VOIP-Free.org

A major advantage of VOIP and Internet telephony is that it avoids the tolls charged by ordinary telephone service. VoIP telephone calls (voice) bypass the typical public-switched telephone network and transmit voice calls over a private network (the same network that carries web, e-mail and data traffic). In General Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) refers to the use of the Internet for making telephone calls. The main advantage for users of VoIP connections is that they generally only have to pay their usual (local) Internet connection charges regardless of where they are calling anywhere in the world. VoIP telephony hence threatens the traditional distance and even time-based pricing model upon which all major voice line telephone services are currently based.

How does VoIP work?

VoIP generally work on the established methods of sending packed digitized data over the internet. TCP/IP networks are made of IP packets containing a header (to control communication) and a payload to transport data: VoIP use it to go across the network and come to destination. While sending information analog data is digitized with the help of an ADC (analog to digital converter), transmitted and then at the other end the data is again transformed in analog format with DAC (digital to analog converter) to use it. VoIP also works in very similar manner. VoIP digitalizes voice in data packets and then sends them to the destination and reconverting them back to voice at destination.

Voice at the Source -> Digitized using ADC -> sent over Internet -> Digitized Data Received at Destination -> Data is reconverted to Voice using DAC.

Advantages of VoIP

• With a traditional telephone line or PSTN line you pay for the actual time usage. The more time you spend on the telephone talking to people the higher will be your telephone utility bill that you pay to the telephone service provider. Where as in the case of VoIP you can talk as much as you want and the only bill you have to pay is the regular internet bill which any way you have to pay to the internet service provider.
• On a regular telephone line you can only talk to one person at a time but in case of VoIP you can talk with as many people - who are connected to the internet - at any given time as you want. And this is only at the costs of your internet bill.
• And since you are already connected to the internet you can as well exchange data or audio / video with any one at the same time as you talk, which is impossible with the regular telephone line.
• Even though basic IP telephony and facsimile are the initial applications for VoIP, the longer term benefits are expected to be derived from multimedia and multi-service applications. For example, Internet commerce solutions can combine WWW access to information with a voice call button that allows immediate access to a call center agent from the PC. Needless to say, voice is an integral part of conferencing systems that may also include shared screens, white boarding, etc. Combining voice and data features into new applications will provide the greatest returns over the longer term. Videoconferencing also can be greatly enhanced.

Thousands of consumers are collectively saving millions of dollars by replacing or supplementing their traditional telephone lines with VoIP. Widespread adoption of broadband Internet service (cable or DSL) in the last few years though has in turn fueled a surge in the growth of much-improved personal VoIP. To get started, you need an analog telephone adapter (ATA) to convert your voice into data packets. In most cases, all you have to do is connect the ATA to your broadband modem and a conventional phone, and you're ready to start making calls to any phone in the world.

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