VOIP (Voice over IP)

VOIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol

VOIP is a term that you should learn, even if it sounds pretty techy.  While indeed it is technology oriented, VOIP is no more techy for the consumer than traditional phone service.  It's just different.  

Many of your neighbors are already using it to replace their traditional telephone service, and you will almost certainly be using it in the next 5-10 years. So why not benefit from it today?

Where most people are familiar with the idea of running their phone service through telephone wires, VOIP uses the same phones, but has another device that connects it to your cable or DSL modem and runs it over the Internet to the party on the other end whether they use VOIP or traditional phone service.

What VOIP means to you is that you have much more flexibility when using your phone.  While there are huge differences between phone companies, you can count on several basic benefits over traditional phone service.  

VOIP Benefits

1) Unlimited long distance with no additional costs.  This includes your local lines and almost always includes Canada and even Puerto Rico.  Long distance rates outside the country are also much lower than found with BellSouth or Alltel.  

BellSouth talks about a similar service, but they simply don't tell you everything.  Long distance is free, but not what they call "local long distance", whatever that is.  So in other words, BellSouth won't charge you extra for calling Chicago, but calling Monroe will add up quickly.  BellSouth also has their add-ons, taxes, fees, line insurance, and anything else they can think of.

VOIP services are flat-fee services and a lot more honest with their prices, and they are much lower if you already have high speed Internet access in place.  

2) VOIP allows you to use web-based services to manage your phone traffic and service.  These are always much more flexible than the limited services that can be provided using punch-in codes of traditional phone service.

3) VOIP allows you to take your phone service on the road.  Plug your phone unit into any high-speed port in a hotel and you instantly have your home phone service with you, capable of making and receiving phone calls as if you were at home.

4) Many VOIP providers allow you to have multiple phone numbers with any area code you want.  If you have a kid in college or a parent in another town, you can put a local number in their area code and let them call you toll-free to either them or you.

VOIP Downside

1)  911 service is not automatic.  You must register with your VOIP provider for your local emergency service

2) If your Internet service goes down, so does your phone service.  Of course if your phone lines go down, the same thing applies.  Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that you also have a cell phone for emergency purposes.

Best VOIP Providers

1) Tops on the list is definitely Vonage.  Vonage has been around longer than most others and they have managed to clean up most of the bugs.  Vonage also adds more services than any of the others.

2) Time Warner has recently come out with their own VOIP service to run over their cable service.  Time Warner has a good reputation in the area of cable provided services and they have a local service staff.  However, they have not been around long enough to be able to comment adequately on the quality of their services.