Long Distance: VoIP-ing

VoIP-ing is the term that people are giving telephone conversations that are happening through computers. VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol and is simply using a network card through computers or internet to have conversation with the only cost being your equipment purchases (if you do not have the necessary equipment already) and your internet connection monthly fees.

VoIP-ing becomes more and more popular everyday mainly as I stated above, there is very little cost. Most customers of VoIP services are ecstatic that they are able to contact anyone in the world with very little cost, if any. There are a couple of small countries that are charging fees for incoming or outgoing VoIP-ing due to the government restrictions. But most of the world is at you fingertips with VoIP. You do not obtain extra charges for the service, you only pay for your internet connection and that is it.

VoIP-ing is also popular because of the accessibility. You can access your VoIP account and make calls from it anywhere that has a computer and an internet connection. Most hotels now offer internet with the rental of their rooms. Therefore, many business people get sign up for VoIP-ing to be able to contact their office for updates, families, etc. when they are five thousand miles from home or wherever they happen to be. Here is the best part. If you move, you do not have to change your telephone number. The telephone number you are given when you download VoIP service is the number you get to keep even if you move to a different area code.

Another great thing when VoIP-ing is that you get all the same features that you currently have available to you with a regular landline telephone provider. You still can have caller identification, call forwarding, etc. and now you don’t have to pay for it. You have to admit that the phone company nickel and dimes you to death. They charge you a dollar for this and a dollar for that every month. Add up those dollars over a lifetime and you bought your house outright assuming you had all of the features of a regular landline provider.

There are also a few disadvantages when VoIP-ing. Currently, a lot of the providers of VoIP do not have emergency services, such as 911 in place. VoIP-ing happens through an internet connection, so that makes sense, but it is very valuable and is needed in every household. Recently, the government stated that all companies offer VoIP services had to begin offering emergencies services. Technicians and developers are working on making this a reality for every VoIP provider and should have it in full implementation soon.

Information numbers, such as 411, are the same as emergency numbers, except that the government is not ordering these be initialized. They are not available through most VoIP services companies. Many people want these services when they are VoIP-ing. However, I, personally, haven’t used it in ages. Mainly because the telephone company charges you every time you use it. With the number of computers that are in my house, I use whitepages.com or searchbug.com. I think both of these websites are better than the phone book because they are updated frequently, whereas the phone book is issued once a year. So, I feel that these are probably the same systems that 411 and other information telephone numbers are using. I don’t know for sure, but it would make sense.

There are other smaller negatives that can occur when VoIP-ing. Static in the line and echoing is seldom, but does happen. This is usually an effect of the speakers, microphone, earpiece or a mixture of these being turned up too loud. Usually static occurs when it is the person on the other end of the conversation that has there equipment turned up too loud. The echo usually occurs your equipment is turned up too loud. Both of these are annoying, but are being upgraded to reduce the number of these problems that occur. There have also been a few problems with getting disconnected. However, this is rarely happening now.

As you can see there are benefits to VoIP-ing and there are also drawbacks. The best advice I can give is to try it. If you already have the equipment, including an internet connection, then you have nothing to lose. As stated before if you are already paying for the internet access, then you can download the software free and you are not paying anymore out of pocket than you were before, so why not?