What Is VoIP (Voice over IP) ?

What Is VoIP (Voice over IP) ?

Voice Over Internet Protocol (also referred to as Internet Telephony) is the transportation of telephone calls over the Internet, connected either via an Internet Adapter that connects your telephone and/or fax to your high speed Internet modem, or by a telephone handset which you purchase that is especially designed to handle IP calls, or by multimedia PCs using PC-to-PC, or PC-to-phone software.


How Does It Work?

VoIP (Voice over IP) converts your analogue phone conversation into packets of digital data that are sent across the Internet (just like email or a web page), and then reassembles them into sound at the other end for a crisp, clear telephone experience.

Does It Save Me Money?

Yes. PC-to-PC software solutions are usually free because they function much like an Instant Messenger application by connecting you to other users of the software, and never terminate calls beyond the Internet, although they do charge for calls that are made to regular phones.

When you call a regular telephone number, although much of the call still travels over the Internet there remains a connection to the regular telephone network to complete the call at the other end, and since the telephone carriers charge the VoIP (Voice over IP) Service Providers for this, they have to charge you too.

The good news is that since most of your call still travels across the Internet, these calling rates are either much lower on a per-minute basis, or in the case of some plans are already included with unlimited calling for one flat monthly fee.

How Good Is The Call Quality?

Technology advances in IP telephony transportation have made Internet calling as good or better than normal PSTN connections. This is mostly true for high speed Broadband connections, whereas dial up services have some way to go before delivering the quality of PSTN calling.

Can I use High Speed Or Dial Up Connections?

We recommend that you only use VoIP (Voice over IP) services if you have a high speed Broadband Internet connection since the quality of the calls is only as good as your connection speed. Tests of VoIP (Voice over IP) using dial up services have produced dropped calls, call lagging, and other call quality issues.


Does VoIP (Voice over IP) Replace My Telephone Line?

It can, but we recommend that you keep your telephone service because if you lose power to your computer or your Internet connection goes down you will not be able to make and receive VoIP (Voice over IP) calls.

It's better to look upon VoIP (Voice over IP) as a way to reduce your long distance telephone charges as well as utilizing many of the new advanced features that are available through this technology.


What Do I Need To Make It Work?

There are several configurations for VoIP (Voice over IP), and all require you to have an account (which are sometimes free).

Computer-to-computer. If you only want to make calls from your PC to another PC (these are free regardless of where you are calling including international destinations) then you can download free software to do this from several providers. The most popular service is Skype. Add a telephone headset and/or speakers and a microphone and you are ready to go.

Computer-to-phone. These services work just like the PC-to-PC but also allow you to call any number in the world, usually for a per-minute fee that is much lower than traditional calling fees.

Phone-to-phone. You can also get an Analogue Telephone Adapter (ATA) that connects your home phone to your high speed modem and then onto the Internet. Many Service Providers supply this adapter free or bundle it into their first month's fee by charging e.g. a Service Activation Fee.

Telephony manufacturers are also producing a whole range of IP-enabled telephone handsets and systems for the home and office now that do away with the need for the additional adapter.

What Advanced Features Does VoIP (Voice over IP) Offer?

Apart from saving you money, the best reason for using VoIP (Voice over IP) is the host of new services that are available. These include:

- Add multiple new inbound area codes for your phone, allowing you to create a "virtual presence" in other cities, or provide a local calling number to family members.
- Conference call with multiple people on the same call.
- Individual Call Filtering and Blocking. Solves the problem of Caller ID when the inbound call says ?Unavailable?.
- Call Hunting/Find me. This calls individual numbers that you specify (either one at a time in sequence, or all at the same time) to find you wherever you are.
- Receive voicemail messages to your email inbox or web page.
- Geographic mobility. If you use an Internet Adapter you can take it on trips and use it wherever there is a high speed Internet connection.

What Are The Limitations Of VoIP (Voice over IP) ?


The quality of your call is only as good as your Internet connection. but for most Broadband high speed Internet connections this is not an issue.

If you have a home alarm system it is advisable to keep your regular phone service in case there is a power failure. You can also purchase a Universal Power Supply (battery backup) if you want your VoIP (Voice over IP) phone to keep working during power outages. You can also plug your DSL/cable modem, your router, your VoIP (Voice over IP) adapter, and your cordless phone into the UPS. Do not plug power hogs (anything that generates a lot of heat, like computer monitors and halogen lights) into the UPS, or when the power goes out, the UPS will only last a minute or so.

If you are using a PC software solution alone, your VoIP (Voice over IP) service will not work if your computer fails or you are re-booting it. VoIP (Voice over IP) software also shares CPU space with other software that you are running, which sometimes has a noticeable effect on voice quality and can cause "call lag". Switch to hardware-based VoIP (Voice over IP) services for highest voice quality.

The biggest potential problem for VoIP (Voice over IP) is the voice equivalent of email spam, or "voice-spam". Since VoIP (Voice over IP) is also being used for applications like call centers, the potential for voice-spam is profound but still largely unknown.

Can I Use My Computer While Making/Receiving Calls?

Yes, you can use your computer for all normal activities including browsing the Internet, if you are using a high speed connection.
top of page

Does My Computer Need To Be Turned On?

No, but your Internet connection needs to be working.Can I Transfer My Telephone Number?

Some service plans allow you to do this.
top of page

Can I Fax With VoIP (Voice over IP)?

Yes, if your Provider or equipment configuration allows you to. This is also known ad Fax Over IP or FOIP.

VoIP (Voice over IP) Telephone Adapters usually come with at least 2 connections, one for your phone and the other for your fax.

Some problems have been reported with FoIP, mostly to do with the data transfer rate, and in some cases you may have to adjust your fax machine to operate at a slower speed.