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By Mark Woodcock
Until recently, our options have been limited when it comes to
making local and long distance phone calls. It has been
standard to have to pay high monthly and by-the-minute charges
to keep in touch with loved ones that live far away. With
mobile phones, you have the freedom to take your
communications
with you, but the reception is often sketchy, and roaming
charges can take a big bite out of your wallet. That is why
VOIP is so attractive to so many people. Quite a few people
have made the switch to this technology as their primary mode
of phone communication for work and everyday life because of
the freedom it allows, and the very low cost to subscribe to
the service. And the popularity of VOIP and Internet phone
service is continuing to gain momentum. If you are thinking of
making the switch VOIP phone service, there are a few issues
that you should give careful consideration to before making
the
decision.
When you subscribe to VOIP service, you are exchanging your
traditional landline for a phone that hooks up to your
Internet
connection. The phone accesses the Internet over your
broadband
connection, either by cable modem or DSL. Using a piece of
equipment that is plugged into the modem known as a telephony
adapter, electrical pulses from the IP telephone are
translated
into data packets that move over the Internet. Thus, your
phone
line and your Internet connection are one and the same. This
provides a myriad of communications option for the subscriber,
but also introduces many issues such as security breaches,
power outages, Internet service interruptions, and sub par
reception due to Internet traffic.
VOIP is gaining popularity primarily because of the low cost
to
subscribe to a service. Local and long distance calling is
bundled together along with other options like Caller ID and
Call Waiting for one low monthly rate, and International
calling rates are very reasonable. Rates for calling oversees
are usually .03 - .04 per minute, and calling Canada falls
under the domestic long distance region. In addition, it is
also customary for service providers to allow subscribers to
call one another within the service free of charge.
In order to subscribe to VOIP phone service, it is necessary
that you have a broadband Internet connection. If your
Internet
service is not totally consistent, and you tend to lose
service
on occasion, you will lose your phone service during Internet
service outages. As a subscriber to VOIP, your service will
provide you with a telephony adaptor that you can connect to
any home phone, which you in turn connect to your modem, which
will give you VOIP phone capabilities. Keep in mind that you
will pay for VOIP service in addition to your monthly Internet
service charges. However, charges for VOIP phone service are
far lower than traditional phone company charges.
Other issues, such as power outages, need to be addressed
before switching to VOIP. In essence, if your power goes out,
so does your phone service. It is possible to avoid losing
phone service during power outages by hooking your computer up
to a universal power supply. This keeps your computer - and
your phone service - operational during power outages. The
sound reception over an IP phone is often just as clear as
that
of a traditional telephone. Unless your Internet service is
experiencing heavy traffic, your calls will likely come
through
clear and audible. One thing to note is that the quality of
911
services depends on the service you decide to subscribe to.
Some services route emergency calls to different call centers
than traditional 911 calls, therefore emergency response might
not be as efficient as you are used to.
With all of the questions that arise from VOIP phone service,
there are still many reasons to consider subscribing. Aside
from the attractive cost savings, you can take your IP phone
with you and connect anywhere that there is broadband Internet
service, you can more than likely keep your current phone
number, and since VOIP services is federally regulated, there
are no state fees to pay that you customarily do with
traditional phone service. And as long as you stick with a
well-known service provider that you feel confident will
provide long-lasting service to you with the best prices and
options available, you have nothing to worry about. VOIP phone
service is not only convenient and cost effective, but it is
great way to make the most of your Internet capabilities.
About The Author: Mark 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
www.voip-services-provider.com
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