Saturday, July 14, 2007

How Does The Voip Telephone System Work?

You have heard about VOIP, but you have no idea what it is. Is this just another telephone carrier that has come along since the breakup of AT&T many years ago? Well, that is part of it, but this is another step further along as this system directly relies on the internet.

So, what is VOIP? It is Voice over Internet Protocol, a way of routing voice conversations using the internet or any other IP-based system as you continue using a regular telephone instrument. Okay, but how does it work? Can you be working on your computer and talk at the same time? Is there special equipment you need?

There are several companies that provide VOIP service. There is a cost savings because you have a single network to do everything-it carries both voice and data and on the same internet lines. If you have the right company that can carry both the voice and data lines together, there might be no additional cost to combine these two features.

The VOIP telephone system can help by automatically routing incoming telephone calls to your VOIP phone, regardless of whether or not you are connected to the network. You can take you phone with you on a trip and whenever you connect to the Internet you can accept incoming calls.

You can get free telephone numbers for use in some countries. People using this system can work anywhere as long as there is a sufficiently fast and stable Internet connection available to them. Like your other telephone system, you can usually get 3-way calling, call forwarding, automatic redial, and even caller ID.

So, is this system right for you? There are definitely advantages and as with all systems, some disadvantages. How do you choose? That depends and you should do some extensive research to make sure that the VOIP telephone system will work for you.

Well, you might actually be using a VOIP system at your office and not know it. The VOIP telephone systems have offered businesses high-powered telecommunications capabilities once available only to the largest, most expensive companies’ systems.

Today, advanced VOIP solutions enable all employees, whether they are down the hall or a thousand miles away, to respond rapidly to customers and business opportunities by allowing their phones and computers to integrate into one seamless system.

Check with your telecommunications people in your organization as they can tell you whether or not you are already using the system through work. They will also be very knowledgeable about the positive and negative components of the VOIP system and will probably be able and willing to talk to you extensively about their experiences with it. Remember, they are the people in your organization that must keep the computers and telephones up and operational for the company.

So, what do you think? Do you want to take the plunge and try the VOIP telephone system? Go ahead and take a chance if you think it will work for you. If it does not, you can always change back to a regular telephone.

Saturday, July 7, 2007

VoIP for Small Business Solution

Many small businesses tend to lag behind their larger counterparts in their use of new technology. Those that do may be doomed, not only to remain small and fail to realize the growth that their initial potential may have promised, but also to lag behind their smaller competitors. In fact a VoIP small business solution can not only save small businesses money, but also significantly increase their communications efficiency.

It is a proven fact that technology can contribute a great deal to growth, irrespective of the size of the company involved, and even a single VoIP network can give a small business a competitive edge.

Not only can a small business VoIP solution dramatically reduce the size of a phone bill to the company concerned, it can also help to reduce the phone bills of their customers. A VoIP subscriber can select any area code it wants to use, so that if the majority of their customers operate from New York, the business can offer these customers calls at the local rate, even if that business is located in Los Angeles.

In fact this type of small business solution to communication costs can allow them to offer toll free numbers to their more important customers, a service hitherto only economically feasible to larger companies. How's that for a competitive edge? In many businesses image is everything and this VoIP small business solution to competing with the big boys is a massive incentive to adopting this new technology.

This is not all that a VoIP small business solution offers, however. There is also the advantage that the provision of VoIP telephones to sales personnel allows them to communicate with head office, and every other company employee issued with a VoIP handset, free of charge irrespective of distance.

Because the VoIP small business solution to telecommunications, like all other VoIP applications, involves communication via the internet, such communication can be made using software and hardware suitable for IP use such as PC, laptop, palm computers, PDAs, Bluetooth and any other technology suitable for packetized internet transfer and reception. By use of VoIP small business solution technology, small businesses can at last compete with networked corporate companies in speed and flexibility of communication.

