP?

2007-12-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

Would you be able to answer this question if you were asked,"Who is the leading and number one Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) company in the nation today?" I bet that you would! You have seen their many commercials and would be correct if you answered,Vonage. Now, would you be able to name the company in that lonely number two spot? They don't have any commercials, so maybe not! Well,if you guessed SunRocket then you would have been correct.

SunRocket is an innovative and so called,"up and coming player", in the Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) game. SunRocket VoIP is now number two, but striving through many innovations to be number one! They call themselves the "no gotcha" phone company because they advertise a set price and then don't load up your bill with nebulous charges like some local phone companies that we are all familiar with. SunRocket's gaol is simply to bring to the public the very best, risk-free, easy to use Internet phone service with no hidden charges, and no other "gotchas".

They were the very first VoIP company to offer a $199($16.58/month) flat fee service for a years use of their VoIP! They call this the $199 SunRocket Annual Edition and I must agree that there isn't any other company offering anything close to this. For paying annually(all at once) a consumer gets two phone numbers with enhanced voice mail, over a dozen built in calling features(call waiting etc.), unlimited calling in the USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and up to 100 free minutes for international calling, and a couple of free phones! Now, how long will they remain number two offering all of this?
Tip! Client Server Model: The VoIP service should follow a client-server model. The client is the softphone offered by a particular VoIP service.

Paul Ericson is the chairman and co-founder of SunRocket along with Joyce Dorris. They are both former MCI executives who had a hand in creating MCI's 1-800-COLLECT campaign(Remember...these advertisements were everywhere). They are used to thinking "outside the box" and started SunRocket in 2004 to brake the mold on conventional and VoIP phone service choices that were available to consumers in the marketplace at that time. They aimed to create a true "no gotcha company" that was easy to use, low in price, without contracts, and with a money back guarantee if a consumer decides that VoIP isn't for them! They also took great strides to put solid and expanding capitol sources together to assure that the quality of what they were building was not jeopardized because they ran out of or short of money.

SunRocket has accomplished putting together a solid company that fills the needs of what consumers are looking for today in a phone company. If service, low cost, features and options galore, are what you are looking for then take a good look at SunRocket because they deliver in all of these areas.
Tip! Emergency services/E911 options -- Not all VoIP service providers currently meet federal standards for E911, the system used to automatically determine the location of someone who's dialed 911. If your VoIP telephone is your primary phone, you may want to select a plan that supports 911 dialing.

Hugh J. McMarlin has many online endeavors and his informational VoIP site, http://www.voip-carrier-4u.com is his latest. Read his other articles on SunRocket the "no gotcha" company. You can also learn more about the pros and cons of VoIP by reading his article on the Pros and Cons of VoIP.

Is Internet Necessary To Deploy VoIP?

2007-12-03T21:15:00.002-08:00

Voice over internet protocol is also called IP telephony, Internet telephony or also broad band phone. VoIP internet telephony works in the same manner as data transfer on a network. Protocols that determine the aspects of connection and transfer of data are used to transfer data over the network. The protocol that is used to transfer voice over the IP network is called the Voice over IP or VoIP protocols. The network voice protocol was invented for the ARPANET in 1973. It was an experimental protocol that has now realized into the commercial protocol. VoIP Wireless Phone is the present realization of this experiment.

Intranets and VoIP The Private branch exchanges were designed to automate the telephone communication systems. With the advent of microprocessors these were used in the PBX and hence it was easier to integrate VoIP as well. Integration of VoIP helped save money as the transmission in the form of IP packets was cheaper than a dedicated connection between two ends.

If you have an intranet and a PBX as well you could enable VoIP by connecting an IP gateway between your PBX and intranet. Thus routing calls through the data line and saving cash. Directing long distance calls and international calls via data lines is an effective way of cutting your bill on communication.

VoIP can be used internally as well over the intranet. The advantage with this is that you need not buy a separate PBX for voice communication. VoIP over the intranet data lines is more predictable as the network traffic and bandwidth is determined in advance. More sophisticated VoIP programs could be used for less data loss, full duplex, real time voice communication

Working of VoIP Traditional telephony used analog signals. Digital technology made the process more efficient by converting analog signals to digital signals and then compressing them. This increases the speed of transmission and lowers the bandwidth requirement as well. VoIP Equipment uses the Sessions Initiation Protocol or H.323 for defining the communication between devices. H.323 is designed for video conferencing has a wider range of applications when compared to SIP. But SIP is more robust when it comes to voice transmission only.
Tip! With VoIP service, you can activate every phone jack in the house. First, disconnect your house internal phone wiring from the regular telephone service at the phone box outside (most probably on your front wall).

