Internet/Broadband Phone (VOIP) - What is it?

VOIP (a simple explanation)

Even though i am a technical person, I am writing this to explain what Internet/Broadband is all about in quite non-technical terms.

So what is VOIP or internet telephony?. As the name suggests, Internet telephony is a technology used to carry your voice over the internet. Your regular landline at home (from AT&T or others) are connected to the telephone jack in the wall. which is further connected to a bigger switch somewhere in your community and your voice gets carried over through these switches and then through the regular phone network.

In case of VOIP your phone would be connected to your computer. When you talk on the phone your voice will travel through the internet to your VOIP service provider (like vonage or comcast) and from there to the regular telephone network and then to the person you are calling.

VOIP Phone is just like the regular phone / landline that you have at home - the difference is that it uses high speed internet to place calls.


Why should you have a usual landline and not VOIP

- VOIP phone runs on internet. So if anything goes wrong with your internet, or if there is a power outage in your place, the modem/router to which your VOIP phone is connected might not work. In which case you will be stranded without a phone.

- In emergency cases, you might not be able to call 911 if there is a problem with your internet/modem/router or any other electronic interference.

- Landlines have better clarity (based on various surveys) compared to internet based phones. - Again because the internet connections sometimes is intermittent


Why should you have a VOIP phone and not the usual landline

- Cheap : well, first of all its CHEAP compared to a landline

- Worldwide roaming : You can "carry" the phone with you. Yes, thats correct. You can carry the phone with you to wherever you go in the world and you can use it everywhere with the same number - at no extra cost. But how does that work - you obvisouly need to have a high speed internet connection wherever you want to use the phone. And connect it the same way you connected it at your home. The good thing is these days, almost all the major hotels around the world, provide high speed internet connection

- Free Roaming: The internet telephony providers are providing free unlimited calls to many countries/continents. Which is obvisouly a true plus.


I am ready to get internet phone (VOIP) - What should I do?

- make sure you have high speed internet connection
- sign up with a VOIP service provider (list is below)
- you will receive equipment from them (a modem and/or a phone) you can also use your existing phone.
- Just connect it with details from the user manual or go to this page for HOW-Tos


List of VOIP providers:

You have to research on the internet for various broadband phone/VOIP providers. The top ones are listed below:

- Vonage
- Skype
- Packet8
- MagicJack

MAGIC JACK Phone Device



Tags: voip,broadband phone, internet phone, vonage, magicjack, skype, packet8