Conference calls integrating other web-based voice and video presentation technologies can be arranged at the click of a button, and customers can be impressed with corporate technology at small business prices.

A VoIP small business solution is available for any medium to small company structure, and simple networked systems can easily be incorporated due to the intrinsic internet and web-related technologies involved. This makes facilities available to small businesses which previously had been the domain only of the large corporations that could afford them.

With a customized VoIP small business solution, companies of any size can tick off communication as one more step towards not only competing with large corporations, but getting ahead of their peers with respect to communications efficiency, image and speed of response to requests and enquiries.

After all, if you can communicate with a colleague in Japan quicker and at lower cost than your competitor can with Boston, what chance does he have? A VoIP small business solution designed specifically for you can achieve this as standard – it is not an expensive option!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

5 Top Reasons Why You Should Consider A Voip Service

The VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone service is gaining some serious ground with more and more companies offering this cutting-edge technology to customers. From cable companies to regular phone service providers, VoIP service is offered by big and little names in the industry. As it proves to be much more than a trend, many potential customers find themselves asking why they should consider VoIP.

There are a lot of compelling reasons that customers choose to give VoIP a go in their homes or offices. From budgeting and options, VoIP has fast enabled itself to stack up well against regular phone services in comparisons. Here are five of the biggest reasons to entertain the idea of getting a VoIP service:

1 Freedom: VoIP service companies tend to offer clients a lot of freedom in regards to the perks, benefits and pricing. It's even possible in some cases to choose the type of phone used. This means expensive regular telephones aren't necessarily deemed useless when VoIP is introduced into a home or business. Plus, many companies are able to cater to not only residential clients, but also businesses themselves. With multi-line options and more, VoIP offers customers the freedom of choice.

2 Clarity: The VoIP service has come a long way since it first began. As the Internet becomes higher-tech through broadband connections, VoIP is also becoming more reliable and clear. Where customers used to report problems with dropped calls, inaudible calls and other issues, this is just no longer the case.

3 Perks: VoIP service providers are now able to give their customers just about everything a regular phone company can. From Caller ID to call block, the options are matched almost perfectly.

4 Unlimited calls: Many VoIP service companies give their clients unlimited calling within their plans. This may or may not include unlimited national and international long distance, as well. This particular feature is one that has a lot of people taking VoIP more seriously.

5 Pricing plans: Most VoIP service providers offer their customers a flat-fee for use on a monthly basis. This flat-fee rate tends to be a great deal lower than a regular phone service, which makes it great for budgeting in these times of rising prices.

Offering reliable phone service in a new and different way, VoIP service companies are making a name for themselves. With reliability on the rise and pricing that's lower than the rest, these companies have put the VoIP service on the map.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Benefits Of Voip That Will Blow Your Mind

You would probably have heard of VoIP, unless you've been living on some other planet. Even if you've never really understood what the hype was all about, VoIP (which by the way, stands for Voice over Internet Protocol) will change the way you think about long distance telephone calls.

VoIP actually means that all that sounds you hear on the regular telephone (analog audio signals) are turned into a digital signal, which is then transmitted through the Internet.

So again you ask, why is this VoIP changing the industry? It means that you can totally go around your telephone company and start making long distance calls at no charge. All you have to do is get some of the free software that's available all over the Internet right now.

And here's the best part: this new technology can revolutionize the telephone system in the whole world. You might have seen the tv commercials from one of the forerunners of VoIP called Vonage. Vonage calls itself the 'broadband telephone company' and provides attractive services to its customers. These include low-cost 800 numbers and very low international rates. Fees from the US to Canada are also waived.

However, Vonage isn't the only company who is the game. AT&T is providing VoIP calling in some places in the US. There are also other major companies, including Skype, which is going all out with its viral advertising.

At the moment, most VoIP service providers offer plans somewhat similar to cell phone companies called 'minute-rate' plans for as low as $30 a month. And just like the cell phone plans, you can also opt for unlimited plans for around $79 a month. Without ever having to pay for long distance charges, unregulated charges and all the free services that come standard with your VoIP service, you can save a great amount of money.

