What is VoIP ?, a tutorial.

What is VoIP?
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a great technology that allows you to make and receive telephone calls over the Internet and has been in the mainstream now for going on 9 years. It can also be referred to as an Internet Phone. VoIP(Voice over IP) enables you to make cheap telephone calls over a broadband Internet connection, (usually a DSL, broadband cable connection, or T1), instead of usin your re ular telephone service. !ou can connect to re ular telephone numbers locally or in other parts of the "S or #anada, or any$here else in the $orld, usually all for one lo$ price for "S and #anada, eliminatin lon distance fees by usin a %oI& service from an 'Interconnected %oI& &rovider', ($hich most %oI& providers are). In addition, you $ill usually have lo$ international phone call rates to other countries. The savin s can be substantial, $ith lo$er fees and ta(es levied by traditional telephone carriers. &lus, most %oI& providers offer services $ith 'unlimited' callin plans and an array of features all for one monthly fee. ) re*uirement for a %oI& connection is a hi h speed internet connection, such as cable, DSL, T1, or even $ireless, as lon as the $ireless provider+s band$idth meets the minimum re*uirements for the %oI& provider you choose and their connection is stable enou h to offer a connection $ithout packet loss and jitter.

H o w d o e s Vo I P w o r k ? Vo i c e o v e r I P e x p l a i n e d .
First, voice is converted by an ! (Analog Telephone Adapter) or IP phone, from an analog signal to a digital signal. It is then sent over the Internet in data packets to a location that $ill be close to the destination. Then it $ill be converted back to an analo si nal for the remainin distance over a traditional circuit s$itch (&ST,) (unless it is %oI& to %oI&). !our call can be received by traditional telephones $orld$ide, as $ell as other %oI& users. %oI& to %oI& calls can travel entirely over the Internet. Since your voice is chan ed to di ital (so that it can travel over the Internet), other reat features such as voice messa es to email, call for$ardin , lo s of incomin and out oin calls, caller ID, etc., can be included in your basic callin plan all for one lo$ price. -any of these special features are reat for the small business person $ho relies on their phone service to be more a information center rather than .ust a telephone.

What are the benefits of VoIP?

First and foremost more for less money, so if you"re looking for VoIP #ervice Provider with $heap $all %ates, including features that will make your communications state of the art you can find it. -any %oI& providers have plans that allo$ unlimited calls in the continental "S and #anada all for one lo$ monthly fee. In addition, added features such as %oice -ail, #all /aitin , #all 0or$ardin , a $eb based control panel, %oicemail received as 1mail, )dvanced #all 0or$ardin features, etc., are added at no additional cost. &lus, International rates are a lot less than traditional telephone companies. !ou are not limited to .ust a certain local+s numbers, but can even choose one from another state. In addition, you can add virtual numbers from other areas that $ill rin in on your primary number. #o, the benefits of VoIP are& 'ower monthly telephone bills( cheap 'ong )istance and cheap calls. *nlimited monthly calling to certain locations eliminating long distance charges and plans with unlimited International calling. dditional features( all included in your one monthly flat rate. 'ower prices on International calling. Virtual numbers( numbers that ring in on a primary number and can be from other areas, even other states. Portability +',P-, or the ability to take your phone service with you.

$ertain people are going to benefit more greatly from VoIP than others. 1ntrepreneurs and small businesses are such reat candidates for %oI& that it $ould be hard to present an ar ument a ainst ettin a %oI& service. It+s not .ust the

unlimited lon distance calls ("S and #anadian) that are the primary motivation, it is also all the advanced features that are part of many provider+s service. 2ettin a state of the art communications system, one that up until no$ $ould cost several hundreds of dollars a month $ith a lar e initial outlay, for under fifty dollars a month is incredible (and $ith very little upfront cost). )ddin a %oI& line or t$o can reatly add to a small business+s communications features, save money and increase revenue. #onsider addin a line, as a partial solution, keepin a re ular copper line, especially if you fa( heavily or use DSL (see our tutorials for more information about these t$o su estions). Look into the features that $ill benefit your business plan, they may be more than you e(pected.

What's required for VoIP?

.ou will need a broadband Internet connection, such as )#' or cable, !/ or wireless. In most cases you $ill need an 'al$ays on' type of connection $ith a band$idth of at least 134kbps on both upload and do$nload for a sin le %oI& voice connection (an uncompressed voice connection $ill use appro(imately 56kpbs on both the upload and do$nload. There are connections usin a compressed voice 'codec' that $ill use less.)