VOIP 101
Everyone can not seem to stop talking about VOIP. Now for those of you who never heard it before here’s a bird’s eye view for you. Voice Over Internet Protocol or better known as VOIP is a new phone service that will forever alter the telecommunications market.
To start off, you’ll need a broadband Internet connection. Then you need to open an account with VOIP providers, which you’ll find a lot of in the net. Having an account with a VOIP provider will allow you to make a telephone call through your computer and its Internet connection.
Just how does VOIP work you asked? It works by translating your voice into thousand tiny packets of data. Then the data packets are transmitted through the net to your VOIP provider’s servers, and then to the person that you’re calling. Simple enough right? So just why does everyone raves about it? The answer is quite simple – it’s cheap! VOIP offers the same services as a standard fixed line telephone but at a relatively low price.
Unfortunately there are some minor setbacks that marketing campaigns failed to mention. Now I do not mean to put you off VOIP but there are some things you need to know first before launching on the VOIP bandwagon. One of the things you should know is that a VOIP service needs a power supply, since it requires your computer to be on. Therefore when your electricity is out then your phone will not work either. Although this might be a minor inconvenience for some, it’s a more serious issue during an emergency situation.
Another thing point to ponder is that when your PC stopped working for any reason, then you’ll be left without a phone. Another concern is the security. Since your phone calls will be transmitted as data through the Internet, there is also the possibility of your phone system getting hacked – a major setback especially for business users.
However, as I previously mentioned it is not my intent to put you off VOIP since I actually think that it’s a great service. I simply wanted to give you the two sides of the coin so that you can make an informed choice.