VoIP Basics the handshaking signals that are shared between the two ends to establish a connection. In the traditional telephone system these were achieved using circuit switching methods. For connection to be established and provide you good voice quality you need a cable modem for your internet connection or a different type of telephone system. High speeds are essential to a voice connection. The connection between the two points is maintained as long as the conversation goes on. The IP packets are transferred between the two points using a real time protocol. Similar to the telephone system, VoIP providers charge you a flat rate according to minute.

Benefits There are a few Advantages of VoIP that make people adopt this technology.

• Most operating system software now comes with VoIP ability. Application software that provide net based messaging and voice conferencing offer you the ability of a voice chat and even video conferencing. Therefore there is no need of purchasing additional equipment.
Tip! With VoIP service you can have low cost 800 numbers. This way it will be free for people to call you and yet will not be too hard on your pockets.

• VoIP is beneficial to those who have to make frequent overseas contact or have high call volumes as the cost per call is low when it is over the internet rather than over dedicated telephone lines.

• Large corporations that require collaboration with multiple people can utilize VoIP since the rate is the same for a single connection as well as a multiple connection.

Disadvantages There are a few issues that prevent general acceptance of VoIP.

• There is a lack of transmission quality during periods of high network congestion. When the bandwidth is limited and network congestion occur IP packets are dropped. This results in poor voice quality and even loss of connection.

• If the network goes down then all means of communication both voice and data is cut off. This results in the reluctance to change over to VoIP

• Calls to emergency services are not yet provided by VoIP. The situation may change as this has been made mandatory by the government.

• There are no directory listings or yellow page listings for VoIP numbers.

What ever the bold promises VoIP offers if it does not deliver on the internet scene it still is an advantage on the intranet scene.
Tip! And finally, in what is the worst disadvantage among all, if you lose your Internet connection for whatever reason imaginable, you lose your telephone service. Should you decide to depend almost entirely on VoIP service, then you are strongly advised to have a cell phone with you at all times.

http://www.voiplobby.com is a site for the new and upcoming technology of voice over internet protocol. The various topics dealt with include VoIP basics, Advantages of VoIP, etc. Find out more about this new technology.

http://www.voiplobby.com is a site for the new and upcoming technology of voice over internet protocol. The various topics dealt with include VoIP basics, Advantages of VoIP, etc. Find out more about this new technology.

Broadband Booster Can Improve VoIP Quality

2007-12-03T21:15:00.001-08:00

Although cable broadband internet is a whole lot faster than dialup, I usually experience a slight delay when opening a webpage. Perhaps most people don't notice the latency associated with cable internet, but as a former DSL user it got my attention right away. I noticed a distinct difference in speed between cable and DSL, but I realized I had to live with it in order to use internet phone service in the most economical way. DSL requires a phone line, which requires telephone service - so if you want to replace your land line phone with low cost internet phone service, the only option is to use cable or T-1 for internet. With my internet phone up and running over cable broadband, the voice quality was better than expected. I noticed no big difference between VoIP and my land line phone, but did experience "dropped" calls and "incomplete" calls periodically. This is due to the latency in my broadband connection, but since VoIP saves me over $500 a year (unlimited calling for less than $20 a month) an occasional dropped call is fine with me!

While flipping through a computer magazine, I spotted an ad for the Hawking Broadband Booster. This device is designed to eliminate the "lag" in your internet connection by monitoring the data that is coming and going and re-prioritizing the packets. It installs between your cable modem and router, and acts like a "traffic cop", eliminating congestion by ensuring that both router and modem get nice even streams of data. In an attempt to decrease the latency with my cable modem, I decided to try out this device. Although it is a bit pricy ($70 - $100), I figured I could always return it if it didn't work as claimed.

