Broadband phone services function worldwide and help you save with cheap international calling plans.
Broadband phone services are easy to use. Calls are sharp and clear. They can be used anywhere in the world. And they have cheap international calling plans. Millions of people worldwide are using these services for their personal and business needs. Read this page for an introduction. See my recommended broadband phone providers to the right for details and to sign up online.
Will broadband phone service work for you?
You must have a high speed Internet connection (cable, ADSL, etc.) to use a broadband phone service. These phone services charge a monthly fee, so they only make sense if you place enough international calls to justify the cost.
Broadband phone comparison
If you are ready to sign up with a good broadband phone service and just want details, visit the providers listed on the right side of this page, or try starting with my broadband phone comparison. If you know what you're looking for, then my comparison may have all the information you need to make a decision.
10 reasons to use broadband phone service for your international home or business
Did you know 10 percent of US business phone calls are routed through the Internet, and the percentage is quickly growing. Millions of people worldwide are also moving to broadband phone services. They are all learning that broadband phone service works and saves you money.
The connections are clear
When the service is working, which should be 99 percent of the time, broadband phone connections sound as good as calls over land lines.
The services are easy to use
Plug in an adapter, attatch a regular phone, and start dialing. It's simple.
You can choose from proven providers.
A number of broadband phone services have proven that they can serve your needs very well. See my comparison for examples.
The plans are cheap
Get incredibly cheap calling rates and plans for calling the USA and country-to-country worldwide.
Useful features are included
Get voicemail, 3-way conferencing, caller ID, call forwarding, and much more included in the basic service.
Get a local number in the USA
Anyone in that local calling area can call you for free anytime. You can get local numbers in a number of other countries with this service.
Get a toll free number in the USA
For a small fee you can add a toll free number to your service. This is a great feature for many business and personal needs.
These services are portable
Plug the adapter (or special phone) into broadband Internet connections worldwide and have instant incoming and outgoing phone service.
US based services are designed to work outside the USA
The Internet does not recognize borders. Broadband phone services work worldwide. The advantage of using a US based provider is that your calls to and from the USA are free and international rates are very cheap.
Try with a money back guarantee
The services in my comparison all offer 30 day no risk trial periods.
How people use broadband phone services worldwide
US Family / Daughter Studying Abroad - A family in the USA setup broadband phone service to talk with a daughter studying abroad in Japan. She enjoys the freedom to call home anytime and receive calls from friends.
Keep reading...
International Aid Worker - A worker with an international relief organization signs up for broadband phone service before moving with his family to India. The whole family enjoys free calls to the USA, and he calls the organization's offices in Europe and Asia at extremely low rates.
Keep reading...
International Small Business Owner - A man in Taiwan orders broadband phone service to call family members in the USA and UK. Then he starts an Internet based business and spends hours on the phone with a partner in California. He credits the broadband phone service for a successful business launch and begins developing business partners in Europe.
Keep reading...
International Organization - An international relief organization signs up its field offices and workers worldwide for broadband phone service. They call each other for free, arrange cheap conference calls, and enjoy the powerful business features while saving thousands of dollars per month.
Keep reading...
Some good questions
Do these services really work well?
Yes, they do. The quality should be excellent, but the actual results may depend on factors like the quality of your Internet connection. The best way to find out is by signing up and giving one of these services a try. They all offer no risk trial periods in case you change your mind.
Does it make sense to sign up with a US based broadband phone service if I live outside the USA?
Broadband phone services don't recognize international borders. They will work anywhere that you plug an adapter (or special phone) into the Internet. Here are some reasons why people choose US based providers:
Super cheap calling to and from the USA
You can choose from numerous flat rate plans. Depending on your plan and how much time you spend on the phone, your "per minute" rate should come out to 2 cents per minute or less.
Get a local number in the USA
Anyone in the local calling area can call you for free. This works well for all sorts of personal and business calling needs.
Multiple broadband phone services can co-exist
You still have your local phone service. In fact, you can actually plug more than one broadband phone service into a single Internet connection. I know someone in Japan who uses a Japanese broadband phone service for calls within Japan and a US based service as well. He is a very high volume caller, so it makes sense for him to have this setup.
How do I choose the best broadband phone service provider?
Start with my broadband phone comparison. That should give you enough information to choose a provider that fits your needs. Then click on the link for that company's website and sign up online.
What is the difference between the regular and business broadband phone service plans?
Generally speaking, the regular and business calling plans are the same. You can sign up with either one. If you choose an "unlimited" calling plan and your call volume is extremely high, they may have you switch to a business plan.
If you are looking for certain features that you need for your business, then my comparison may provide those details.
How simple is it really to setup and use this type of service?
Basically, you just plug in an adapter, attach your regular phone, and the service works. For many people it's that simple. If you want to attach a computer to the same Internet connection, then see below. If you run into technical problems, than the providers have support people who can coach you through a solution over the phone, by email, or by live online chat.
What is required to use a broadband phone service?
You need a high speed Internet connection (DSL, ADSL, Cable or LAN) with a minimum of 64 Kbps download and upload speed. The connection should connect via a standard Ethernet cable.
If you need to plug a computer into the same Internet connection, then you will need a router (to share the connection). Basic routers (Netgear, Linksys, etc.) are not that expensive and can be found at computer stores.
Are there any hidden fees or costs I should know about before signing up?
See my comparison for details about fees and costs. I dont consider any of these "hidden fees," but there are some charges that I try to point out. When you sign up with a provider be sure to read the "Terms and Conditions." I can't guarantee the details here will be accurate when you read them.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Calling from the USA : Personal, business toll free numbers
Personal, business toll free numbers
Get a 800, 888 or 866 toll free number for your home, mobile phone, or business. It's surprisingly simple and cheap.
Do you run a small business out of your home? Have a home office?
Do you have family members or others who need an easy way to reach you at home or on your mobile phone?
Get a toll free phone number and make it easy to reach you anywere.
Getting a toll free number is both cheap and simple
Most people can think of business reasons to have a toll free number, but how about getting a toll free number for personal reasons?
Toll free number providers, like the ones listed to the right, can give you an 800, 888 or 866 toll free number that forwards incoming calls to any phone number you choose. Route a toll free number to your home, office, or mobile phone and take calls at your desk, in your study, or at your "corner office" in Starbucks.
These services are very cheap and simple to use.
Some needs toll free numbers help meet
Toll free phone numbers help meet several key needs for someone running a business or home office. Consider these possibilities:
Communicating a professional image
Having a toll free number for your business or home office communicates you are serious about your business. It gives customer and clients confidence that they will be able to reach you if there is a problem.
Answering personal and business phone calls anywhere
These toll free number services can forward incoming calls to any number, so you can send incoming calls to a cell phone when you are traveling or just away from the office.
Making your website more effective
Giving website visitors a phone contact number will help you win the trust of prospective customers and clients.
Not missing important phone calls
If you don't pick up, a service like Kall8 can route the caller directly to voicemail and deliver the message to you by email.
Choosing a toll free number provider
I work with two great toll free providers. They both assign toll free numbers that you can manage online and forward to any phone or mobile phone in a the USA or worldwide. Both providers are very good choices to work with depending on what you need.
I also recommend a long distance carrier (3U Telecom). Most long distance carriers can give you a toll free number, but 3U Telecom is not ordinary. Besides offering wonderul (and cheap) long distance services, 3U Telecom offers cheap toll free numbers and lets you forward incoming calls to any phone number or mobile phone that you want (but not in real time).
Kall8 (Click Here)
Kall8 is a wonderful toll free number service. It's easy to use and includes a list of powerful features for your business, home office, or personal needs. Kall8 forwards incoming calls within the USA for 6.9¢/min, and you can have the calls forwarded to international locations at reasonably cheap rates. You pay a $2 setup fee and a $2 monthly fee for 866, 877 and 888 toll free numbers. Kall8 toll free numbers can be managed online in real time, and you can schedule the numbers to be routed to different destinations based on the time of day. The service also includes voicemail and fax reception. The messages and fax images are delivered as email attachments, or you can view them on a secure website. Kall8 can also host conference calls with up to 25 participants with no extra charge (just the rate for each person who participates). If you need a custom toll free number or one that is very easy to remember, Kall8 gives you several options to choose the number you want. I'm just touching on all that Kall8 has to offer. For more information visit the website and learn more.
$2 setup fee
$2 monthly fee
6.9¢/min within the USA (48 states)
Manage your toll free number online
Low international rates (a bit higher than UWT)
Scheduled routing (see example above)
Built in voicemail and fax reception
Caller ID
Call Blocking
Call notification emails with call details
Conference calling feature (up to 25 people)
Number assigned when you sign up
Learn More, Sign Up
United World Telecom (Click Here)
UWT doesn't have all the extras that Kall8 provides, and the rate to forward calls within the USA is 8¢/min. But UWT has cheap international rates if you will be forwarding calls overseas. UWT has free setup for 866 toll free numbers and a $2.95 monthly fee. You can manage your toll free number in real time online, but there are no other built in extra features. If you anticipate a high incoming call volume, UWT can dedicate multiple lines to a single toll free number. UWT also provides international toll free numbers. For example, you can create a toll free number in France that forwards calls to the USA.
$1 setup fee
$2.95 monthly fee
8¢/min within the USA (48 states)
Manage your toll free number online
Cheap international rates
Multiple lines capability
Number assigned in 2-3 business days
Get a 800, 888 or 866 toll free number for your home, mobile phone, or business. It's surprisingly simple and cheap.
Do you run a small business out of your home? Have a home office?
Do you have family members or others who need an easy way to reach you at home or on your mobile phone?
Get a toll free phone number and make it easy to reach you anywere.
Getting a toll free number is both cheap and simple
Most people can think of business reasons to have a toll free number, but how about getting a toll free number for personal reasons?
Toll free number providers, like the ones listed to the right, can give you an 800, 888 or 866 toll free number that forwards incoming calls to any phone number you choose. Route a toll free number to your home, office, or mobile phone and take calls at your desk, in your study, or at your "corner office" in Starbucks.
These services are very cheap and simple to use.
Some needs toll free numbers help meet
Toll free phone numbers help meet several key needs for someone running a business or home office. Consider these possibilities:
Communicating a professional image
Having a toll free number for your business or home office communicates you are serious about your business. It gives customer and clients confidence that they will be able to reach you if there is a problem.
Answering personal and business phone calls anywhere
These toll free number services can forward incoming calls to any number, so you can send incoming calls to a cell phone when you are traveling or just away from the office.
Making your website more effective
Giving website visitors a phone contact number will help you win the trust of prospective customers and clients.
Not missing important phone calls
If you don't pick up, a service like Kall8 can route the caller directly to voicemail and deliver the message to you by email.
Choosing a toll free number provider
I work with two great toll free providers. They both assign toll free numbers that you can manage online and forward to any phone or mobile phone in a the USA or worldwide. Both providers are very good choices to work with depending on what you need.
I also recommend a long distance carrier (3U Telecom). Most long distance carriers can give you a toll free number, but 3U Telecom is not ordinary. Besides offering wonderul (and cheap) long distance services, 3U Telecom offers cheap toll free numbers and lets you forward incoming calls to any phone number or mobile phone that you want (but not in real time).