Previously, you might be paying for services such as call waiting, three way calling, call forwarding, caller ID, repeat dial and last call return. With VoIP, you no longer need to pay as these come standard with your service. Plus, there are some advanced features that would make VoIP worth looking into. With some providers, you can opt for call filtering options and even have control over how calls are handled according to their numbers. For example, you could forward your call to a certain number, send the call to voicemail, give a busy signal, play a 'not in service' message, or even send the caller to a funny rejection hotline.

Some VoIP services also allow you to check your voicemail on the Internet or even attach messages to an email that is sent to you. Remember though, not all plans and features are the same for all VoIP providers. You should look around for one that best suits your needs.

The other benefit that makes VoIP a very attractive alternative for home and business users is its flexibility. With VoIP, you can make calls from any location that you can get broadband connectivity. As ATAs (Analog Telephone Adaptor) and IP phones transmit information over the Internet, they can be done by any provider. For travelers on business trips, this means that they never miss a home phone call, since they can take their ATA with them wherever their destination might be. Also, by using a 'softphone' or a software which enables you to load your VoIP service onto your laptop or even desktop, you can easily make calls anywhere, provided you have broadband services, a headset and a microphone.

IP telephony is the way of the future. It makes sense in terms of ROI, from both the infrastructure and economic point of view. It will not be overnight, but in time all of the current circuit switched networks in place today will be taken over by packet switching technology, in other word, VoIP. A majority of businesses are already using VoIP, and as the technology makes a presence into our lives, it will become more popular. Forrester Research predicts that by the end of 2006, nearly 5 million US households will have VoIP phone service.

In a nutshell, VoIP is just a better phone service, but it's one that's here to stay.

Friday, May 25, 2007

8 Reasons To Consider Voip Phone Services

VOIP is an abbreviated form of Voice Over Internet Protocol. It has proved to be a gift of technology in which by paying less you can easily get maximum services by using internet. It has been becoming a very popular mode of communication because of its unique features. There are many companies that have come up to provide VOIP services. It is an efficient telephone service as compared to that of regular phone service.

Why To Consider VOIP Phone Services -

Because of the increasing popularity of VOIP phones, people have got perplexed between VOIP telephone services and regular telephone services that is whether to go for the former one or for the later one. The below-mentioned reasons can easily help the customer in opting for a VOIP system.

1 - There are many VOIP service providers that proffer liberty to the clients in the form of perks, benefits, and pricing. They even give them a choice to select the phone according to them.
2 - The VOIP phone service has proved to be more reliable and clear because of the use of highly advanced broadband connections. Therefore, there are no problems of call drop, inaudible calls, and other related issues while using VOIP services.

3 - VOIP service providers offer each and every type of service as provided by the regular telephone service providers. For e.g. caller ID, call block, security lock, call diversion, voice mail, last number dialed calling, call transfers, call waiting, voice mail, etc.

4 - There are many VOIP phone services providers that are attracting the customers towards themselves by alluring them with the attractive and cheap plans that are saving the dollars of the customers. For e.g. they are offering the plans of unlimited local and international calling.

5 - There are many companies that proffer flat-fee plan to the customers, which has helped a lot in having a control over the budget thus helping in cost reduction. Such plans have proved to be very much successful as compared to the plans of regular phone services.

6 - There are many companies that are offering numerous value added services free of cost in their basic service plan. It has also been compared that these value added services are chargeable in the basic plans of regular telephone services.

7 - There are many additional VOIP services that offer flexibility to change the settings on VOIP phones so that you can use any computer possessing internet to access your account and you can use any of the features like call forwarding, call diversion, etc. Therefore, the use of internet in VOIP phones has helped in having an eye over the business from any corner of the globe.