The broadband booster was really easy to install (just connect two cables and restart your cable modem) and required no configuration whatsoever. The device is tiny (2" X 4") and weighs only an ounce or so. I noticed an immediate improvement in my internet connection, although there is still a very slight lag. In the past several weeks I have logged nearly 3000 minutes on my VoIP service and have not experienced any dropped or incomplete calls. I am very satisfied with the Hawking Broadband Booster (HBB1), and recommend it to anyone using broadband and/or internet phone service. Although I am not a gamer, the company claims it really helps with online playing as well. Many people with satellite internet cannot use VoIP due to the inconsistent satellite signal. If satellite internet is your only choice for broadband, it may be worth your while to give this little device a try.

© 2005 Debbie Jacobsen, all rights reserved

To learn more about Packet8 VoIP service , visit http://www.savewith8.com. For more information on VoIP internet phone service, visit my blog: http://www.djvoip.blogspot.com. Internet Phone Service - The Future is Here.

VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol

2007-12-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

Voice over internet protocol or VoIP is beginning to come into it's own. The promise of cost savings over traditional phone lines is driving this technology into the mainstream. Leveraging your existing broadband connection to save on your monthly phone expense at first glance makes sense. Let's take a closer look. First off, can your existing broadband throughput handle the additional strain of digital voice transfer? You can use your favorite search engine (google, msn, yahoo, etc.) and search for ‘VoIP broadband test' to get a general idea of the speed of your connection. This is only the first consideration. How is your existing broadband access coming into your home? If you're using DSL then using VoIP for your ‘primary' phone line may not be an option. DSL availability without existing phone service is not generally available. You should check with your local phone company before canceling service. You just might end up with no phone service, VoIP or traditional. Check first. If you're using cable internet access and your connection speed test looks good, find a VoIP provider that allows for a trial period. You may find a good provider that offers up to 30 days for you to cancel if you are not satisfied with voice quality or service. A VoIP converter and a router will be required to setup your VoIP service. Your modem would plug into your router. Next your converter plugs into your router and your phone base plugs into your converter. Most normal phones should work fine. There isn't any ‘special' phone required to use this type of service. The entire process is pretty painless, but if you should run into any issue, your provider should be ready to help. If you're looking to leverage your existing broadband internet access to save money on your monthly phone expense, VoIP can be a great option. Just remember to check your connection, check with your local phone provider (for DSL users) and find a provider that offers a money back trial period. This can be a great way to save money, but don't be pressured before you know the facts. Even if it doesn't work out for you now, keep your eye on this technology. The FCC is already involved in the apparent conflict between VoIP service providers and DSL access. E911 service (Enhanced 911 service) is already being mandated and additional steps will be made to bring this technology further into the mainstream. Make no mistake about this technology. It has arrived and is here to stay.

Michael Weaver - http://www.fullservice-broadband-provider.com

The full service broadband provider is a service offered by Try Right Technology, Inc. This service provides unbiased informative information on broadband technology as well as local/long distance and cellular service. Copyright 2005 - Michael Weaver. This article can be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

Is Your VOIP Service Secure?

2007-11-03T21:22:00.002-07:00

For individuals, VOIP security is primarily a matter of preventing others from eavesdropping on their conversations. Some VOIP service providers offer voice security through encryption or separate data routes.

Regular precautions for transferring files should, of course, always be followed. A firewall should be in place for protecting your computer from the internet and any data or program that is downloaded should be checked for viruses.

But users should reealize that VOIP hardware devices are inherently more vulnerable to attack. Some types of equipment can be made unstable or inoperable when they receive certain types of data. Some internet phones are also susceptible to data piracy, revealing private information under certain conditions.
Tip! Not all VoIP services connect directly to emergency services.

While this probably won't be of much concern when you're calling Uncle Tim, it is a huge concern for businesses that consistently use telephone communication for discussing sensitive business information. As VOIP popularity increases, security is becoming a growing concern and is now receiving widespread attention.

Security Issues

It's mainly businesses that need to be concerned with security issues related to VOIP. They are more susceptible to the Denial of Service (DOS) attacks and other forms of obnoxious hacking because many businesses operate personal gateways and other equipment for connecting to the internet.
Tip! T / F VoIP security is not an issue to be concerned about because most computers are protected with firewalls.

There are several security issues associated with VOIP. Eavesdropping is an understandable fear with both regular and VOIP calls, but there are additional concerns unique to this technology. Since VOIP data is traveling across the internet just like any other kind of data, it is vulnerable to the same types of attacks. Hackers have countless software tools available to them to retrieve information being transmitted over the internet. These tools are as effective with voice data as with any other kind of data.