Kall8 (Click Here)
Kall8 is a wonderful toll free number service. It's easy to use and includes a list of powerful features for your business, home office, or personal needs. Kall8 forwards incoming calls within the USA for 6.9¢/min, and you can have the calls forwarded to international locations at reasonably cheap rates. You pay a $2 setup fee and a $2 monthly fee for 866, 877 and 888 toll free numbers. Kall8 toll free numbers can be managed online in real time, and you can schedule the numbers to be routed to different destinations based on the time of day. The service also includes voicemail and fax reception. The messages and fax images are delivered as email attachments, or you can view them on a secure website. Kall8 can also host conference calls with up to 25 participants with no extra charge (just the rate for each person who participates). If you need a custom toll free number or one that is very easy to remember, Kall8 gives you several options to choose the number you want. I'm just touching on all that Kall8 has to offer. For more information visit the website and learn more.
$2 setup fee
$2 monthly fee
6.9¢/min within the USA (48 states)
Manage your toll free number online
Low international rates (a bit higher than UWT)
Scheduled routing (see example above)
Built in voicemail and fax reception
Caller ID
Call Blocking
Call notification emails with call details
Conference calling feature (up to 25 people)
Number assigned when you sign up
Learn More, Sign Up
United World Telecom (Click Here)
UWT doesn't have all the extras that Kall8 provides, and the rate to forward calls within the USA is 8¢/min. But UWT has cheap international rates if you will be forwarding calls overseas. UWT has free setup for 866 toll free numbers and a $2.95 monthly fee. You can manage your toll free number in real time online, but there are no other built in extra features. If you anticipate a high incoming call volume, UWT can dedicate multiple lines to a single toll free number. UWT also provides international toll free numbers. For example, you can create a toll free number in France that forwards calls to the USA.
$1 setup fee
$2.95 monthly fee
8¢/min within the USA (48 states)
Manage your toll free number online
Cheap international rates
Multiple lines capability
Number assigned in 2-3 business days
Calling from the USA :Choosing and using a VOIP phone service
Learn how VOIP phone services are changing the way we communicate and can save you loads of money.
You are probably here because you heard that VOIP phone services are cheap and really do work. It's true. A new generation of VOIP phone services are ready to use in your home, office or business. They are easy to use and able to provide high quality connections. You also get many practical features and the cheapest phone rates in the world. In short, VOIP phone services offer a new level of freedom to pick up the phone and call anywhere.
Bring your home or business into the now
Like millions of others, I finally switched to a high speed Internet connection. First, I signed up with a DSL provider, then I switched to a VOIP phone service. Now all all my incoming and outgoing calls pass through the Internet.
I am calling family and friends at such low rates that I no longer worry about the charges. The connections are clear, and it's really wonderful. It's changed my attitude about the phone.
Having a good experience with VOIP will give the freedom to talk with people who seemed out of reach: family members, friends, and/or business clients and customers.
Home and personal phone services
VOIP services give you the freedom to call friends and family regardless of the distance and talk for as long as you want. If you have friends and family spread across the USA or wordwide, then you can stop depending on email to keep in touch and use the phone instead.
Business calling with VOIP
A growing percentage of business phone services pass through the Internet. Companies large and small are switching because they can get quality service at a much lower cost.
Imagine calling customers and clients across the USA without any concern about the cost? And business partners anywhere in the world at for pennies (for free if they sign up with the same VOIP service)?
It's more than just cheap rates. VOIP phone services include the features of an expensive office phone system as part of the basic service. For a small monthly fee, you can add a toll free number or additional local numbers in other area codes. If any of this interests you, keep reading.
The power of T1 business phone services
Does your office or business have multiple phone lines? An extremely high volume of outgoing long distance calls (thousands of minutes per month)? Muliple computers hooked up to the Internet? If so, consider getting a full or partial T-1 line. That's a high speed Internet connection that all your phones and computers can share.
T-1 services are probably the best choice if you represent a large office or company with high calling volume. Go to ShopforT1 and take advantage of their "broadband advisor" service. They will help you understand your options and find a provider.
Will a VOIP phone service work for you?
You must have a high speed Internet connection (cable, DSL, etc) to use a VOIP phone service. These services charge a flat monthly fee, so they only make sense if you are: a) a high volume caller, or b) eliminating your local phone service.
VOIP phone services comparison
Once again, if you're tired of reading and ready for the details, you may prefer to skip this article and go straight to my VOIP phone services comparison. Use that page to compare the costs and features of four top VOIP providers and make your choice.
Why are people choosing VOIP
Why are ten percent of business phone calls in the USA using Internet calling services, and why are millions and millions of business, office, and home users around the world switching? VOIP calling services work; they are simple to use; and you get extremely cheap rates. Here are some more reasons:
VOIP phone calls sound great.
When the service is working, which should be 99 percent of the time, the calls sound just as clear as connections over regular phone lines.
The services are easy to use.
You use a regular phone with an adaptor that plugs into any high speed Internet connection. Dial the usual way and answer when it rings. Most people won't notice any difference at all.
VOIP companies have proven themselves.
Choose an experienced provider. See my comparison for examples.
The rates are amazingly cheap for US and international calling.
Call and talk anytime without worrying about rates. Calls within the USA are included in the flat monthly fee. International calls are very cheap, or free if the other person/office used the same VOIP service.
Powerful features are included in the basic service.
Voicemail, 3-way conferencing, call transfer, call forwarding, and many more features are included with no extra charge. For a small monthly fee, add a toll free number or additional local numbers.
Get a local phone number and choose your area code.
You get one local phone number with the basic service, and you choose the area code it's in (or keep your existing number). Most providers let you add additional local numbers for a small fee. Some providers let you choose local numbers in other countries. Wherever your local number is located, anyone in that calling area can reach you for free.
Get a business phone system for less.
Replace an expensive business phone system for less. For many home offices, getting a VOIP phone service will be like a free upgrade.
VOIP phone services travel with you.
Use the service anywhere you can plug into a cable or DSL Internet connection. Take your VOIP phone/adaptor with you on the road and use it at a friend's house or in your hotel's business center. Most of these services also let you place calls with your laptop via wireless if needed.
The services offer "no risk" trial periods.
You don't have to cancel your current long distance provider. Sign up and try out a VOIP provider for up to 30 days with a money back guarantee. The "guarantees" vary depending on the provider you choose. See my VOIP comparison for more information.
How real people use VOIP services
Family, USA: A family in the USA signs up for a VOIP phone service. At first they just want a cheap way to call their daughter during her study abroad program in China. But after she returns, they cancel their regular phone carrier and use the VOIP phone service exclusively.
Keep reading...
Small Business, USA: A small business owner selling wireless MP3 players out of a shop in Berkely creates a website. To his surprise, people all over the USA start calling in with orders. Some even want to be distributors. He needs to keep in touch with customers, retailers and potential partners, so he signs up for a VOIP phone service. He appreciates the super cheap rates and the features that will help his business keep growing.
Keep reading...
International Organization, USA: A relief and developoment organization has its field offices and workers in the USA and around the world. They equip all the field offices in major cities with the same, US based VOIP phone service. Now all these offices can call each for free. The whole organization runs more smoothly with an immense cost savings.
Keep reading...
Relief Worker, India: A relief worker is sent from the USA to India with his family. He gets a US based VOIP phone service that gives him unlimited calls to the USA for about $20 per month, and his family in Kansas can reach him for free anytime using a local number he created. He uses the same service to call his co-workers in Europe and Asia at incredibly low rates.
Keep reading...
International Business, Thailand: A man in Thailand gets a US based VOIP phone service to keep in touch with family in the USA and U.K.. He spends many hours on the telephone with a partner in the USA, and they launch a new business importing handmade Thai crafts. The VOIP phone service keeps the partners so closely connected that it's like being across town from each other. Now he is searching for a business partner in Europe.
Keep reading...
Practical questions and answers
Do T1 and VOIP based phone services really work well?
Yes, they do. Your connections should sound as clear as calls over regular phone lines most of the time. You can give VOIP a trial run to find out for yourself. All of the services in this comparison (here) offer a trial period with a money back guarantee if you don't want to continue.
My local phone service costs over $50 a month. Can I completely drop that service and use an VOIP based phone service instead for all my calls?
Yes, you can. Many people do that, while others keep their local phone company and use the Internet phone service for long distance calls.
Consider that:
You may NOT have the same level of 911 emergency phone services if you drop your local carrier. Most of these services give you a 911 dialing option that reaches a "Public Safety Answer Point." But you MUST go online and configure the service in order for this to work though.
The quality with VOIP should be very high and the service should be working close to 100 percent of the time, but you may experience some glitches and interruptions.
How do I choose the best service for my needs?
Again, I suggest starting with my VOIP comparison. The services I most recommend are Packet8 (for overall service and cost) and iConnectHere.
What is the difference between the residential and business VOIP phone service plans?
In most cases there is no difference. You can use a regular "unlimited" service plan for your business or home office, but if your calling volume is very high you may be asked to switch to a business plan.
If you want powerful business type features to replace an office phone system, then I suggest looking at Packet8. They have business plans that are designed for this purpose.
Are these services easy to use?
They are quite easy to setup and use. I read that someone who signed up his grandmother for VOIP phone service, and she never noticed the difference. If you don't have a computer, just plug an adapter into your DSL, ADSL or cable Internet connection. Then attach a phone (regular or cordless) and dial. Or buy a special phone with the adapter built in. By the way, you can take your adapter (or phone with abuilt in adapter) with you on the road. Plug it in to a high speed Internet connection anywhere, even outside the USA, and use it to make and receive phone calls.
What is required to use a VOIP phone service?
You need a high speed Internet connection (DSL, ADSL, Cable or LAN) with a minimum of 64 Kbps download and upload speed. The connection should connect via a standard Ethernet cable. (Find a DSL provider here.)
If you need to plug a computer into the same Internet connection, then you will need a router (to share the connection). Basic routers (Netgear, Linksys, etc.) are not that expensive and can be found at computer stores.
Will these services surprise me with hidden fees?
I don't think you'll have any problems like this if you stick with a proven provider. They have to treat their customers well, or they may cease to exist. See the last section of my comparison for information about the different fees each provider may charge, and double check on the provider's website when you go to sign up.
You are probably here because you heard that VOIP phone services are cheap and really do work. It's true. A new generation of VOIP phone services are ready to use in your home, office or business. They are easy to use and able to provide high quality connections. You also get many practical features and the cheapest phone rates in the world. In short, VOIP phone services offer a new level of freedom to pick up the phone and call anywhere.
Bring your home or business into the now
Like millions of others, I finally switched to a high speed Internet connection. First, I signed up with a DSL provider, then I switched to a VOIP phone service. Now all all my incoming and outgoing calls pass through the Internet.
I am calling family and friends at such low rates that I no longer worry about the charges. The connections are clear, and it's really wonderful. It's changed my attitude about the phone.
Having a good experience with VOIP will give the freedom to talk with people who seemed out of reach: family members, friends, and/or business clients and customers.