8 - There are many service providers that offer the facility of accessing your voice mail box by using your account online or even they can forward your messages of voice mail box to your email address on request. Therefore, this feature of VOIP telephone service helps in having a proper touch with the person even if you are far from the place.

Therefore, the extraordinary and stupendous services of VOIP telephones have proved to be very much helpful in having a constant contact with the family and office even if you are out of town.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Learning About VoIP Termination

Imagine being able to talk to your client across the ocean at half the cost while standing on a remote island. Life just got that much easier! Well, it got easier a few years back with the advent of Internet telephony, popularly known as VoIP or voice over Internet protocol telephony. It might seem like a technical jargon too difficult to understand, but in reality it is a simple concept wherein the voice converted into small digital IP packets from analog signals is sent via the Internet. It is then reconverted into analog signal format, so that it can be comprehended by the listener, before it finally reaches the destination. This is known as VoIP termination. Most of the work is done by the main service provider, whereas VoIP resellers and wholesalers do not have to worry about the technicalities of the call transmission process. This makes it easier and more logical for a business to become a voice over IP wholesaler or reseller, and enjoy the profits that are sure to be earned by businesses that utilise the services of VoIP.

VoIP service providers offer VoIP termination business plans or solutions, wholesale carrier services and reseller programs. With the increased knowledge about voice over IP telephony service and its benefits, unlike a few years ago, wholesale carrier service providers and resellers now have a large number of service providers to choose from. There are 3 kinds of providers whose services can be taken by them; namely, tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 operators. Usually, it is difficult for medium or small businesses to utilise the services of tier 1 or 2 operators. Tier 3 operators, on the other hand, would be the best option for them. Once the service providers list has narrowed down using this criterion, the next factor to be taken into consideration is the tariff or the rates and the quality provided by different VoIP service companies. Both the factors are crucial while opting for a service provider of VoIP, since it is these factors which further help the wholesalers and resellers in attracting their clients.

Few renowned service providers also offer round the clock technical support, which is an important factor to keep your services up and running efficiently. Different providers offer support via different means. For instance, there are several providers who offer support via help desk service. However, it is highly unreliable in most cases, since clients can often be heard complaining about long waiting periods or no response from the help desk. In such a scenario, instant contact directly with the technical support team to a specific technician allocated to you is a great advantage. This kind of a support is usually provided by few providers via MSN chat or email.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

All That You Need To Know About VoIP

Voice over IP or voice over Internet protocol - also popularly known as VoIP among the industry and end user - has become a phenomenon in itself. It’s simply a procedure through which our voice which exists in the analogue signal form is converted into digital signal and compressed simultaneously so as to make it acceptable and readable by the computer. By the time it finally reaches the destination point it is decompressed and reconverted into analogue signal.

Voice over Internet protocol service helps in transferring data voice and images through the same lines. This saves precious time and cost incurred during the process. Besides VoIP providers seem to understand the distinct needs of corporate houses, resellers and end-users thus providing them with relevant plans which are tailor made to suit their needs.

Voice over IP phone system is offered to one and all owing to its adaptable and flexible nature which benefits all. Voice over IP providers are of essentially 2 kinds. One are those who cater to VoIP resellers and corporates i.e. B2B. The second kind would be those whose clients are end users or residential s i.e. B2C.

There are 3 levels of resellers. First level is for those who serve direct customers or individuals. Second level is meant for those who are free to provide their services to other resellers and direct clients. Third level is more or less like a giant company which has established a whole network of its own.

Depending upon their budget, cost inputs, infrastructure and level of technology required a company may opt for any of these 3 levels.

Along with the invention of VoIP telephony services, the competition among VoIP providers is reaching its peak. Everyone is trying to lure the clients through various features along with this technology. However, a client needs to be cautious with such schemes.

The best VoIP solution is the one where there is stability of network. This can be judged by ACD or average call ratio and ASR or average success ratio. ACD of 8 and above is considered be excellent and ASR above 80% is above average. So, next time before opting for a particular provider of internet telephony service, be sure to look for this.