Another security threat is the possibility of sending viruses with VOIP data. This hasn't surfaced yet, but viruses could potentially overload VOIP networks, reduced sound quality and create delays.

VOIP isn't secure against spam either. This refers to receiving unsolicited marketing calls from companies selling their goods and services.

There are several points in the transmission of VOIP calls that hackers can use to recover information. In additin to retrieving actual conversations, they can also access critical information such as user identities and VOIP phone numbers. With this information, a hacker can place phone calls using someone else's identity.

Attackers could also record phone calls while eavesdropping on conversations and even potentially restructure voice data to create discussions that never actually existed! Log files could also be accessed and altered.
Tip! With VoIP service, you can choose your own virtual phone number in almost any area code that you wish for at a very low price (around $5). This way you can have friends and family dial a local number that will then ring on your phone.

There are ways currently available that address such security issues. The first is with encryption that provides the same sort of security used in sending credit card information over a secure data connection. The second is to separate VOIP data from other internet traffic by using a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN). Both methods can degrade call quality, but they present an alternative for sensitive calls.

About The Author Ron King Visit http://www.voip-solutions-now.com to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

Is Your VOIP Service Secure?

2007-11-03T21:22:00.001-07:00

Using VoIP With Your Cell Phone

2007-11-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Before many of us came to rely on cell phones to make long distance phone calls, our only option was to commit to a long distance phone company. Long distance carriers charged what were at times exorbitant by-the-minute fees to make calls to friends and loved ones often living only a few hours away. When cell phones came into prominence, they brought with them service plans that gave us such luxuries as free night and weekend calling anywhere domestically. Alas, even cell phones had their drawbacks, in that their reception was often broken up, and calls could be dropped unceremoniously. When along came VOIP, a new choice in long distance phone calling was on the horizon. VOIP has many different options, and now it seems that we have the choice of combining VOIP technology with cell phones. The prospect of VOIP cell phone service brings with it the potential for even more freedom and convenience, along with lower prices. Or does it?

Normally, VOIP service is available in three modes: ATA, IP phone, and computer-to-computer. All of these services are common and available for use at your home computer. ATA, or analog telephone adapter, lets you connect your regular home telephone to your computer and use it for VOIP service by converting analog sound bits into digital data. IP, or Internet protocol, phones are telephones that are specially designed for use with VOPI service. These phones look just like a standard home phone, but are wired differently to be VOIP capable. You can have a cordless IP phone that allows you to move freely through your home or office as you talk. Computer-to-computer VOIP is achieved by installing software that you can get through a provider. You make long distance calls from your computer, and talk through a microphone that is hooked up to your machine. All of these services are convenient in their own ways, but do not have quite the portability that cell phones offer. That is why the idea of VOIP cell phones is so appealing. Potentially, it is the best of both worlds: portability and low cost phone service.
Tip! The answer is True. Industry insiders such AT&T says, “VoIP traffic is projected to account for approximately 75% of the world's voice traffic by 2007”.

Cost savings is by far the most attractive aspect of VOIP. With typical VOIP, you can expect to pay anywhere from $19.95 to $34.99 per month for a service that consists of many features, including free domestic calls, dirt cheap International calling rates, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-way Calling, among others. This, of course, is in addition to your current monthly ISP charge, which for broadband is usually around $40 per month. The combined cost for your ISP and VOIP services is likely to still be less expensive than if you were to remain in service with a traditional telephone company. However, this is not necessarily the case if you were to switch your cell phone over to VOIP as well.

Providers that offer VOIP cell phone services usually charge a monthly fee in addition to a per-minute fee. If you don't use your cell phone often enough to meet or exceed your current allotted plan minutes, then it is simply not cost effective for you to subscribe to VOIP cell phone service. VOIP and cell phones go well together for those customers that regularly exceed their plan minutes or make International calls on their cell phone on a regular basis. And, if your Internet connection if prone to outages, you could experience the same dropped call occurrences that you might often get with a standard cell phone service.
Tip! Technical support -- Some VoIP service providers charge for technical support; others don't. Most of the larger companies -- Vonage and Time Warner, for instance -- do not charge for technical support, some smaller companies do.

