Cheap Home Phone Service
Attention deficit reader's summary: VoIP is what it claims to be. Good VoIP provider + good Internet connection = happy.
Non attention deficit readers, keep reading.
The major development in home phone service has been VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). You hear about it all over now and it seems too good to be true. Free or cheap unlimited calling for local / domestic calls and dirt cheap international calling. How is it possible?
First off, a short explanation of VoIP. Voice over Internet Protocol is a way of making a voice call through the Internet rather than only the traditional telco circuits. You initiate a call with a VoIP device (which might simply be a standard phone connected to a VoIP router). Your call connects to your VoIP service provider (Vonage, Sunrocket, SkypeOut etc) through your Internet connection. Finally your VoIP provider routes your call onto the standard telco phone system and to the number you called.
If everything is working correctly the person you called will have no idea that you didn't call them with a normal phone. It works the same the other way around. You get a normal phone number (you can generally transfer your old number to a VoIP service too) that other people can dial to reach you through your VoIP service as well.
It is an ideal solution if you already have a broadband Internet connection... a reliable broadband Internet connection... a reliable broadband Internet connection with a good upload rate...
Even though VoIP is not a new idea or service, it is still a developing technology. There are technical as well as practical complications that make VoIP not the best choice for everyone. It can save you a lot of money though, so it is worth taking a look at.
What you need to make VoIP work
- Broadband Internet. VoIP will only work if your Internet connection is working. If it goes down so does your phone. Or if the connection quality is bad you will have poor sound quality phone connections with random disconnections.
- VoIP Provider. A company that provides your VoIP service to you. Plenty to choose from. See the sections below for some guidance.
- VoIP Hardware (or software). Most VoIP service providers will provide the equipment you need to connect a standard phone. For some you will need to provide your own. In the case of Skype you will need to use your computer and the Skype software (see Skype section below).
VoIP Pros
- It is cheap. Especially international calling.
- It comes with you. It is easy to take your VoIP equipment with you when you travel (or even use it through a laptop / PDA etc). If you do this, calls you make are done at the same rate as if you were at home!
- VoIP does tricks. Get voicemails through email. Get a second phone number with a different area code. etc.
VoIP Cons
- Bad Internet connection = bad service. Since even good Internet connections have bad days and bad Internet connection have terrible days you will now get to understand the quality of your connection through poor voice quality and dropped calls.
- No power = no phone.
- e911. Not necessarily a negative but you should be aware of the differences between e911 and standard 911 service.
