| VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is the new | | | | have enjoyed the convenience of doing our chatting |
| technology that is used for any voice applications | | | | online and saving bundles of money on long distance |
| that utilise the power of the Internet. Yahoo's instant | | | | phone bills! |
| messaging (and the other messaging services) uses it | | | | Because VoIP really needs broadband connections, |
| to allow voice messaging, in addition to typing your | | | | the early attempts were less than satisfying, with |
| conversation. All the IP networks that use voice | | | | lots of static and poor sound. Once Skype entered |
| applications and telephony (Skype and Vonage are | | | | the market, VoIP really took off. This freeware |
| good examples) incorporate VoIP to keep things | | | | allowed you to call anywhere in the world, either free |
| running smoothly at all levels. So how does VoIP | | | | (computer to computer) or for just pennies |
| technology work? | | | | (computer to land lines or cell phones). |
| A VoIP system encodes speech (audio codecs) as | | | | Phone company charges are completely cut out |
| well as setting up and tearing down calls with its | | | | when using free VoIP software for making phone |
| session control protocols. Codec use varies, | | | | calls on the internet. With companies like AT & T, |
| sometimes relying on compressed speech, while | | | | Cox Communications, Vonage, and so on using these |
| others support hi-fi stereo codecs. Don't be confused | | | | systems, you are able to make phone calls using |
| if you see VoBB (voice over broad band) broadband | | | | your land lines that still bypass the local phone |
| phone, internet telephony, broadband telephony, or | | | | company. It is very possible that traditional phone |
| IP telephony. Each of these seemingly individual | | | | lines will disappear entirely in the near future. |
| entities is referring to the same fundamental principle. | | | | There are three different ways to go using VoIP. |
| What they all are talking about is any | | | | With an analog telephone adaptor (ATA) you can |
| communications, such as voice, FAX, and voice | | | | connect your telephone to your computer, and it will |
| messaging, that is done over the internet, rather than | | | | convert your analog into digital and back again. You |
| using standard telephone lines. The analog voice signal | | | | can buy an IP phone, which looks like a regular |
| has to be converted to a digital format and be | | | | handset, but has a different connector. This connects |
| compressed into IP packets in order to be | | | | directly to your router, and contains everything you |
| transmitted over the internet; then converted back | | | | need to make the conversion from analog to digital. |
| at the other end. | | | | Easiest is to simply use it computer to computer, for |
| This technology is being used by Skype, Vonage, | | | | free, or just a few pence. All you need then is a |
| Comcast, Cisco Call Manager, Verizon along with | | | | computer, a microphone, speakers, and your internet |
| many others to service the millions of users | | | | connection. |
| throughout the world. It is a growing industry that | | | | Now you know how VoIP technology works. For |
| services Mac IP corporate phone systems, telephone | | | | best results you should have DSL or cable. |
| services, and many desktop applications. Most of us | | | | |