There is no doubt that VOIP is a reasonably priced and convenient way to bundle all of you communications together. VOIP service is improving all the time as technologies moves forward, which will allow providers to offer more reliable and even more affordable service down the line. Currently, VOIP cell phone service is in its infancy, and the kinks are being worked out. If you do the math, and feel that your monthly cell phone bill would benefit from a reasonable VOIP service plan, then it is worth the switch. If you do not make International calls on your cell phone, and you rarely or never go over your plan's allotted monthly minutes, then you are probably better off sticking with your traditional cell phone service for now than putting out more money for VOIP cell phone service.
Tip! The answer is False. Security should be the most important feature of any VoIP solution provider.

About The Author Mark Woodcock is a director of 3 Internet Companies, is a published author and has written many articles on a widespread number of topics. All his articles may be reproduced provided that an active link is included to http://www.voip-services-provider.com.

Broadband Phone Service is Not VoIP

2007-11-03T21:21:00.002-07:00

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?
Tip! T / F You can save a significant amount of money using VoIP rather than traditional telephone/cell phone calling methods.

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.
Tip! Disaster Recovery/ Emergency Protection: A hosted PBX product will protect your company's calling infrastructure the same way you protect your website and email - with specialized, secure off-site hosting. Make sure if you are considering a VoIP hosted PBX that the vendor provide security and redundancy so you don't have to worry about the physical requirements and support of your phone system.

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

Broadband Phone Service is Not VoIP

2007-11-03T21:21:00.001-07:00

VoIP Tutorial - Things You Need To Get Started With VoIP

2007-11-03T21:21:00.000-07:00

Now that you've decided that VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol is right for you, there are a few things that you have to do to get started. The following are steps you can take to immediately enjoy the benefits of VoIP.

Updating Your Computer

First on your list is to update your computer. You need to have a High Speed Internet connection. Also you would need to have updated video and audio Codecs as well as the latest version of DivX. Updating your computer is easy by utilising tools or programs such as your Windows Update.
Tip! Not all VoIP services connect directly to emergency services.

Deciding on a Service Provider

The next step is for you to decide on a service provider that can offer you the right VoIP service plan. As there are many companies offering such services, you could make the decision easier by writing down a list of your needs, wants, as well as features in that fit your needs. Compare the many plans available and make your choice.

One thing to remember is that there are normally two plans available: Residential and Business. Residential plans can either be a basic plan which provides a certain amount of talk time, or an unlimited plan which provides unlimited local and long distance access. On the other hand, a Business plan can provide services such as multiple phones, longer talk time, better unlimited calling plans, added business features, voicemail and faxing features, as well as other extras like listings in the yellow pages. Make sure that you choose a plan that is catered to your needs. The service provider that you finally decide on can also assist you in determining what other computer requirements you will need to have. Again, it is important that your computer be up to date and complies with the service provider's requirements.
Tip! The answer is False. Security should be the most important feature of any VoIP solution provider.

Getting a Telephone Adapter

The telephone adapter will be given to you by your service provider. With this adapter, you can now convert your everyday household phone into a phone that works with your VoIP service. Using an Ethernet cable, connect your telephone adapter to your Cable or DSI modem. Then connect your telephone to the adapter with a phone jack. Besides a regular phone, you could also opt to use a portable phone to the adapter, and have the ease of a portable phone that works with your VoIP service. However, this is just the standard portable phone used indoors, not to be confused with a cell phone.

Choosing Your Own Telephone Number

Now you have the option of choosing your own telephone number, one of the best features that VoIP offers. If you are contemplating on keeping your old number with your new VoIP system, discuss this with your service provider first. Most VoIP service providers will allow you to do this. However, keep in mind that selecting a different number or area code has many advantages. To start with, for family members and friends who do not have unlimited long distance calling options, choosing the same area code as theirs can immediately save them money. They will definitely thank you for having being given the opportunity to call you as if it were a local call.
Tip! Call Security: A VoIP service's audio (your voice) should compress your voice into proprietary encryption packets to travel across the internet, and return back to voice at destination. That particular VoIP service should host proprietary software, and as such, the only one that can interpret the voice and data contained in those packets.

On a larger perspective, this option is very advantageous to those who own businesses that are aiming at specific regions. Say you own a business in Florida, yet at the same time, you would like to expand to Los Angeles, California. In choosing the Los Angeles, California code, you could easily increase sales and productivity as you now have a local number that customers can call. This would also reduce the need for a toll free number.