Home and personal phone services
VOIP services give you the freedom to call friends and family regardless of the distance and talk for as long as you want. If you have friends and family spread across the USA or wordwide, then you can stop depending on email to keep in touch and use the phone instead.
Business calling with VOIP
A growing percentage of business phone services pass through the Internet. Companies large and small are switching because they can get quality service at a much lower cost.
Imagine calling customers and clients across the USA without any concern about the cost? And business partners anywhere in the world at for pennies (for free if they sign up with the same VOIP service)?
It's more than just cheap rates. VOIP phone services include the features of an expensive office phone system as part of the basic service. For a small monthly fee, you can add a toll free number or additional local numbers in other area codes. If any of this interests you, keep reading.
The power of T1 business phone services
Does your office or business have multiple phone lines? An extremely high volume of outgoing long distance calls (thousands of minutes per month)? Muliple computers hooked up to the Internet? If so, consider getting a full or partial T-1 line. That's a high speed Internet connection that all your phones and computers can share.
T-1 services are probably the best choice if you represent a large office or company with high calling volume. Go to ShopforT1 and take advantage of their "broadband advisor" service. They will help you understand your options and find a provider.
Will a VOIP phone service work for you?
You must have a high speed Internet connection (cable, DSL, etc) to use a VOIP phone service. These services charge a flat monthly fee, so they only make sense if you are: a) a high volume caller, or b) eliminating your local phone service.
VOIP phone services comparison
Once again, if you're tired of reading and ready for the details, you may prefer to skip this article and go straight to my VOIP phone services comparison. Use that page to compare the costs and features of four top VOIP providers and make your choice.
Why are people choosing VOIP
Why are ten percent of business phone calls in the USA using Internet calling services, and why are millions and millions of business, office, and home users around the world switching? VOIP calling services work; they are simple to use; and you get extremely cheap rates. Here are some more reasons:
VOIP phone calls sound great.
When the service is working, which should be 99 percent of the time, the calls sound just as clear as connections over regular phone lines.
The services are easy to use.
You use a regular phone with an adaptor that plugs into any high speed Internet connection. Dial the usual way and answer when it rings. Most people won't notice any difference at all.
VOIP companies have proven themselves.
Choose an experienced provider. See my comparison for examples.
The rates are amazingly cheap for US and international calling.
Call and talk anytime without worrying about rates. Calls within the USA are included in the flat monthly fee. International calls are very cheap, or free if the other person/office used the same VOIP service.
Powerful features are included in the basic service.
Voicemail, 3-way conferencing, call transfer, call forwarding, and many more features are included with no extra charge. For a small monthly fee, add a toll free number or additional local numbers.
Get a local phone number and choose your area code.
You get one local phone number with the basic service, and you choose the area code it's in (or keep your existing number). Most providers let you add additional local numbers for a small fee. Some providers let you choose local numbers in other countries. Wherever your local number is located, anyone in that calling area can reach you for free.
Get a business phone system for less.
Replace an expensive business phone system for less. For many home offices, getting a VOIP phone service will be like a free upgrade.
VOIP phone services travel with you.
Use the service anywhere you can plug into a cable or DSL Internet connection. Take your VOIP phone/adaptor with you on the road and use it at a friend's house or in your hotel's business center. Most of these services also let you place calls with your laptop via wireless if needed.
The services offer "no risk" trial periods.
You don't have to cancel your current long distance provider. Sign up and try out a VOIP provider for up to 30 days with a money back guarantee. The "guarantees" vary depending on the provider you choose. See my VOIP comparison for more information.
How real people use VOIP services
Family, USA: A family in the USA signs up for a VOIP phone service. At first they just want a cheap way to call their daughter during her study abroad program in China. But after she returns, they cancel their regular phone carrier and use the VOIP phone service exclusively.
Keep reading...
Small Business, USA: A small business owner selling wireless MP3 players out of a shop in Berkely creates a website. To his surprise, people all over the USA start calling in with orders. Some even want to be distributors. He needs to keep in touch with customers, retailers and potential partners, so he signs up for a VOIP phone service. He appreciates the super cheap rates and the features that will help his business keep growing.
Keep reading...
International Organization, USA: A relief and developoment organization has its field offices and workers in the USA and around the world. They equip all the field offices in major cities with the same, US based VOIP phone service. Now all these offices can call each for free. The whole organization runs more smoothly with an immense cost savings.
Keep reading...
Relief Worker, India: A relief worker is sent from the USA to India with his family. He gets a US based VOIP phone service that gives him unlimited calls to the USA for about $20 per month, and his family in Kansas can reach him for free anytime using a local number he created. He uses the same service to call his co-workers in Europe and Asia at incredibly low rates.
Keep reading...
International Business, Thailand: A man in Thailand gets a US based VOIP phone service to keep in touch with family in the USA and U.K.. He spends many hours on the telephone with a partner in the USA, and they launch a new business importing handmade Thai crafts. The VOIP phone service keeps the partners so closely connected that it's like being across town from each other. Now he is searching for a business partner in Europe.
Keep reading...
Practical questions and answers
Do T1 and VOIP based phone services really work well?
Yes, they do. Your connections should sound as clear as calls over regular phone lines most of the time. You can give VOIP a trial run to find out for yourself. All of the services in this comparison (here) offer a trial period with a money back guarantee if you don't want to continue.
My local phone service costs over $50 a month. Can I completely drop that service and use an VOIP based phone service instead for all my calls?
Yes, you can. Many people do that, while others keep their local phone company and use the Internet phone service for long distance calls.
Consider that:
You may NOT have the same level of 911 emergency phone services if you drop your local carrier. Most of these services give you a 911 dialing option that reaches a "Public Safety Answer Point." But you MUST go online and configure the service in order for this to work though.
The quality with VOIP should be very high and the service should be working close to 100 percent of the time, but you may experience some glitches and interruptions.
How do I choose the best service for my needs?
Again, I suggest starting with my VOIP comparison. The services I most recommend are Packet8 (for overall service and cost) and iConnectHere.
What is the difference between the residential and business VOIP phone service plans?
In most cases there is no difference. You can use a regular "unlimited" service plan for your business or home office, but if your calling volume is very high you may be asked to switch to a business plan.
If you want powerful business type features to replace an office phone system, then I suggest looking at Packet8. They have business plans that are designed for this purpose.
Are these services easy to use?
They are quite easy to setup and use. I read that someone who signed up his grandmother for VOIP phone service, and she never noticed the difference. If you don't have a computer, just plug an adapter into your DSL, ADSL or cable Internet connection. Then attach a phone (regular or cordless) and dial. Or buy a special phone with the adapter built in. By the way, you can take your adapter (or phone with abuilt in adapter) with you on the road. Plug it in to a high speed Internet connection anywhere, even outside the USA, and use it to make and receive phone calls.
What is required to use a VOIP phone service?
You need a high speed Internet connection (DSL, ADSL, Cable or LAN) with a minimum of 64 Kbps download and upload speed. The connection should connect via a standard Ethernet cable. (Find a DSL provider here.)
If you need to plug a computer into the same Internet connection, then you will need a router (to share the connection). Basic routers (Netgear, Linksys, etc.) are not that expensive and can be found at computer stores.
Will these services surprise me with hidden fees?
I don't think you'll have any problems like this if you stick with a proven provider. They have to treat their customers well, or they may cease to exist. See the last section of my comparison for information about the different fees each provider may charge, and double check on the provider's website when you go to sign up.
Calling from the USA :Discount long distance carriers, USA
The cheapest long distance carriers have high quality services and lots of great features, too
Are you looking at your phone bill? Thinking about swiching to a discount long distance carrier? Why not switch when you can get quality connections, great service, and very cheap US and international phone rates?
This article offers practical suggestions and options to help you get started. To learn more and sign up online, see my recommended phone carriers and brief reviews on the right.
How to choose a discount long distance carrier
If your home or office is within the United States you should be paying much less than 5¢ per minute for interstate calls. You can use a quality, discount carrier with rates under 3¢ per minute. In fact, you should be paying less than 5¢ per minute for most international calls.
You don't have to sacrifice quality or customer support either. All the carriers that I have recommend provide outstanding services and support. If you want to skip straight to the details, see my discount long distance comparison.
Here are some practical tips for choosing a long distance carrier.
Billing increments - smaller is better
The best discount carriers use small billing increments (6 seconds or less). Carriers with 6 second billing increments round the length of each call up to the nearest 6 seconds to figure out the charge. Other carriers advertise low rates, but they round the length of each call to the nearest minute (so you are paying extra for every call). Six seconds is good, because you are only paying for the time you use. One second is even better!
Monthly fees - to pay or not to pay
Most discount carriers don't charge any monthly fees for their basic service, but you need to keep your eyes on the details. Some discount carriers have introduced "Network Access Charges," which is just another name for a monthly fee.
Should you pay a monthly fee or "network access charge?" That depends. If the "per minute" rate is super low and you are a high volume caller, then the savings will more than compensate for the monthly fee. But if you are a low volume caller (less than 500 minutes per month), then you'll be better off accepting a slightly higher "per minute" rate with no fees.
"Administration fees" - required or not
There are two federally required fees that everyone pays on top of the basic long distance charges: a three percent federal tax and the USF (Universal Service Fund) fee. Businesses also pay a PICC fee if they have extra lines. Carriers are not allowed to inflate these fees, but they ARE allowed to charge an "administrative fee" (to cover the cost of collecting the other fees...). Most of the discount long distance carriers don't charge administrative fees, but some do. In my opinion, administrative fees are just another way of getting customers to pay more than they realize-- and these fees really add up for high volume users, because they are a percentage of the total bill.
Extra features - toll free numbers, etc
The best discount long distance carriers don't just lower their rates, they give you extra features. For example, all the carriers featured here can give you a personal or business toll free number for a small fee, but only (3U Telecom) lets you forward your toll free number to any phone or mobile phone number that you choose in the USA or worldwide.
Billing options
Do you mind having your credit card charged automatically each month, or do you prefer to write a check for your bill (or go online and authorize the charge personally)? Do you prefer to get a paper billing statement in the mail, or are you willing to view the information online instead? Generally speaking, you will save more if you are willing to pay by credit card (or bank transfer) and view your call details online.
My comparison
Read my long distance comparison to compare costs, features, and other factors for four respected discount carriers. The chart includes the key details mentioned above plus sample rates and short reviews for each of the carriers. I've also written longer reviews that you can read before making a choice.
Two carriers that I highly recommend are:
Pioneer Telephone
Pioneer is known for having extremely cheap rates AND great customer service. I chose Pioneer as the "Best Overall" carrier in the comparison.
Read my Pioneer review here
3U Telecom
3U Telecom has the cheapest international rates of the discount carriers in my comparison. The US rates are also cheap, and you get good customer service, great terms and no fees.
Read my 3U Telecom review here
Are you looking at your phone bill? Thinking about swiching to a discount long distance carrier? Why not switch when you can get quality connections, great service, and very cheap US and international phone rates?
This article offers practical suggestions and options to help you get started. To learn more and sign up online, see my recommended phone carriers and brief reviews on the right.