Another criterion that needs to be looked into is the quality of voice. Before leasing the network of some provider, be sure to check the route of that network. This is important because eventually you will not be selling something tangible i.e. some product but a service. The quality of service will determine in the long run the success of your company and place you at a level above your competitors.

A reliable and strong technical support should be provided by the service provider. This would ensure maximum satisfaction resulting in word of mouth marketing which is the best and most effective way of promotion. At the end of the day it would be the service that you provide to your customer's that would pave the path for your long and successful journey.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Everything About Voip Phones System

Born of telecom revolution started in 1990s, VoIP telephony has since been a service of significant focus. VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol by using VoIP phones enables you to make call through Internet. The whole process of Internet telephony is not only very economical, but also it is easy to avail. Today, as the entire world is becoming a globalised village, the necessity to use the cheap mode of communication is predominant.

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones change the analogue audio signals into digital data, which are transferred from one person to another over Internet. This way, by using Internet, you can make calls anywhere in the world at the one plain rate. Thus, making calls via Internet protocol is quite economical, as no matter which part of the world you are calling, charges will be same. It helps saving a lot of your telephone bills.

To avail the VoIP phones system, you will require some necessary hardware and subscription as well. Primarily you need to have an Internet connection and a subscription account with a VoIP service provider. Besides, you will also need a VoIP phone and VoIP adapter called ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter).VoIP phones are much alike your traditional telephone, but they are connected to network port on your router or hub. Usually, a VoIP phone will have features like caller ID, caller waiting, repeat dialing, return call, three-way dialing, etc which are provided by VoIP service provider.

If you have made your decision to avail the VoIP phone service, the next you need to do is to buy an appropriate telephone equipment. Saving money while buying VoIP phones is not an good idea. As, it is newly arrived technology, so the market is flooded with numerous of updated versions of phones; it is advisable that you buy the latest one.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Making Life Better With VoIP

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a path breaking invention in the world of communication. It has made communication smoother and much cheaper. Now international calls do not mean high expenditures. All you need is internet connection along with appropriate device, to make web calls anywhere in the world – at any time – and at much reduced costs.

There are many devices in the market today, that provide VoIP facilities. Leading manufacturers like Philips, Linksys, Siemens, Panasonic and Plantronics are churning out new and advanced VoIP devices one after the other. They are coming out with fantastic devices in order to provide maximum features to their consumers. They are trying to punch in more and more user friendly features that make lives more comfortable and more efficient.

VoIP phones are very much in demand these days. Both corporate organisations and individuals are enquiring about the new and better devices in the market and also purchasing the latest models. Some of the latest models available in the market today are: WIP330 Wireless-G IP Phone from Linksys, VoIP4331 MSN Messenger phone from Philips and Gigaset C460 IP DECT VoIP Telephone from Siemens. There are many more advanced phones with VoIP facilities that are equally in demand. You can choose any of them depending upon which device meets your requirements the best.

Some of the common features that almost every model has are:
  1. Support Microsoft Windows. (Version may differ)
  2. Support Wi-Fi technology.
  3. Common features like Conferencing facilities, Call Wait, Call Transfer and Call Forward, Call Hold and Resume, Call Mute and Caller ID.
  4. LCD screen
  5. Superb sound quality
  6. Increased Stand by time and Talk Time

The VoIP phones are available at cost effective rates. However, with some of the leading web stores, you can expect a further cut down on prices. Enjoy high speed internet connectivity and talk at length from home, office, or your favourite joint. Low-cost phone calls at its best!

Saturday, February 3, 2007

Voip – Redefining Communication

If you are still wondering what is VoIP all about and whether it is useful for you or not, then here is a real eye opener for you. VoIP is useful for each of us, whether we are working in a professional set up or we are at home. It is helpful for both individuals as well as corporate organisations. VoIP has many benefits, that can make our communication not just quick and smooth, but also quite cost effective.

