VOIP: A Basic, Basic Intro

What is it?

Most people are familiar w/ NetMeeting and other software that let you talk to others over the internet. VOIP is similar. However, it also uses your phone - the interface we're all familiar with.

Instead of connecting your phone to the wall, you connect it to a box either the VOIP company provides or you buy on your own. This is the modem. You need highspeed/broadband internet for this. Your modem plugs into your cable/dsl modem and now it can 'talk' btwn your phone and the internet.

Your phone lines already do pretty much what VOIP does, just w/ different/older technology (well, some of it's new w/ optics and such, but...).

How hard is it to setup?

It's actually very easy. Assuming you have the company send you a modem or you buy a kit at the store, you simply plug the modem btwn your current cable/dsl modem and your computer (e.g., the out from your cable modem now goes to the new box and the out from that to your computer). It also has a phone jack for your regular phone.

Once it is on, it will boot up and configure itself.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits depending on the company you go w/, but here are a few I have (all of these are free w/ the monthly fee- $14.99 for my setup):

1. Features like caller id, call waiting, call waiting caller id, call forwarding, etc.

2. Voicemail

3. Email alerts for new voicemail.

4. Web access to voicemail - you can play your messages on your computer.

5. Auto-forward - if the phone is ever down or isn't answered, it's auto-routed to another number

6. Online management of all features, settings, account, etc.

7. Computer dialing - highlight any number on your computer, hit F6 and it sets up the call from your phone to theirs - very convinient!

8. Keep your regular phone (you don't need a voip phone)

There are some other cool features available for extra $ like the softphone which lets you use your computer as a phone w/o the modem - this means you can take your laptop w/ you wherever and you have your phone w/ the same phone number everywhere too (you can do this w/o the softphone, but you have to take your VOIP modem around w/ you - not bad if you're going somewhere for a longer trip).

Another really cool thing is the virtual phone numbers. You can get extra numbers that ring the same phone, but they are local numbers to any area code you want. So if I live in Dallas and have family in New York, I can get a local phone number here and there. That way my family in New York can call a local number (free) and talk to me! Vonage charges $4.99/month for that. I'm not sure about the others.

And the biggest benefit - IT'S CHEAP! I pay $14.99 plus some tax and such, but not the ump-teen taxes, charges, fees, etc. like the phone company charges.

Also, if you do a little research/reading, you can set it up to where every phone jack in your house is wired for VOIP. It's little more than plugging the output of your VOIP modem into the wall jack you already have. Very little more.

Bottom Line

You get lots of good, free features and options for doing/managing a lot more including a lot over the web and it's SO much cheaper (at least it is for me!). Being the 'average guy' I am, I don't really use all the features. Fortunately, it's pretty much a 'set it up and forget about it' type thing except that I save $40+/month w/ it!

I use Vonage b/c that's what I was told about first and it was one of the first. There are others and I'm sure they have their strengths, but Vonage has the cheapest base option at the time I did my research.

Bear Cahill is a software engineer in the Dallas, TX area and runs a few websites: The Armchair Geek (thearmchairgeek.com), Webpage Hosting Info (webpagehostinginfo.com), Go To College Online (gotocollegeonline.com) and The Video Exchange Community (videoexchange.org)

Publish freely if this resource box is included and links maintained as links.

---

Will the Bell System Survive? A Massive Transfer of Wealth from Bell to VoIP is Underway

Will the Bell System Survive? A Massive Transfer of Wealth... Read More

Faxing over VoIP

As far as VoIP has come in Voice telephone calls,... Read More

VOIP

This article contains the excellent information about the Voice Over... Read More

What?s Your IQ on Basic PC Phone (VoIP) Knowledge

Short T/F quiz1. T / F You can save a... Read More

Finally Voip Worth a Look!

Everyone can Benefit from this Technology! Voip will be next... Read More

VoIP Phone Home?

The movie Extra Terrestrial (ET) coined the phrase "phone home"... Read More

VoIP and 911 Warning

Be leery of your VoIP phone system in case of... Read More

How to Choose VoIP Service Without Losing Your Shirt

Voip.Just mentioning the word to yourself either brings up images... Read More

How Much Bandwidth is Required for VoIP Phones?

A long-standing question for potential VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)... Read More

The Single Most Important Thing to Know About Computer Phones (VoIP)

Over 90% of computer phones (VoIP) are not secure because... Read More

VoIP 101: Voice over IP for Beginners

For those who have never heard about the potential of... Read More

Consumer Review on CallWave Call Alert Service

Missing phone calls while you are online?Are you thinking of... Read More

The Calling Card Alternative

For a few years now, the calling cards business is... Read More

VOIP Questions and Answers

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, has grown in popularity... Read More

Why Over 90% of VoIP Services Are Vulnerable to Attack

John Ashcroft, Attorney General, in remarks at the High Technology... Read More

VoIP - What is the Problem?

In the beginning, when the Internet Protocol was first designed,... Read More

VOIP For Your Business

Many companies are now beginning to look into alternatives to... Read More

Lower Videophone Prices Allow Individuals Accessibility

VoIP service providers are now offering videophone at the lowest... Read More

How VoIP Will Affect Every Household and Business in the World

Seattle venture capitalist, Greg Gottesman, calls it "?one of the... Read More

VoIP is Less Taxing than Traditional Telephone Service

When it comes to VoIP Broadband Telephone service, there are... Read More

What can a VoIP Phone System Do for a Small Business?

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is a term used... Read More

What Do You Know About VoIP?

What is VoIPVoIP is an acronym for voice over internet... Read More

Telecom Industry Transition: WiFi, VoIP, WiMax - The Wireless Age is Already Here

VoIP on WiMax will make the latest 3G technologies obsolete... Read More

A Look at Internet Voice Technology (VoIP) for Residential

Today's TechnologyOver the years, the technology has made remarkable progress.... Read More

What Is VoIP and How Does It Work

IntroductionThe way we make phone calls is changing. In fact... Read More

Use your Computer to make Cheap Long-Distance Telephone Calls

What is 'VoIP'?Simply put, VoIP refers to the carriage of... Read More

How Voip Can Mask The Size Of Your Business And Save You A Bundle

Have you heard the buzz about VOIP (Voice Over Internt... Read More

Security, Stability, and Interoperability Issues on VoIP Implementation

Now we have accepted that VoIP is no longer just... Read More

Voip Providers Review--- Choose The Best One For Your Business

Making phone calls applying a broadband Internet connection,known as VoIP... Read More

What Is VOIP?

Confused about VOIP? Join the crowd. It's not as difficult... Read More

Instant Menaces or Instant Messengers?

Many vendors offering Instant Messaging (IM) services have added new... Read More

Using a Bluetooth Headset with your PC

BluetoothFor those of you not familiar with the term, Bluetooth... Read More

Is VoIP Good For The Home?

There is no doubt that you have heard about VoIP... Read More