How to choose a discount long distance carrier
If your home or office is within the United States you should be paying much less than 5¢ per minute for interstate calls. You can use a quality, discount carrier with rates under 3¢ per minute. In fact, you should be paying less than 5¢ per minute for most international calls.
You don't have to sacrifice quality or customer support either. All the carriers that I have recommend provide outstanding services and support. If you want to skip straight to the details, see my discount long distance comparison.
Here are some practical tips for choosing a long distance carrier.
Billing increments - smaller is better
The best discount carriers use small billing increments (6 seconds or less). Carriers with 6 second billing increments round the length of each call up to the nearest 6 seconds to figure out the charge. Other carriers advertise low rates, but they round the length of each call to the nearest minute (so you are paying extra for every call). Six seconds is good, because you are only paying for the time you use. One second is even better!
Monthly fees - to pay or not to pay
Most discount carriers don't charge any monthly fees for their basic service, but you need to keep your eyes on the details. Some discount carriers have introduced "Network Access Charges," which is just another name for a monthly fee.
Should you pay a monthly fee or "network access charge?" That depends. If the "per minute" rate is super low and you are a high volume caller, then the savings will more than compensate for the monthly fee. But if you are a low volume caller (less than 500 minutes per month), then you'll be better off accepting a slightly higher "per minute" rate with no fees.
"Administration fees" - required or not
There are two federally required fees that everyone pays on top of the basic long distance charges: a three percent federal tax and the USF (Universal Service Fund) fee. Businesses also pay a PICC fee if they have extra lines. Carriers are not allowed to inflate these fees, but they ARE allowed to charge an "administrative fee" (to cover the cost of collecting the other fees...). Most of the discount long distance carriers don't charge administrative fees, but some do. In my opinion, administrative fees are just another way of getting customers to pay more than they realize-- and these fees really add up for high volume users, because they are a percentage of the total bill.
Extra features - toll free numbers, etc
The best discount long distance carriers don't just lower their rates, they give you extra features. For example, all the carriers featured here can give you a personal or business toll free number for a small fee, but only (3U Telecom) lets you forward your toll free number to any phone or mobile phone number that you choose in the USA or worldwide.
Billing options
Do you mind having your credit card charged automatically each month, or do you prefer to write a check for your bill (or go online and authorize the charge personally)? Do you prefer to get a paper billing statement in the mail, or are you willing to view the information online instead? Generally speaking, you will save more if you are willing to pay by credit card (or bank transfer) and view your call details online.
My comparison
Read my long distance comparison to compare costs, features, and other factors for four respected discount carriers. The chart includes the key details mentioned above plus sample rates and short reviews for each of the carriers. I've also written longer reviews that you can read before making a choice.
Two carriers that I highly recommend are:
Pioneer Telephone
Pioneer is known for having extremely cheap rates AND great customer service. I chose Pioneer as the "Best Overall" carrier in the comparison.
Read my Pioneer review here
3U Telecom
3U Telecom has the cheapest international rates of the discount carriers in my comparison. The US rates are also cheap, and you get good customer service, great terms and no fees.
Read my 3U Telecom review here
VOIP phone service for a relief worker in India frequently calling overseas
This is a hypothetical example of how a US based VOIP phone service may work for an expat or family living outside the USA.
See my recommended VOIP providers to the right. Click on a provider's name to learn more and sign up securely online. Both providers offer trial periods with money back guarantees.
Summary
A worker with a relief organization moves with his family to India. They sign up for a VOIP phone service based in the USA and use that to call worldwide. With the VOIP service, calls to the USA are free. They also call co-workers and friends scattered throughtout Europe, Asia, and Africa with extremely cheap rates. The VOIP service even gave them a local number in the USA that family and friends can dial to call them for free.
Discovering VOIP abroad
The international worker learned about VOIP from another expatriate. Expats around the world are discovering that VOIP services are better and cheaper than callback services and phone cards. Long distance rates to and from India are famously high, so the worker really needed a cheap alternative.
He chose iConnectHere after reading this review. For $6.99 he gets broadband phone service with all the convenience (a phone that works when his computer is turned off) and features. The plan includes a free phone number in the USA. He has to pay on a per minute basis, but the rates are so law that he'll save compared to all the other options. He could have paid $29 for an "unlimited" calling plan from Packet8, but he doesn't plan to use the service enough to justify such a high monthly fee.
Freedom to use the phone
The worker makes VOIP phone calls to his organization's office in the USA, and his family enjoys keeping in touch with relatives and friends in the USA and around the world. They have friends in Asia, Europe, and Africa due to work connections. Calls to those places are not included in the basic service, but the rates are very low (usually 3 to 5 cents per minute).
iConnectHere provides the family with a local phone number in the USA. They chose a number in their hometown area code, so family and friends who live in that dialing area can pick up the phone and call for free anytime.
Having a local number in the USA has other benefits. For example, they use it to receive faxes from their health insurance company and the bank.
The worker soon found out that people in the USA don't understand the time difference with India. After being woken up in the early morning a few times, he learned that their service comes with a "Do Not Disturb" feature. With this feature turned on, calls are automatically forwarded to voicemail.
Expatriates always face a degree of isolation living so far from the people who know them best. But this family, like more and more expats, has found that cheap VOIP phone calls help them stay connected
See my recommended VOIP providers to the right. Click on a provider's name to learn more and sign up securely online. Both providers offer trial periods with money back guarantees.
Summary
A worker with a relief organization moves with his family to India. They sign up for a VOIP phone service based in the USA and use that to call worldwide. With the VOIP service, calls to the USA are free. They also call co-workers and friends scattered throughtout Europe, Asia, and Africa with extremely cheap rates. The VOIP service even gave them a local number in the USA that family and friends can dial to call them for free.
Discovering VOIP abroad
The international worker learned about VOIP from another expatriate. Expats around the world are discovering that VOIP services are better and cheaper than callback services and phone cards. Long distance rates to and from India are famously high, so the worker really needed a cheap alternative.
He chose iConnectHere after reading this review. For $6.99 he gets broadband phone service with all the convenience (a phone that works when his computer is turned off) and features. The plan includes a free phone number in the USA. He has to pay on a per minute basis, but the rates are so law that he'll save compared to all the other options. He could have paid $29 for an "unlimited" calling plan from Packet8, but he doesn't plan to use the service enough to justify such a high monthly fee.
Freedom to use the phone
The worker makes VOIP phone calls to his organization's office in the USA, and his family enjoys keeping in touch with relatives and friends in the USA and around the world. They have friends in Asia, Europe, and Africa due to work connections. Calls to those places are not included in the basic service, but the rates are very low (usually 3 to 5 cents per minute).
iConnectHere provides the family with a local phone number in the USA. They chose a number in their hometown area code, so family and friends who live in that dialing area can pick up the phone and call for free anytime.
Having a local number in the USA has other benefits. For example, they use it to receive faxes from their health insurance company and the bank.
The worker soon found out that people in the USA don't understand the time difference with India. After being woken up in the early morning a few times, he learned that their service comes with a "Do Not Disturb" feature. With this feature turned on, calls are automatically forwarded to voicemail.
Expatriates always face a degree of isolation living so far from the people who know them best. But this family, like more and more expats, has found that cheap VOIP phone calls help them stay connected
VoIP Provider: 3xTechnologies Private Limited
VoIP Provider: 3xTechnologies Private Limited
Location: [General office] - India / Chennai
[Point of presence] - India / Chennai
VoIP Categories: Hardware, Hosted VoIP billing service provider, International VoIP Wholesale Provider, Internet Telephony Service Provider, Internet VoIP and Video Conferencing Service Provider, Network Service Provider, SIP Billing, VoIP Billing Software Provider, Voip consulting
VoIP Services: Billing Software, Call Relay VoIP Solutions, Call Routing VoIP Solutions, Collaboration, Consultancy Services, Data Conferencing, Installation and Support Services, IP devices, PC to Phone, Phone To PC, Phone To Phone, SIP Softswitch & CPE, SIP VoIP Gateway, System Integration, Termination, Voice and Video Conferencing, Web Call, Web To Phone
Description: 3xTechnologies is a technology company focusing on network technologies with expertise on Voice over IP. The people who found 3xTechnologies have engineered VoIP systems with voice quality enhancement algorithms, which has a customer base including a Fortune-500 US health insurance company.
VoIP Provider: Aaalpha Voip solution
Location: [General office] - India / anand
VoIP Categories: Hardware, Hosted VoIP billing service provider, SIP Billing
VoIP Services: Billing Software
VoIP Provider: Aarvy Online Stores Pvt. Ltd.
Location: [General office] - India / Hyderabad
[Point of presence] - USA / Chicago
[Point of presence] - USA / Hyderabad
VoIP Categories: Hardware, Hosted VoIP billing service provider, Internet Telephony Service Provider, Voip Termination ISP
VoIP Services: IP devices, PC to Phone, Phone To Phone, Web To Phone
VoIP Provider: Adiance Technologies Pvt. Ltd
Location: [General office] - India / Ahmedabad
VoIP Categories: Hosted VoIP billing service provider, Internet Telephony Service Provider, Internet VoIP and Video Conferencing Service Provider, SIP Billing, VoIP Billing Software Provider, Voip consulting
VoIP Services: Billing Software, Call Relay VoIP Solutions, Call Routing VoIP Solutions, Collaboration, Consultancy Services, Data Conferencing, H.323 VoIP Gateway, Installation and Support Services, IP devices, Outsourced Billing, PC to Phone, Phone To PC, Phone To Phone, Project Mangement Services, SIP Softswitch & CPE, SIP VoIP Gateway, System Integration, vFone, Voice and Video Conferencing, Web Call, Web To Phone
Description: Adiance Technologies was established in 2002 in order to provide custom software & web solutions to domestic and overseas clients. We aim at providing quality projects since then using cutting edge technologies and have an excellent track record in terms of quality, timely delivery and high value addition, which has earned us the admiration of our clients over the years.
VoIP Provider: AdoreSoftPhone.com
Location: [General office] - India / new delhi
VoIP Categories: Internet VoIP and Video Conferencing Service Provider
VoIP Services: Billing Software
Description: Within the hi-tech communication arena, Adore Softphone has carved a great niche market through the Softphone (Software Telephones) with unparalleled quality and commendable services rendered to its clients. "Softphone", a blend of computer and technology, is software, which uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) enabling Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone calls from laptop, desktop computers and other computing gadgets, such as pocket PC, PDAs, etc.
Location: [General office] - India / Chennai
[Point of presence] - India / Chennai
VoIP Categories: Hardware, Hosted VoIP billing service provider, International VoIP Wholesale Provider, Internet Telephony Service Provider, Internet VoIP and Video Conferencing Service Provider, Network Service Provider, SIP Billing, VoIP Billing Software Provider, Voip consulting
VoIP Services: Billing Software, Call Relay VoIP Solutions, Call Routing VoIP Solutions, Collaboration, Consultancy Services, Data Conferencing, Installation and Support Services, IP devices, PC to Phone, Phone To PC, Phone To Phone, SIP Softswitch & CPE, SIP VoIP Gateway, System Integration, Termination, Voice and Video Conferencing, Web Call, Web To Phone
Description: 3xTechnologies is a technology company focusing on network technologies with expertise on Voice over IP. The people who found 3xTechnologies have engineered VoIP systems with voice quality enhancement algorithms, which has a customer base including a Fortune-500 US health insurance company.