Installing and Activating Your VoIP Features

Your VoIP service plan comes with an array of added features. For residential plans, these could mean Caller ID, Voicemail, Call Forwarding, Call Block and Do Not Disturb. Constantly check with your service provider to get a full listing of features that come with your chosen plan. If you opt for a business plan, you would enjoy services like free fax lines, multi phone users, and integrated VoIP and web features. VoIP also provides the same features in the basic plans. Again remember that when deciding on your service provider, compare the various plans available and choose one that best fits your needs.

Accessorising

As VoIP gets more and more advanced, a whole new group of accessories are introduced in the market. Today, you have the luxury of choosing from many types of VoIP phones, headsets, even VoIP videophones that incorporate your audio with video.
Tip! And finally, in what is the worst disadvantage among all, if you lose your Internet connection for whatever reason imaginable, you lose your telephone service. Should you decide to depend almost entirely on VoIP service, then you are strongly advised to have a cell phone with you at all times.

Enjoying Your VoIP Service

Now that you have everything you need, you can start enjoying your VoIP service. Regardless if you choose the basic or unlimited plan, you will realise that with VoIP, you now enjoy more freedom, reliability and greater standards of quality, not to mention the most cost effective method in meeting all of your telecommunications needs than you ever thought possible.

Juzaily Ramli is the owner of the site that provides VoIP tutorial to get people to switch to and get started on VoIP. He also writes about business VoIP targeted to those who are running their own business to increase their productivity. His site can be found at http://www.voip-revolution-info-site.com

How VoIP Is Used

2007-11-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

While there are a number of ways that VoIP is currently being used, most individual callers fall into one of three categories: ATA, IP Phones, and Computer-to-Computer.

ATA or Analog Telephone Adaptor, is the most common way of using VoIP. This adaptor actually allows you to hook up the phone, which is already in your house, to your computer, and then to your Internet connection. What the ATA does, is turn the analog signals your phone sends out into digital signals that can be sent over the Internet. Setting up this system is quite simple. It simply requires that you order an ATA, plug the cable from your phone (which would normally go into the wall socket) into the ATA, and then the ATA gets plugged into your computer, which is connected to the internet. Some ATAs include software that has to be installed on your computer before it is ready to be used, but basically it is quite a simple process.

The next type of VoIP usage utilizes IP Phones instead of your home phone. The IP Phone looks just like a normal phone, with all the same buttons and cradle. The only difference is that instead of having a normal wall jack connector, it has an Ethernet connector. So, instead of plugging in your IP phone to the wall jack (like you would with a regular analog phone), it is plugged directly into your router. This option allows you to circumvent your personal computer. It also means that you will not have to install any software because it is all built into the handset. In addition, with the availability of Wi-Fi IP phones, subscribing callers can make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi hot spots. All these features make IP Phones an extremely exciting option.
Tip! The answer is False. Security should be the most important feature of any VoIP solution provider.

Lastly, the simplest and cheapest way to use VoIP is through computer-to-computer calls. These calls are entirely free, meaning that there is no need for any calling plans. The only things you need are the software (which can be found for free on the internet), a good internet connection, a microphone, speakers and a sound card. Except for your monthly internet service fee, there is literally no cost for making these calls, no matter how many you make.

For large companies, VoIP also offers some very unique possibilities. Some larger companies are already utilizing the technology by conducting all intra-office calls through a VoIP network. Because the quality of sound is comparable to and in some cases surpasses that of analog service, some international companies are using VoIP to route international calls through the branch of their company, which is nearest the call's destination and then completing it on an analog system. This allows them to pay local rates internationally and still utilize the same intra-office VoIP network, as if they are calling someone in the next cubicle.

Advantages of VoIP

While your current long-distance plan covers you for only one location, say calls made from your office, you can make a call from anywhere where you can get a broadband connection with VoIP. That is because all three methods mentioned above, unlike analog calls, send the call information via the Internet. Hence, you can make calls from home, on vacation, on business trips and almost anywhere else. With VoIP, you can bring your home phone along with you anywhere you go. In the same way, computer-to-computer connections imply that as long as you have your laptop and a broadband connection, you are ready to go.
Tip! Improved Features for Improved Productivity: Most enterprise VoIP Hosted Voice service providers include advanced calling features that are not available with traditional phone systems. Features that will improve the way you control your calling, like Visual Voicemail, Unique DID's, Find-Me/Follow-Me, Click-to-Call and Outlook Integration.