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol, is nothing but communication with the help of internet. For this, all you need is an internet connection, a phone that supports VoIP and a PC. First of all you need a service provider, who would give you internet connectivity. With the help of internet, you can make calls to anywhere in the world. These calls are known as Web Calls. You can make both voice calls and video calls.

For a VoIP based call, you need a telephone that supports VoIP. The market is flooded with VoIP phones from various brands. There are brands like Philips, Siemens, Plantronics, Panasonic and Linksys – the devices manufactured by such brands are gaining high popularity among the masses. These brands are easily available through web stores. The main reasons for such growing popularity are – the cool features that they offer and the immense benefits that VoIP phones have.

Now let us briefly look at some of the major benefits that VoIP offers to its users. First of all, VoIP makes communication extremely smooth and very fast. There is superb clarity in the sound and in case of video conferences, the streaming of video is of excellent quality, unlike web cams. VoIP is cost effective and it helps you make international calls at much cheaper rates than other sources.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Understanding What Voip Phone Service Is

Voice over internet protocol is what voiP stands for and the ingenious technology allows you to use your internet connection to place and receive phone calls in and around the country as well as international calls. You can do away with traditional dial up phone services and save money as well. The technology is all the same from provider to provider, but the pricing and plans are significantly different. If you use a phone for your voiP service, you just dial the number and connect, if you use your computer, you simply punch in the number and wait for the person to answer.

The only thing you need to have in order to use the voiP phone service is cable or DSL because voiP needs to have a high-speed internet connection. Another thing most people do not know about this type of phone service verses the home landline is that you pay no taxes or other fees that local telephone services charge. The technology has allowed many businesses and individuals to lower their cost of phone service and make more calls then what they could before. You only need a few things to use a voiP server and have affordable phone service.

You will need an ATA box that connects your phone and computer to the modem, which connects you to the internet. If you are in a home situation, you can hook the main base of a cordless phone up to the ATA and the other extensions will work as well. You will want to hook your computer up so as to talk on the voiP phone sever and search the internet as well. With all the new technology, we see today, we might just wonder what is next. As far as that goes, the features and options are endless where voiP phone systems are concerned.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Voip - The New Key To Business Communication Success

In today’s business world communication is the key to its success. Communication is a essential element that is needed to start a business, as well as expand and maintain it. There is no business on the face of the earth that is able to prosper without a proper communication network in place in its organization. This is why VOIP providers are now offering voice over Internet protocol services that meet the communication needs of businesses, and help reduce the cost of call transmission while being productive at the same time.

The communication demands of a business are subjected to more than just making a few phone call to their clients and dealers. With the changing in times, the requirements that businesses have put on the communications industry have changed drastically over the past few years. In order to meet these demands, VOIP providers have started offering wide variety of services, aside from there IP voice over telephone services .

Some of the business that provide VOIP offer customized resellers their white panel program. This program enables the resellers of VOIP services to further resell VOIP minutes with their brand name. This allows resellers of this service to establish themselves as a telecommunication entity that don’t have the millions of dollars that are need to setup and establish a telecommunications company. Moreover, this extends the product range of these companies. VOIP is ideal for ISP, ITSP’s and call shops.

When you are shopping for a VOIP service provider for your business, it is a good idea to get the details concerning the provider you are think about going with. This will reveal the retention rate of their customers, along with the number of new clients that they have. Some of these providers offer technical training to put their clients at ease while they are working on voice over IP.

Technical support is a service that should be offered as part of your VOIP service in order to ensure that the organization is functioning smoothly. A handful of renowned carrier service providers of voice over IP provide technical support via both MSN chat and throgh email. This ensures that the client maintains a high quality of service. As a result of this, the client can the assure their users that they are receiving a enhanced quality of service, and this allows them to attract the maximum number users.