VoIP Provider: Aaalpha Voip solution
Location: [General office] - India / anand
VoIP Categories: Hardware, Hosted VoIP billing service provider, SIP Billing
VoIP Services: Billing Software
VoIP Provider: Aarvy Online Stores Pvt. Ltd.
Location: [General office] - India / Hyderabad
[Point of presence] - USA / Chicago
[Point of presence] - USA / Hyderabad
VoIP Categories: Hardware, Hosted VoIP billing service provider, Internet Telephony Service Provider, Voip Termination ISP
VoIP Services: IP devices, PC to Phone, Phone To Phone, Web To Phone
VoIP Provider: Adiance Technologies Pvt. Ltd
Location: [General office] - India / Ahmedabad
VoIP Categories: Hosted VoIP billing service provider, Internet Telephony Service Provider, Internet VoIP and Video Conferencing Service Provider, SIP Billing, VoIP Billing Software Provider, Voip consulting
VoIP Services: Billing Software, Call Relay VoIP Solutions, Call Routing VoIP Solutions, Collaboration, Consultancy Services, Data Conferencing, H.323 VoIP Gateway, Installation and Support Services, IP devices, Outsourced Billing, PC to Phone, Phone To PC, Phone To Phone, Project Mangement Services, SIP Softswitch & CPE, SIP VoIP Gateway, System Integration, vFone, Voice and Video Conferencing, Web Call, Web To Phone
Description: Adiance Technologies was established in 2002 in order to provide custom software & web solutions to domestic and overseas clients. We aim at providing quality projects since then using cutting edge technologies and have an excellent track record in terms of quality, timely delivery and high value addition, which has earned us the admiration of our clients over the years.
VoIP Provider: AdoreSoftPhone.com
Location: [General office] - India / new delhi
VoIP Categories: Internet VoIP and Video Conferencing Service Provider
VoIP Services: Billing Software
Description: Within the hi-tech communication arena, Adore Softphone has carved a great niche market through the Softphone (Software Telephones) with unparalleled quality and commendable services rendered to its clients. "Softphone", a blend of computer and technology, is software, which uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) enabling Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone calls from laptop, desktop computers and other computing gadgets, such as pocket PC, PDAs, etc.
VoIP PHONE review : SNOM 300 SIP PHONE review
VoIP PHONE review : SNOM 300 SIP PHONE review
In uk
SNOM 300 SIP PHONE
£86.99 inc VAT
Product Description
For effective everyday work, the snom 300 provides all relevant office functions such as choice of trunk line, status display, group lines, the engaged option or picking up calls. When it comes to user friendliness, the snom 300 sets new standards: A two-line graphical LCD display enables the display of call information, and the menu-driven user interface provides the simplest of feature management. Via the navigation key, the user is guided intuitively through the telephone menu. More complex telephone functions, call details and configuration possibilities are accessible via the browser over the connected PC.
Six free user or administrator-configurable (or carrier-preconfigurable) function keys can be easily allocated to security-related menu functions, or assigned to multiple lines. The snom 300 comes factory-equipped to enable fuor of its six programmable keys to be configured as line appearances, and snom provides upgrades that let you configure (up to) all six function keys in this way - flexible enough to suit the needs of every user. This option enables an individual adaptation of the device to specific areas of application and the personal user behavior - a functionality that is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in call centers and for sales agents.
Key Features:
Two-line display (2 x 16 characters)
27 keys; 7 LEDs
6 programmable function keys
2 Ethernet ports
4 (6 planned) SIP registrations ("lines")
Headset connection
SIP RFC3261
Security: SIPS/SRTP; TLS
STUN; ENUM; NAT; ICE
Codecs: G.711; G.729A; G.723.1; G.722; G.726; GSM
Free VOIP Phone Calls Forever
With the recent growth in the popularity of Voice Over IP services or voip, many have benefited from cost efficiencies and feature benefits of using the Internet to handle phone calls. For businesses VOIP has become a mature and capable platform for voice communications.
However, at home, the situation has been less clear. Sure PC-based systems like Skype have become ubiqitous, and pretty much everyone has heard about Vonage, the largest provider of VOIP services for the home. But the home market has seen some pretty down times.
Recently Sunrocket, the second largest provider, shut its doors. And Vonage has been suffering from a long running patent fight with Verizon that could still prove fatal for the upstart VOIP provider.
But despite these setbacks there are still businesses looking to provide innovative VOIP solutions for home users. The latest to come across my radar is ooma. ooma is launching a new hardware based solution that will plug into users existing phone systems and provide unlimited calling options. And interestingly, there will be no monthly fee. ooma devices will require a single hardware purchase cost (in the $400 dollar range) and then no monthly costs after that.
I spoke to ooma CEO Andrew Frame about their new product, which is just now launching its beta program.
Click here to download the podcast or click here to listen to it using the integrated eWEEK podcast player.
Source:
http://etech.eweek.com/content/voip/free_voip_phone_calls_forever.html
However, at home, the situation has been less clear. Sure PC-based systems like Skype have become ubiqitous, and pretty much everyone has heard about Vonage, the largest provider of VOIP services for the home. But the home market has seen some pretty down times.
Recently Sunrocket, the second largest provider, shut its doors. And Vonage has been suffering from a long running patent fight with Verizon that could still prove fatal for the upstart VOIP provider.
But despite these setbacks there are still businesses looking to provide innovative VOIP solutions for home users. The latest to come across my radar is ooma. ooma is launching a new hardware based solution that will plug into users existing phone systems and provide unlimited calling options. And interestingly, there will be no monthly fee. ooma devices will require a single hardware purchase cost (in the $400 dollar range) and then no monthly costs after that.
I spoke to ooma CEO Andrew Frame about their new product, which is just now launching its beta program.
Click here to download the podcast or click here to listen to it using the integrated eWEEK podcast player.
Source:
http://etech.eweek.com/content/voip/free_voip_phone_calls_forever.html
Friday, May 30, 2008
VoIP Phone Phone reveview :The Sipgate SG-HS100b USB VoIP Phone
The Sipgate SG-HS100b USB VoIP Phone
Here we have the SG-HS100b USB handset which is a superb accessory for your laptop computer for users of VoIP on the move. The SG-HS100b USB handset can also work with a normal standard PC whether in the home or office.
Usage of the SG-HS100b USB handset will require a softphone such as sipgate X-Lite along with broadband connectivity, and only requires one free USB port. The SG-HS100b USB handset’s integrated VoIP soundcard will separate voice conversations from the usual remaining PC system tones and also incorporates anti-jitter and echo controls.
Calling from Outside the USA :International callback services
International callback services
If you live overseas, an international callback service may offer the cheapest way for you to place international phone calls.
In many countries one or two local phone companies keep international calling rates very high. To get better rates you have to go "around" them. That's what callback services do. They route phone calls through the USA, so you can dial abroad with the cheapest possible rates. Keep reading for more about how callback services work, then see my recommended international callback service to the right.
How international callback works
Have you ever called someone, hung up, and had the person call you back so that you wouldn't have to pay for the call? Many people living overseas do this all the time, because their outgoing rates are so high. By comparison, it's much cheaper for the other person to call them (especially if the other person is calling from the USA, where the rates are very low).
Many years ago an American living in France got frustrated with the high rates charged by the France Telecom. He returned to the USA and developed the first callback service. Live switchboard operators in the USA answered calls, hung up quickly, called back, and then reconnected the callers to the phone numbers they wanted to reach. It worked well and the service grew.
Today there are many international callback providers, but instead of live operators, they have computers. Instead of answering the phone, they give you a unique "trigger" number to call. You just dial that number, let it ring once, and hang up (so there's no charge for the call). The computer will call you back, and you dial the number you want to reach.
It's actually very simple, and a good you should get excellent connections if you're using a quality callback provider.
Callback quality
Callback services are automated switchboards that reconnect calls to any phone number in the world. In order to redirect a call to an international phone number, the connection must be routed through phone lines belonging to various companies. Every callback provider (and phone card providers, too) try to create routes so their connections will be both cheap and high quality.
To make a long story short, some providers do this better than others. The quality of various routes is always changing, so the best callback providers are always making adjustments to give their users the best services and pricing.
United World Telecom (UWT)
A few companies provide the majority of international call back services. I have experienced using and working with UWT). UWT has many of cheapest international callback rates worldwide. They also provide quality services and treat customers quite well. If you are ready to try out a callback service, then do yourself a favor and sign up with UWT.
Payment in US dollars / international credit cards
Most international callback providers are US companies, and customers are billed in US dollars. UWT accepts international credit cards, so payment in US dollars is not a problem.
If you live overseas, an international callback service may offer the cheapest way for you to place international phone calls.
In many countries one or two local phone companies keep international calling rates very high. To get better rates you have to go "around" them. That's what callback services do. They route phone calls through the USA, so you can dial abroad with the cheapest possible rates. Keep reading for more about how callback services work, then see my recommended international callback service to the right.
How international callback works
Have you ever called someone, hung up, and had the person call you back so that you wouldn't have to pay for the call? Many people living overseas do this all the time, because their outgoing rates are so high. By comparison, it's much cheaper for the other person to call them (especially if the other person is calling from the USA, where the rates are very low).
Many years ago an American living in France got frustrated with the high rates charged by the France Telecom. He returned to the USA and developed the first callback service. Live switchboard operators in the USA answered calls, hung up quickly, called back, and then reconnected the callers to the phone numbers they wanted to reach. It worked well and the service grew.
Today there are many international callback providers, but instead of live operators, they have computers. Instead of answering the phone, they give you a unique "trigger" number to call. You just dial that number, let it ring once, and hang up (so there's no charge for the call). The computer will call you back, and you dial the number you want to reach.
It's actually very simple, and a good you should get excellent connections if you're using a quality callback provider.
Callback quality
Callback services are automated switchboards that reconnect calls to any phone number in the world. In order to redirect a call to an international phone number, the connection must be routed through phone lines belonging to various companies. Every callback provider (and phone card providers, too) try to create routes so their connections will be both cheap and high quality.
To make a long story short, some providers do this better than others. The quality of various routes is always changing, so the best callback providers are always making adjustments to give their users the best services and pricing.
United World Telecom (UWT)
A few companies provide the majority of international call back services. I have experienced using and working with UWT). UWT has many of cheapest international callback rates worldwide. They also provide quality services and treat customers quite well. If you are ready to try out a callback service, then do yourself a favor and sign up with UWT.
Payment in US dollars / international credit cards
Most international callback providers are US companies, and customers are billed in US dollars. UWT accepts international credit cards, so payment in US dollars is not a problem.
Calling from the USA :Cheap phone cards, virtual calling cards
Phone cards still offer a certain amount of convenience and the absolute cheapest rates for many international calls
Calling cards surged in popularity in the past decade as people sought cheap rates and convenience on the move. Now mobile phones and discount long distance carriers are meeting the same needs. But phone cards still have the cheapest rates for many international calls, and they remain convenient for travelers as well.