There are also some nifty benefits to having your calls transmitted over the Internet. For example, some VoIP service providers allow you to check your voicemail via your e-mail, while others allow you to attach voice messages to your e-mails.

The Future of VoIP

While most analysts believe that it will take at least another decade before companies and telephone providers make the full switch to VoIP, the potential for VoIP technology's use today is already quite astounding. A report by the Forrester Research Group predicts that by the end of 2006, nearly 5 million U.S. households will be using VoIP phone service. With the savings and flexibility that VoIP technology already offers, and new advances just ahead on the horizon, we can expect those numbers to escalate further in the future.
Tip! Client Server Model: The VoIP service should follow a client-server model. The client is the softphone offered by a particular VoIP service.

Article contributed by San Singhania who is a VoIP consultant at Lantone Communications. Led by a team of experienced IT developers, Lantone Communications is one of the leading VoIP Provider in Singapore. Please visit their official website for the latest information on VoIP.

This article may be reprinted in its original form as long as the resource box is left intact and the links live and the article is not to be modified in any way.

Is VoIP Internet Phone Service Right for You?

2007-11-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

Thousands of people each month are subscribing to VoIP service and having their regular telephone line disconnected. Internet phone service is a HUGE deal for us consumers, as it provides us with a super cheap alternative to traditional telephone service, and gives us something very important: CHOICES! Perhaps for the first time in our lives, we are no longer required to use our local phone company for telephone service - isn't that great?

VoIP is not for everyone, though. There are some requirements and drawbacks to internet phone service that may or may not influence your decision to switch. Most people consider the potential issues associated with VoIP to be minor, and find that the low cost and free features of broadband phone service far outweigh any negatives.

In order to understand the drawbacks of VoIP, it helps to understand a bit about what it is and how it works.

A Brief Introduction to Internet Phone Service

VoIP is the most popular acronym used to describe internet phone service. It stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, which is a technical term describing a standard set of rules that define how voice signals are transmitted over the internet. Some other common terms used to describe VoIP are "broadband phone service" and "IP phone service". As the term VoIP implies, INTERNET SERVICE IS REQUIRED in order to use VoIP.

A small device called a "VoIP adapter" is used to perform all of the complex functions required to make it possible for voice signals to be transmitted over the internet. The adapter is connected by network cable to your broadband modem or router, and another cable is directly connected to your telephone. There are other hardware configurations, but this is the most basic one. No phone jacks are required.

During a telephone call, your conversation goes through the VoIP adapter and is routed over the internet to its final destination. This is why VoIP is so inexpensive - it doesn't rely on the telephone companies expensive network and switches. With VoIP internet phone service, you can call any phone anywhere in the world. The person you are calling does not have to also be using an internet phone.

Potential Issues With VoIP

Although internet phone service looks and acts just like regular phone service, there are some technological differences that can cause issues with your service from time to time.
Tip! And finally, the icing on the cake: You can take your home or office ‘phone' with you wherever you go. Just bring your VoIP modem with you, and when you get to your destination, plug it into any high-speed internet connection.

* E911 Dialing is a "must have" for anyone using VoIP as their main phone line. This allows emergency calls to route to the closest 911 dispatch office and identifies your location to the emergency operator. Although in 2005 the FCC mandated that all VoIP companies provide E911 service to all subscribers, not all VoIP companies are offering this yet. It's important to choose a VoIP provider that has E911 service available in your area - your life could depend on it. You are responsible for keeping your E911 address current in order for this service to work properly. If you move and forget to change your address with your VoIP provider, emergency services will not be able to locate you.

Tip! Traveling executives can also take advantage of VoIP as a portable phone that can be taken along on any business trip. Many hotels will provide broad band access today.

* A "live" internet connection is required in order to use VoIP, because calls are transmitted over the internet. This can present a problem when your internet service is down. Broadband is also required by most VoIP providers, because internet phone service needs to have enough bandwidth in order to work properly. Be sure you have reliable broadband internet service through a reputable provider if you're planning on using VoIP as your primary phone.

* Power is required in order to use internet phone service. Without power, your cable/DSL modem won't work, and your VoIP adapter won't work - you will have no phone service. If you live in an area that is prone to power outages, this might be a big issue for you.

