VoIP 101

VoIP 101 VoIP is a relatively new type of telephone service that has been gaining more and more popularity in the past few years. VOIP is short for voice over Internet protocol, which basically means your phone calls are made through an internet connection, rather than through regular phone land lines. The rise of it’s popularity could mean that it will be the way of the future for most home phones. What is it that has all these people so excited about VOIP technology? Well, with VOIP you save quite a bit of money, when you compare it to standard land line telephone service. VOIP providers usually have unlimited calling, as well as free added features like caller ID and call forwarding, which would cost you extra with a standard phone service. Those combined savings can add up to a savings of hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for many people. The biggest group this appeals to, and that stand to save the most, are larger companies or corporations that make a large number of calls on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean it won’t save money for those who only need it for their home phone, just that the more you use your phone, the more you’ll be saving. Some might tell you that using the internet for voice chat can be choppy or get an echo, thought this can be true, VOIP uses RTP (real time protocol), which greatly limits and often completely eliminates such problems. VOIP is not just useful for making and receiving phone calls either, it can also be used for other things, such as sending and receiving other types of data. File transfer is possible through a VOIP service, so you can share pictures with friends, or even send important documents instantly. Video chat and instant messaging can also be done through VOIP, when teamed with the right program, such as Google Talk or Skype. With all these great features and the savings included, many people are making the switch. So much so, that even some standard telephone companies are starting to offer VOIP service to their customers, a sure sign that it’s here to stay.