If you are looking for a phone card, see my recommendations to the right.
Choosing virtual calling cards and phone cards
What is the difference? There really is no difference. Plastic phone cards are not credit cards. You take out the card to read the information printed on it. Usually it's a toll free access number and PIN. Then you can keep the card or throw it away.
That information could be delivered by email, rather than printed on a plastic card and sent in the mail. When you don't get a plastic card, some people call that a "virtual calling card." Calling cards, phone cards and virtual calling cards are all basically the same thing.
Post paid versus pre-paid cards
One key difference to consider is whether to get a post paid or prepaid calling card. I tend to think of "phone cards" as prepaid (plastic, disposable) and "virtual calling cards" as a service that's ongoing (you pay-as-you-go). The words really are interchangable, but for the purpose of organization, let's consider whether to get one of these two options:
A virtual calling card service that you pay-as-you-go
A prepaid phone card that you pay in advance
1. A virtual calling card service that you pay-as-you-go
In this example, you sign up for a virtual calling card using a credit card, receive a toll free access number, and a PIN. You write down (or memorize) the information and start using the service as needed. You call your family in Seattle, and your friend who lives in Tokyo. At the end of the month, the provider bills your credit card for the charges. You start the next month with a clean slate. You can quit anytime without leaving any unused minutes on the "card."
Advantage - You only pay for the calls you make after you make them. You can quit anytime without losing a dime.
Disadvantage - The rates are quite a bit higher than prepaid cards.
2. A pre-paid phone card that you pay in advance
In this example, you sign up for a phone card online using a credit card...and the process is basically the same as what I just described above. But they charge your credit card in advance for a fixed amount, so your card starts out with a certain value. For example, you buy a $20 card. It's good for 1300 minutes within the USA or 650 minutes if you're calling Tokyo. The company sends you a toll free access number and PIN by email and/or by postal mail.
Advantage - The rates are incredibly cheap (about 1.5¢/min within the USA or 3¢/min to Japan) and it actually works. Plus, it's convenient. After you use up your minutes, you can recharge the card just by logging in online or calling a special phone number.
Disadvantage - If you stop calling your family in Seattle and your friend moves back from Tokyo, you may end up with unused minutes (money) stranded on your phone card.
What is the best calling card for me?
That depends on what you need. Do you need convenience or the cheapest rates? Is it worth paying in advance, or should you avoid the risk of leaving unused credit stuck on a phone card? Rather than give you a long list of phone cards, I've just chosen two providers to include on this page. One specializes in virtual calling cards that are pay-as-you-go, and the other sells extremely cheap prepaid phone cards that actually work.
United World Telecom (UWT) - UWT has a virtual phone card service with an 8¢/min rate for calling within the USA. You also get cheap international rates, although the prepaid phone cards are much cheaper. UWT's virtual calling card comes with access numbers in 30 countries, so you can take it with you when you travel around the world. Finally, when you sign up you'll see that UWT provides other optional services at very good rates (toll free numbers, etc.).
Nobelcom - Nobelcom has an entire catalogue of prepaid phone cards with eye opening rates. You can call most countries for 3¢/min or less. You can talk for a long time at such low rates without worrying about the cost. Nobelcom has a very well designed website for choosing the phone card that's best for your needs.
Here's a hint for using Nobelcom. Usually they will show you three or four phone cards. The cheapest one will be on the left, and the most expensive one on the right. The difference is usually billing increments. The one on the left is billed in 60 second increments (the length of a call is rounded up to the nearest full minute). The cards have smaller and smaller increments as you move to the right. So here's the tip. If you plan to have long conversations whenever you use the card, get the cheapest one. If you will make lots of short phone calls, get one of the cards on the right.
Calling cards surged in popularity in the past decade as people sought cheap rates and convenience on the move. Now mobile phones and discount long distance carriers are meeting the same needs. But phone cards still have the cheapest rates for many international calls, and they remain convenient for travelers as well.
If you are looking for a phone card, see my recommendations to the right.
Choosing virtual calling cards and phone cards
What is the difference? There really is no difference. Plastic phone cards are not credit cards. You take out the card to read the information printed on it. Usually it's a toll free access number and PIN. Then you can keep the card or throw it away.
That information could be delivered by email, rather than printed on a plastic card and sent in the mail. When you don't get a plastic card, some people call that a "virtual calling card." Calling cards, phone cards and virtual calling cards are all basically the same thing.
Post paid versus pre-paid cards
One key difference to consider is whether to get a post paid or prepaid calling card. I tend to think of "phone cards" as prepaid (plastic, disposable) and "virtual calling cards" as a service that's ongoing (you pay-as-you-go). The words really are interchangable, but for the purpose of organization, let's consider whether to get one of these two options:
A virtual calling card service that you pay-as-you-go
A prepaid phone card that you pay in advance
1. A virtual calling card service that you pay-as-you-go
In this example, you sign up for a virtual calling card using a credit card, receive a toll free access number, and a PIN. You write down (or memorize) the information and start using the service as needed. You call your family in Seattle, and your friend who lives in Tokyo. At the end of the month, the provider bills your credit card for the charges. You start the next month with a clean slate. You can quit anytime without leaving any unused minutes on the "card."
Advantage - You only pay for the calls you make after you make them. You can quit anytime without losing a dime.
Disadvantage - The rates are quite a bit higher than prepaid cards.
2. A pre-paid phone card that you pay in advance
In this example, you sign up for a phone card online using a credit card...and the process is basically the same as what I just described above. But they charge your credit card in advance for a fixed amount, so your card starts out with a certain value. For example, you buy a $20 card. It's good for 1300 minutes within the USA or 650 minutes if you're calling Tokyo. The company sends you a toll free access number and PIN by email and/or by postal mail.
Advantage - The rates are incredibly cheap (about 1.5¢/min within the USA or 3¢/min to Japan) and it actually works. Plus, it's convenient. After you use up your minutes, you can recharge the card just by logging in online or calling a special phone number.
Disadvantage - If you stop calling your family in Seattle and your friend moves back from Tokyo, you may end up with unused minutes (money) stranded on your phone card.
What is the best calling card for me?
That depends on what you need. Do you need convenience or the cheapest rates? Is it worth paying in advance, or should you avoid the risk of leaving unused credit stuck on a phone card? Rather than give you a long list of phone cards, I've just chosen two providers to include on this page. One specializes in virtual calling cards that are pay-as-you-go, and the other sells extremely cheap prepaid phone cards that actually work.
United World Telecom (UWT) - UWT has a virtual phone card service with an 8¢/min rate for calling within the USA. You also get cheap international rates, although the prepaid phone cards are much cheaper. UWT's virtual calling card comes with access numbers in 30 countries, so you can take it with you when you travel around the world. Finally, when you sign up you'll see that UWT provides other optional services at very good rates (toll free numbers, etc.).
Nobelcom - Nobelcom has an entire catalogue of prepaid phone cards with eye opening rates. You can call most countries for 3¢/min or less. You can talk for a long time at such low rates without worrying about the cost. Nobelcom has a very well designed website for choosing the phone card that's best for your needs.
Here's a hint for using Nobelcom. Usually they will show you three or four phone cards. The cheapest one will be on the left, and the most expensive one on the right. The difference is usually billing increments. The one on the left is billed in 60 second increments (the length of a call is rounded up to the nearest full minute). The cards have smaller and smaller increments as you move to the right. So here's the tip. If you plan to have long conversations whenever you use the card, get the cheapest one. If you will make lots of short phone calls, get one of the cards on the right.
Calling from the USA :Pioneer Telephone long distance review
If you are paying high rates for long distance, then it's really time to change. All the carriers that I review on these pages are high quality services with very cheap rates. Most have no monthly fee, and they will all treat you well. If you would rather skip this review, go to my long distance comparison to see the details of my four recommended carriers side-by-side.
Sign up for Pioneer Telephone online - click here
Overall impressions
Pioneer Telephone really impresses me. It's a high quality service with customers who really like the company (always a good sign). The rates are extremely cheap -- the cheapest overall from what I've seen. The website looks good and, more importantly, works well. Choose a plan and you will quickly have the key rates and details in front of you. There is also a FAQ section with lots more information if you need it. If you are looking for a new long distance carrier, I think you'll be very happy with this choice.
Int'l Rate Examples
Australia 5.9¢
Brazil 6.9¢
Canada 5.9¢
Chile 4.9¢
China 4.9¢
France 4.5¢
Germany 4.5¢
Greece 4.9¢
India 20.9¢
Indo 6.9¢
Iran 19.9¢
Israel 4.9¢
Italy 4.9¢
Japan 5.9¢
Malaysia 5.9¢
Mexico 17.9¢
Nigeria 10.9¢
Philipp 22.9¢
Poland 5.9¢
Russia 4.5¢
Sing 4.9¢
S Africa 12.5¢
S Korea 5.9¢
Spain 4.9¢
Taiwan 5.5¢
Thail 5.9¢
UK 4.9¢
Rates as of 00/2007.
Bold rates are the best in my comparison.
Calling plans, rates and fees
3.25¢/min plan -
Pioneer Telephone starts off with the cheapest interstate rate in my long distance comparison, and then it keeps getting better. Both the international and in-state long distance rates are among the cheapest of all the carriers I've reviewed. And if you call another Pioneer customer, the rate is just 1.9¢/minute. Despite the low rates, calls are billed in 6 second increments.
2.7¢/min plan -
This plan is the same as above, but calls are billed in one minute increments (rounded up to the nearest whole minute). If most of your long distance calls are short, choose the first plan. But if you call long distance and spend a long time talking on the phone, this is probably the better deal.
Both plans -
There is no monthly fee with either of these plans if you view your statements and manage your account online. There is a 99¢ per month charge if you request paper billing statements in the mail. You must pay by credit card or by auto-debit from a bank account.
The rates to Alaska and Hawaii have increased to 12¢/min in the past year. The international rates are very cheap but not quite the cheapest of the carriers I recommend. If you need a long distance plan with better rates to these states or to a specific country, you may find a better provider in my comparison.
Business users -
Pioneer's combination of cheap rates and excellent customer service make it a very good long distance carrier for business calling. Pioneer can also provide you with a toll free number with free setup and the same low rates.
Customer support / user experience
One of the best reason to choose Pioneer Telephone is the way they treat their customers. This begins with a toll free customer support number that you can call and talk with a live person. You can also contact Pioneer by email or online if you prefer.
Extra features
Pioneer provides toll free numbers with free setup for just 99¢ per month. Toll free numbers can receive incoming calls from the USA and Canada. These calls are billed the same low rates as outgoing calls.The incoming toll free service for Alaska and Hawaii has high rates compared with other carriers I've featured here.
Conclusions
Pioneer Telephone was an easy "Editor's Choice" in comparison with the other long distance carriers that I've reviewed here. Pioneer is excellent in almost every way. They provide extremely low rates, great service, and clear communication with no hidden fees. Unless you have a specific reason to choose another carrier, Pioneer seems like a great choice to me.
