Wifi Meets VOIP

The Internet revolution is now being felt in voice communication. Now anybody in the world can talk without using a real phone. They may even be able to use a pocket pc WiFi phone. A technology called "voice over Internet protocol" (VOIP) has made these things possible. VOIP combined with wireless technology can truly provide an amazing experience with WiFi VOIP phones. Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
VOIP is a relatively new technology for allowing cheaper voice communication through the Internet. Two computers that have the same VOIP software can call each other for free, even if they are in different parts of the globe. By paying nominal fees, the VOIP user can also place calls to and receive calls from conventional phones.

Free VOIP services can make even international calls available at no cost and for a fee, a person living overseas can get a telephone number in the area code of their home town so their friends and relatives can call them for local charges over conventional land lines. Regardless of where the person travels in the world, their "local" number can go with them and will work anytime they are online.

For example, say that Jim lives in Florida and subscribed with a local VOIP provider that gave him a Florida number. Whether he goes to California, Japan or London, his friends can still call him as if he were living in Florida.

VOIP is revolutionizing the way people communicate and is getting more and more popular every day. Some of the leading and popular VOIP providers include Skype, Vonage, AT&T CallVantage, and BroadVoice VOIP. Instant messaging services such as Yahoo! and MSN messengers have also adopted VOIP by adding a free call feature to other users of the messenger services.

VOIP started with the so-called "soft-phone," software that needs to be installed on a computer that has a broadband connection in order to make calls. (Pocket pc WiFi phone applications are soft phones.) Eventually, VOIP phones were also manufactured and can be used even without a computer, as long as there is an access to broadband Internet connection. These phones look like the standard phone units but have a network jack to connect the Ethernet cable instead of just a phone jack. Now, the latest release in VOIP industry is the wireless VOIP phone, which is similar to a mobile phone.
Wireless VOIP Phones
The first VOIP phones available to VOIP subscribers were attached to the computer's USB port. A VOIP software or soft-phone usually comes with it should the subscriber prefer not to use the USB phone. When the soft-phone is used, a headset and a microphone are needed to be able to talk. A laptop that has a Bluetooth card may also use a Bluetooth headset compatible with the VOIP soft-phone for maximum mobility.

Stand-alone VOIP phones do not need a computer to make a call. They are like regular phones, but instead of connecting the unit to a regular telephone line, it is connected to a router that provides access to broadband Internet. These phones can call another VOIP phone or a regular telephone line if the provider allows it.

Moreover, some providers like Vonage allow the subscribers to use their regular telephone units as their VOIP phone. This is possible by using an adapter that has an Ethernet port on one end and a regular phone jack on another.
Need for Wireless
As new technology is introduced, people try to find ways to adapt the new technology to their current activities. VOIP phones are no exception. When people realized the benefits of VOIP, the need for wireless VOIP phones increased. Having a wireless device allows total flexibility and mobility, not to mention an inexpensive way of making calls.

The first WiFi VOIP phones manufactured are specific to a particular service. One example is the Netgear WiFi phone for Skype. As its name implies, the phone is only for Skype users who need to make calls even when they are not in front of the computer. Another example is the Vonage WiFi phone, which is obviously made just for Vonage VOIP subscribers.