* Existing phone wiring will not work with your new VoIP service unless you make some modifications. Traditional telephone wiring is designed to transmit to/from the phone company switch, not the internet. If you want to use your existing phones and phone jacks with VoIP you need to disconnect and reroute the telephone wire coming into your house. This is a fairly easy task but beyond the scope of this article. If you use an expandable cordless phone system with VoIP however, this totally eliminates the need to fool with any wiring.

Tip! When using VoIP service, you may not be able to ‘activate' a new credit card, as the computer at the other end will claim that you are not calling from a home phone. The reason for this is yet unknown as VoIP providers have yet to answer this.

Is Broadband Phone Service Right for You?

These are some of the more common issues that you need to be aware of before making the switch to VoIP internet phone service. As with most things, there is usually an easy workaround that can minimize or prevent any problems. With 10 million VoIP subscribers in the United States alone, it's obvious that the downside of VoIP is not keeping people away. When you consider the tremendous cost savings, free long distance calling and all the free calling features you get with internet phone service, most find that it's no problem dealing with a few occasional inconveniences.

Ready for VoIP? - Compare VoIP Providers Get My Free Report: What Every Consumer MUST know before subscribing to VoIP Internet Phone Service - The Future is Here!

Is There Such A Thing As Free VoIP Service?

2007-11-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

When VoIP was first introduced over the Internet, most of the programs available offered free VoIP services. Ah, the good old days. Unfortunately, those days are gone and nowadays these services are no longer free; but are still offered at a very minimal monthly fee.

However, even after you've decided to purchase these VoIP services, you will still be amazed with the benefits and advantages that VoIP offers. Your calls are unlimited and you're able to make long distance calls at no charge, but you have to pay the low monthly fee.

Don't worry though as there are programs that still provide free VoIP services, among them are AdCalls and Skype. These two programs enable you to make calls using free VoIP programming.
With AdCalls, you can make calls to anyone in the USA and Canada at anytime on their home, business and cell phone free of charge. You are also able to call anyone in the world on their PC provided that they also download the AdCalls free calling dialer that can be found on their website.

Skype allows you to make a PC-to-PC call to another Skype user using a headphone and a microphone. All you have to do is download the free Skype software found on their website. This free VoIP service is only available for a PC-to-PC call and the person you want to contact would have to download the software too. If you want to call someone on their phone (SkypeOut) and receive a call from them (SkypeIn), you'd have to purchase their credits at a very cheap price.
Tip! Client Server Model: The VoIP service should follow a client-server model. The client is the softphone offered by a particular VoIP service.

Even as many people are choosing to utilize VoIP, it does have its disadvantages, one being the inability to call 911. The reason for this is that the call is made from your computer network instead of a landline phone. This makes it impossible for 911 to trace your call from the VoIP phone and to determine your address. When receiving your 911 calls, it is also impossible for the dispatcher to receive any kind of information on your location.

This is what has made the FCC come up with new rulings. Among the options given were to register with 911, calling 911 and giving them your vital information and location immediately, or having a landline phone or cell phone with you at all times in case of any emergencies. The latter could be the best solution in having and enjoying the benefits of both services.
Tip! T / F You can save a significant amount of money using VoIP rather than traditional telephone/cell phone calling methods.

VoIP is fast gaining popularity and big corporations like Verizon and AOL are all offering VoIP packages. Free VoIP is the most popular choice, though nowadays it is getting more and more difficult to find one. For users who are still not ready or who feel uncomfortable with switching to VoIP, they still have the option of using instant messaging services, for example Yahoo Messenger.

We cannot deny the fact that VoIP has many benefits and plus points that are not available with your typical landline or cell phones. Some of these advantages include the ability to have conversations with multiple users at one time, having the ease of standard features that normally come with your regular landline phones together with your VoIP packages, as well as the option of unlimited talk time (some even worldwide).

As VoIP progresses everyday and with more and more people welcoming the idea of being able to combine all their telecommunications needs like audio, video, data, e-mail, and web services into a single program, many new products will be developed to continuously equip VoIP users with the best tools to enjoy all of VoIP's benefits.
Tip! With VoIP service, you can choose your own virtual phone number in almost any area code that you wish for at a very low price (around $5). This way you can have friends and family dial a local number that will then ring on your phone.

Juzaily Ramli is the owner of VoIP Tutorial website that discusses on all things VoIP including business VoIP. To find out more about free VoIP, feel free to visit his site and discover how much everyone can benefit from this revolutionary technology.