Sign up for Pioneer Telephone online - click here
Overall impressions
Pioneer Telephone really impresses me. It's a high quality service with customers who really like the company (always a good sign). The rates are extremely cheap -- the cheapest overall from what I've seen. The website looks good and, more importantly, works well. Choose a plan and you will quickly have the key rates and details in front of you. There is also a FAQ section with lots more information if you need it. If you are looking for a new long distance carrier, I think you'll be very happy with this choice.
Int'l Rate Examples
Australia 5.9¢
Brazil 6.9¢
Canada 5.9¢
Chile 4.9¢
China 4.9¢
France 4.5¢
Germany 4.5¢
Greece 4.9¢
India 20.9¢
Indo 6.9¢
Iran 19.9¢
Israel 4.9¢
Italy 4.9¢
Japan 5.9¢
Malaysia 5.9¢
Mexico 17.9¢
Nigeria 10.9¢
Philipp 22.9¢
Poland 5.9¢
Russia 4.5¢
Sing 4.9¢
S Africa 12.5¢
S Korea 5.9¢
Spain 4.9¢
Taiwan 5.5¢
Thail 5.9¢
UK 4.9¢
Rates as of 00/2007.
Bold rates are the best in my comparison.
Calling plans, rates and fees
3.25¢/min plan -
Pioneer Telephone starts off with the cheapest interstate rate in my long distance comparison, and then it keeps getting better. Both the international and in-state long distance rates are among the cheapest of all the carriers I've reviewed. And if you call another Pioneer customer, the rate is just 1.9¢/minute. Despite the low rates, calls are billed in 6 second increments.
2.7¢/min plan -
This plan is the same as above, but calls are billed in one minute increments (rounded up to the nearest whole minute). If most of your long distance calls are short, choose the first plan. But if you call long distance and spend a long time talking on the phone, this is probably the better deal.
Both plans -
There is no monthly fee with either of these plans if you view your statements and manage your account online. There is a 99¢ per month charge if you request paper billing statements in the mail. You must pay by credit card or by auto-debit from a bank account.
The rates to Alaska and Hawaii have increased to 12¢/min in the past year. The international rates are very cheap but not quite the cheapest of the carriers I recommend. If you need a long distance plan with better rates to these states or to a specific country, you may find a better provider in my comparison.
Business users -
Pioneer's combination of cheap rates and excellent customer service make it a very good long distance carrier for business calling. Pioneer can also provide you with a toll free number with free setup and the same low rates.
Customer support / user experience
One of the best reason to choose Pioneer Telephone is the way they treat their customers. This begins with a toll free customer support number that you can call and talk with a live person. You can also contact Pioneer by email or online if you prefer.
Extra features
Pioneer provides toll free numbers with free setup for just 99¢ per month. Toll free numbers can receive incoming calls from the USA and Canada. These calls are billed the same low rates as outgoing calls.The incoming toll free service for Alaska and Hawaii has high rates compared with other carriers I've featured here.
Conclusions
Pioneer Telephone was an easy "Editor's Choice" in comparison with the other long distance carriers that I've reviewed here. Pioneer is excellent in almost every way. They provide extremely low rates, great service, and clear communication with no hidden fees. Unless you have a specific reason to choose another carrier, Pioneer seems like a great choice to me.
VOIP : Voice over Internet Protocol
Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP, IPA: /vɔjp/) is a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet or other packet-switched networks. VoIP is often used abstractly to refer to the actual transmission of voice (rather than the protocol implementing it). This latter concept is also referred to as IP telephony, Internet telephony, voice over broadband, broadband telephony, and broadband phone. The last two are arguably incorrect because telephone-quality voice communications are, by definition, narrowband.
VoIP providers may be viewed as commercial realizations of the experimental Network Voice Protocol (1973) invented for the ARPANET providers. Some cost savings are due to utilizing a single network to carry voice and data, especially where users have underused network capacity that can carry VoIP at no additional cost. VoIP-to-VoIP phone calls are sometimes free, while VoIP calls connecting to public switched telephone networks (VoIP-to-PSTN) may have a cost that is borne by the VoIP user.
Voice-over-IP systems carry telephony signals as digital audio, typically reduced in data rate using speech data compression techniques, encapsulated in a data-packet stream over IP.
There are two types of PSTN-to-VoIP services: Direct inward dialing (DID) and access numbers. DID will connect a caller directly to the VoIP user, while access numbers require the caller to provide an extension number for the called VoIP user.
History
Voice-over-Internet Protocol has been a subject of interest almost since the first computer network. By 1973, voice was being transmitted over the early Internet. The technology for transmitting voice conversations over the Internet has been available to end-users since at least the early 1980s. In 1996, a shrink-wrapped software product called VocalTec Internet Phone (release 4) provided VoIP along with extra features such as voice mail and caller ID. However, it did not offer a gateway to the PSTN, so it was only possible to speak to other Vocaltec Internet Phone users. In 1997, Level 3 began development of its first softswitch (a term they invented in 1998); softswitches were designed to replace traditional hardware telephone switches by serving as gateways between telephone networks.
Revenue in the total VOIP industry in the US is set to grow by 24.3% in 2008 to $3.19 billion. Subscriber growth will drive revenue in the VOIP sector, with numbers expected to rise by 21.2% in 2008 to 16.6 million. The US's largest VOIP provider is Vonage.
Functionality
VoIP can facilitate tasks and provide services that may be more difficult to implement or more expensive using the PSTN. Examples include:
The ability to transmit more than one telephone call over the same broadband connection. This can make VoIP a simple way to add an extra telephone line to a home or office.
Conference calling, call forwarding, automatic redial, and caller ID; zero- or near-zero-cost features that traditional telecommunication companies (telcos) normally charge extra for.
Secure calls using standardized protocols (such as Secure Real-time Transport Protocol.) Most of the difficulties of creating a secure phone connection over traditional phone lines, like digitizing and digital transmission, are already in place with VoIP. It is only necessary to encrypt and authenticate the existing data stream.
Location independence. Only an Internet connection is needed to get a connection to a VoIP provider. For instance, call center agents using VoIP phones can work from anywhere with a sufficiently fast and stable Internet connection.
Integration with other services available over the Internet, including video conversation, message or data file exchange in parallel with the conversation, audio conferencing, managing address books, and passing information about whether others (e.g. friends or colleagues) are available to interested parties.
Advanced Telephony features such as call routing, screen pops, and IVR implementations are easier and cheaper to implement and integrate. The fact that the phone call is on the same data network as a users PC opens a new door to possibilities
Implementation
Because UDP does not provide a mechanism to ensure that data packets are delivered in sequential order, or provide Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, VoIP implementations face problems dealing with latency and jitter. This is especially true when satellite circuits are involved, due to long round-trip propagation delay (400–600 milliseconds for links through geostationary satellites). The receiving node must restructure IP packets that may be out of order, delayed or missing, while ensuring that the audio stream maintains a proper time consistency. This function is usually accomplished by means of a jitter buffer in the voice engine.
Another challenge is routing VoIP traffic through firewalls and address translators. Private Session Border Controllers are used along with firewalls to enable VoIP calls to and from protected networks. Skype uses a proprietary protocol to route calls through other Skype peers on the network, allowing it to traverse symmetric NATs and firewalls. Other methods to traverse firewalls involve using protocols such as STUN or ICE.
VoIP challenges:
Available bandwidth
Network Latency
Packet loss
Jitter
Echo
Security
Reliability
In rare cases, decoding of pulse dialing
Many VoIP providers do not decode pulse dialing from older phones. The VoIP user may use a pulse-to-tone converter, if needed.[citation needed]
Fixed delays cannot be controlled but some delays can be minimized by marking voice packets as being delay-sensitive (see, for example, Diffserv).
The principal cause of packet loss is congestion, which can sometimes be managed or avoided. Carrier VoIP networks avoid congestion by means of teletraffic engineering.
Variation in delay is called jitter. The effects of jitter can be mitigated by storing voice packets in a jitter buffer upon arrival and before producing audio, although this increases delay. This avoids a condition known as buffer underrun, in which the voice engine is missing audio since the next voice packet has not yet arrived.
Common causes of echo include impedance mismatches in analog circuitry and acoustic coupling of the transmit and receive signal at the receiving end.
Reliability
Conventional phones are connected directly to telephone company phone lines, which in the event of a power failure are kept functioning by backup generators or batteries located at the telephone exchange. However, household VoIP hardware uses broadband modems and other equipment powered by household electricity, which may be subject to outages in the absence of a uninterruptible power supply or generator. Early adopters of VoIP may also be users of other phone equipment, such as PBX and cordless phone bases, that rely on power not provided by the telephone company. Even with local power still available, the broadband carrier itself may experience outages as well. When customers pick up their telephones at home, they are accustomed to hearing a dial tone immediately. There are a lot of “what-ifs” when it comes to the reliability of VoIP phones. Some of the “what-ifs” are: the electricity goes out or the cable satellite can not get a signal due to the weather. Both of these events will prevent the customer from getting a connection on their VoIP phones The VoIP phone system has redundancy built into their network, unlike the regular Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). If the traditional line outside on a pole goes down, you will lose connection until someone comes out there and fix the line. However, VoIP phones infrastructure are built upon routers. If there is a down router in your transmission link, your call will be automatically redirected on a different path to reach your call destination. If the first router is down in your infrastructure between you and your end call destination, your will receive a failed connection. Voice travels over the internet in almost the same manner as data does in packets. So when you talk over an IP network your conversion is broken up into small packets. The voice and data packets travel over the same network with a fixed bandwidth. The routers on the networks push the data packets across as fast as possible. When the volume of traffic is high it will slow the network down, therefore diminishing the quality and reliability. The voice transmission will sound like you are on a push to talk network. To increase the reliability of VoIP phones the VoIP provider needs to increase dedicated and redundant connectivity via T-1 access and backup DSL, with automatic failover at each location.[5] The company can create a reliable network by reducing the number of single points of failure. The providers can create different routing tables for individuals who have different high volume traffic times. While the PSTN has been matured over decades and is typically reliable, most broadband networks are less than 10 years old, and even the best are still subject to intermittent outages. Furthermore, consumer network technologies such as cable and DSL often are not subject to the same restoration service levels as the PSTN or business technologies such as T-1 connection.
[edit] Quality of service
Some broadband connections may have less than desirable quality. Where IP packets are lost or delayed at any point in the network between VoIP users, there will be a momentary drop-out of voice. This is more noticeable in highly congested networks and/or where there are long distances and/or interworking between end points. Technology has improved the reliability and voice quality over time and will continue to improve VoIP performance as time goes on.
It has been suggested to rely on the packetized nature of media in VoIP communications and transmit the stream of packets from the source phone to the destination phone simultaneously across different routes (multi-path routing). In such a way, temporary failures have less impact on the communication quality. In capillary routing it has been suggested to use at the packet level Fountain codes or particularly raptor codes for transmitting extra redundant packets making the communication more reliable.
A number of protocols have been defined to support the reporting of QoS/QoE for VoIP calls. These include RTCP XR (RFC3611), SIP RTCP Summary Reports, H.460.9 Annex B (for H.323), H.248.30 and MGCP extensions. The RFC3611 VoIP Metrics block is generated by an IP phone or gateway during a live call and contains information on packet loss rate, packet discard rate (due to jitter), packet loss/discard burst metrics (burst length/density, gap length/density), network delay, end system delay, signal / noise / echo level, MOS scores and R factors and configuration information related to the jitter buffer.
RFC3611 VoIP metrics reports are exchanged between IP endpoints on an occasional basis during a call, and an end of call message sent via SIP RTCP Summary Report or one of the other signaling protocol extensions. RFC3611 VoIP metrics reports are intended to support real time feedback related to QoS problems, the exchange of information between the endpoints for improved call quality calculation and a variety of other applications.
[edit] Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in the Internet Telephony Environment
Mobile number portability (MNP) also impacts the internet telephony, or VOIP (Voice over IP) business. A voice call originated in the VOIP environment which is routed to a mobile phone number of a traditional mobile carrier also face challenges to reach its destination in case the mobile phone number is ported. Mobile number portability is a service that makes it possible for subscribers to keep their existing mobile phone number when changing the service provider (or mobile operator).
VOIP is clearly identified as a Least Cost Routing (LCR) voice routing system, which is based on checking the destination of each telephone call as it is made, and then sending the call via the network that will cost the customer the least. With GSM number portability now in place, LCR providers can no longer rely on using the network root prefix to determine how to route a call. Instead, they now need to know the actual current network of every number before routing the call.
Therefore, VOIP solutions also need to handle MNP when routing a voice call. In countries without a central database like UK it might be necessary to query the GSM network about the home network a mobile phone number belongs to. As VOIP starts to take off in the enterprise markets because of least cost routing options, it needs to provide a certain level of reliability when handling calls.
MNP checks are important to assure that this quality of service is met; by handling MNP lookups before routing a call and assuring that the voice call will actually work, VOIP companies give businesses the necessary reliability they look for in an internet telephony provider. UK-based messaging operator Tyntec provides a Voice Network Query service, which helps not only traditional voice carriers but also VOIP providers to query the GSM network to find out the home network of a ported number.
In countries such as Singapore, the most recent Mobile number portability solution is expected to open the doors to new business opportunities for non-traditional telecommunication service providers like wireless broadband providers and voice over IP (VOIP) providers.
In November 2007, the Federal Communications Commission in the United States released an order extending number portability obligations to interconnected VOIP providers and carriers that support VOIP providers.
[edit] Difficulty with sending faxes
The support of sending faxes over VoIP is still limited. The existing voice codecs are not designed for fax transmission. (They are designed to digitize an analog representation of a human voice efficiently, but the inefficiency of digitizing an analog representation (modem signal) of a digital representation (a document image) of analog data (an original document) more than negates any bandwidth advantage of VoIP. In other words, the fax “sounds” simply don’t fit in the VoIP channel.) An effort is underway to remedy this by defining an alternate IP-based solution for delivering fax-over-IP, namely the T.38. This protocol is designed to work like a traditional fax machine. It can work using several configurations. The fax machine could be a traditional FAX machine connected to the PSTN, an ATA box, or similar; it could be a FAX machine with an RJ-45 connector plugged straight into an IP network; it could be a computer pretending to be a FAX machine. [6] Originally, T.38 was designed to use UDP and TCP transmission methods across an IP network. The main difference between using UDP and TCP methods for a FAX is the real time streaming attributes. TCP is better suited for use between to IP devices. However, older fax machines connected to an analog system benefits from UDP near real time characteristics. There have been updated versions of the T.30 to resolve the FoIP issues, which is the core Fax protocol. Some new fax machines have T.38 built in capabilities, which allows the user to just plug right into the network with minimal configuration changes. A unique feature of T.38 is that each packet contains a copy of the main data in the previous packet. This is an option, but most implementations seem to support it. This forward error correction scheme makes T.38 far more tolerate of dropped packets than using VoIP. It requires two successive lost packets to actually lose any data. [7] The data you lose will only be a small piece, but with the right settings and error correction mode, there is a high probability that you will receive the whole transmission. Tweaking the settings on the T.30 and T.38 protocols could also turn your unreliable fax into a robust machine. Some fax machine pauses at the end of a line to allow the paper feed to catch up. This is good news for packets that where lost or delayed, because it gives them a chance to catch up. However, if this was to happen on every line your FAX transmittal would take a long time. Another possible solution to overcome the drawback is to treat the fax system as a message switching system, which does not need a real-time data transmission—such as sending a fax as an email attachment (see Fax) or remote printout (see Internet Printing Protocol). The end system can completely buffer the incoming fax data before displaying or printing the fax image.
[edit] Emergency calls
The nature of IP makes it difficult to locate network users geographically. Emergency calls, therefore, cannot easily be routed to a nearby call center, and are impossible on some VoIP systems. Sometimes, VoIP systems may route emergency calls to a non-emergency phone line at the intended department. In the US, at least one major police department has strongly objected to this practice as potentially endangering the public.[8]
Moreover, in the event that the caller is unable to give an address, emergency services may be unable to locate them in any other way. Following the lead of mobile phone operators, several VoIP carriers are already implementing a technical workaround.[citation needed] For instance, one large VoIP carrier requires the registration of the physical address where the VoIP line will be used. When you dial the emergency number for your country, they will route it to the appropriate local system. They also maintain their own emergency call center that will take non-routable emergency calls (made, for example, from a software-based service that is not tied to any particular physical location) and then will manually route your call after learning your physical location.[citation needed]
e911 is another method by which VoIP providers in the US are able to support emergency services. The e911 emergency-calling system automatically associates a physical address with the calling party's telephone number as required by the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 and is being successfully used by many VoIP providers to provide physical address information to emergency service operators.
Also if the physical phone is moved to another location it saves the information from the original location. This means that if you were to take you VOIP phone on vacation with you and you dial 911 it will be routed to the 911 location form your home address. So if you live in Maine and you are on vacation in Florida and you call 911 the call will go to Maine.
A tragic example of a miscommunication with VoIP, is an 18-month-old boy named Elijah Luck. In an emergency, 911 services were called. An ambulance was sent to the former home of the Lucks. The Voice over Internet Protocol telephone company knew the correct address , as they were paying their bill from the correct current billing address the company had on record. "It's up to subscribers to ensure the company has up-to-date contact information" was the response from the VoIP company. After about a half hour wait, the Lucks called from a neighbors land line, 911 services arrived in six minutes. Elijah Luck was pronounced dead at the Alberta Children's Hospital. CBC story of Elijah Luck.
[edit] Integration into global telephone number system
While the wired public switched telephone network (PSTN) and mobile phone networks share a common global standard (E.164) which allocates and identifies any specific telephone line, there is no widely adopted similar standard for VoIP networks. Some allocate an E.164 number which can be used for VoIP as well as incoming and external calls. However, there are often different, incompatible schemes when calling between VoIP providers which use provider-specific short codes.
[edit] VoIP phone accessibility and portability
If using a software based soft-phone, calls can only be placed from the computer on which the soft-phone software resides. Thus with a soft-phone the caller is typically limited to a single point of calling. When using a hardware based VoIP phone-device/ phone-adapter it is possible to connect traditional analog phones directly to a VoIP phone-adapter without the need to operate a computer. The converted analog phone signal can then be connected to multiple house phones or extensions, just as any traditional phone company signal can be connected. A second VoIP hardware configuration option involves the use of a specially designed VoIP telephone which incorporates a VoIP phone adapter directly into the phone itself, and which also does not require the use of a computer. A third VoIP hardware configuration option involves the use of a WiFi router and a WiFi SIP phone which can extend a service range throughout a home or office. WiFi SIP phones can also be used at any location where an "unauthenticated" open hotspot Wi-Fi signal is available.[9] However, note that many hotspots require browser-based authentication, which most SIP phones do not support.[10]
[edit] Mobile phones and hand-held devices
Telcos and consumers have invested billions of dollars in mobile phone equipment. In developed countries, mobile phones have achieved nearly complete market penetration, and many people are giving up landlines and using mobiles exclusively. Given this situation, it is not entirely clear whether there would be a significant higher demand for VoIP among consumers until either public or community wireless networks have similar geographical coverage to cellular networks (thereby enabling mobile VoIP phones, so called WiFi phones or VoWLAN) or VoIP is implemented over 3G networks. However, "dual mode" telephone sets, which allow for the seamless handover between a cellular network and a WiFi network, are expected to help VoIP become more popular.[11]
Phones like the NEC N900iL, and later many of the Nokia Eseries and several WiFi enabled mobile phones have SIP clients hardcoded into the firmware. Such clients operate independently of the mobile phone network unless a network operator decides to remove the client in the firmware of a heavily branded handset. Some operators such as Vodafone actively try to block VoIP traffic from their network[12] and therefore most VoIP calls from such devices are done over WiFi.
Several WiFi only IP hardphones exist, most of them supporting either Skype or the SIP protocol. These phones are intended as a replacement for PSTN based cordless phones but can be used anywhere where WiFi internet access is available.
Another addition to hand held devices are ruggedized bar code type devices that are used in warehouses and retail environments. These type of devices rely on "inside the 4 walls" type of VoIP services that do not connect to the outside world and are solely to be used from employee to employee communications.
[edit] Security
Many consumer VoIP solutions do not support encryption yet, although having a secure phone is much easier to implement with VoIP than traditional phone lines. As a result, it is relatively easy to eavesdrop on VoIP calls and even change their content.[13] A hacker with a packet sniffer could intercept your VoIP calls if you are not on a secure VLAN. This security vulnerability could lead to Denial of Service attacks to you and anyone on your network. The DoS would devastate your phone network by creating a continuing busy signal and forced disconnects. Viper Lab predicts VoIP attacks against service providers will escalate since unlicensed mobile access technology becomes more widely deployed to allow calls to switch from cell networks to VoIP networks, Viper Labs warns that “service providers are, for the first time, allowing subscribers to have direct access to mobile core networks over IP, making it easier to spoof identities and use illegal accounts to launch a variety of attacks.[16] There is no such thing as a 100% secure solution to network security. The implementation of voice over internet protocol just adds to that complexity, by giving hackers another means to access your system. Customers can secure their network by limiting access to the virtual local area network, thus hiding their voice data network from the users. If the customer maintains a secure and properly configured gateway, you can keep most of the hackers out.There are several open source solutions that facilitate sniffing of VoIP conversations. A modicum of security is afforded due to patented audio codecs that are not easily available for open source applications, however such security through obscurity has not proven effective in the long run in other fields. Some vendors also use compression to make eavesdropping more difficult. However, real security requires encryption and cryptographic authentication which are not widely available at a consumer level. The existing secure standard SRTP and the new ZRTP protocol is available on Analog Telephone Adapters(ATAs) as well as various softphones. It is possible to use IPsec to secure P2P VoIP by using opportunistic encryption. Skype does not use SRTP, but uses encryption which is transparent to the Skype provider.
The Voice VPN solution provides secure voice for enterprise VoIP networks by applying IPSec encryption to the digitized voice stream.
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