Voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP, IPA: /vɔjp/) is a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet or other packet-switched networks. VoIP is often used abstractly to refer to the actual transmission of voice (rather than the protocol implementing it). This latter concept is also referred to as IP telephony, Internet telephony, voice over broadband, broadband telephony, and broadband phone.
VoIP providers may be viewed as commercial realizations of the experimental Network Voice Protocol (1973) invented for the ARPANET providers. Some cost savings are due to utilizing a single network to carry voice and data, especially where users have underused network capacity that can carry VoIP at no additional cost. VoIP-to-VoIP phone calls are sometimes free, while VoIP calls connecting to public switched telephone networks (VoIP-to-PSTN) may have a cost that is borne by the VoIP user.
Voice-over-IP systems carry telephony signals as digital audio, typically reduced in data rate using speech data compression techniques, encapsulated in a data-packet stream over IP.
There are two types of PSTN-to-VoIP services: Direct inward dialing (DID) and access numbers. DID will connect a caller directly to the VoIP user, while access numbers require the caller to provide an extension number for the called VoIP user.
dimanche 15 juin 2008
Residential VOIP]
Is VoIP only beneficial for corporations?
Generally, telephone service via residential VoIP is either free or costs less than similar service from traditional sources, but it's comparable to alternative Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) service providers. Some cost savings are from using a single network to convey voice and data, especially where users have accessible underutilized network facility they can use for residential VoIP at no extra cost. VoIP to VoIP telephone calls on any given provider are customarily free, while VoIP to PSTN calls normally costs the user of residential VoIP.
VoIP technology does not quite require broadband Internet access, but this normally sustains improved quality of service. A considerable percentage of homes today are connected to the Internet through DSL, which requires a traditional landline telephone line. Having to pay for provider residential VoIP as well as both a basic landline telephone line and broadband Internet access minimizes the probable benefits of VoIP. However, some regional telephone companies now offer DSL service without the telephone, consequently saving subscribers money when they switch to provider residential VoIP. VoIP can also be used with Cable Internet instead of DSL, which can eliminate the need for a traditional telephone line completely.
Some broadband connections may have below looked-for quality. Where IP packets are lost or delayed at any point in the network between residential service VoIP users, there will be a momentary drop-out of voice. Technology has improved the reliability and voice quality over time and will continue to improve residential service VoIP performance as time goes on.Issues with enterprise IP telephonyAlthough only a small number of office environments use a pure VoIP infrastructure, telecommunications providers regularly use IP telephony. This is often used over a devoted IP network, to connect switching stations, as it converts voice signals to IP packets and back. The aftermath is a data-abstracted digital network which the provider can upgrade and utilize for multiple purposes.
Corporate customer telephone support often uses IP telephony strictly to take advantage of the data abstraction. The benefit of using this technology is the d esire for only one class of circuit connection and better bandwidth usage. Companies can acquire their own gateways to abolish third-party costs, which is worthwhile in some instances.
VoIP is widely employed by its carriers, chiefly for international telephone calls. It is regularly used to direct traffic starting and ending at conventional PSTN telephones.
IP packets are sometimes lost or delayed at any point in the network between VoIP users. This usually results in a temporary drop-out of voice. It is more noticeable in severely-congested networks and where there are long distances as well as inter-working between end points, such as in corporations.Requirements for home users and corporationsA major development starting in 2004 has been the introduction of residential VoIP services over broadband enterprise service VoIP, in which subscribers make and receive calls as they would over the PSTN. Full phone residential VoIP service telephone companies usually provide inbound and out bound calling with Direct Inbound Dialing. A popular offer is unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada as well as selected regions in Europe and Asia for an even monthly fee.
These services take a wide array of forms which can be more or less similar to traditional Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). At one extreme, an analog telephone adapter (ATA) may be connected to the residential VoIP service and an existing telephone jack in order to provide service nearly identical from POTS on all the other jacks in the residence. This type of service, which is fixed to a single location, is simply offered by broadband Internet providers like cable companies and telephone companies as a cheaper flat-rate traditional phone service.
Often the phrase "VoIP" is not used in peddling these services, but instead the industry has marketed the phrase "Internet Phone" or "Digital Phone", which is aimed at average phone users who are not really tech-savvy. In the corporate workplace, broadband enterprise service VoIP generally uses the term "Internet Phone". Typically, the provider publicizes the advantage of being able to keep the existing phone number. Examples of this type of service in the United States are not limited to Time Warner, Comcast's Digital Phone, Verizon VoiceWing and AT&T CallVantage.
An advantage of Vonage or BroadVoice broadband enterprise service VoIP is the ability to make and receive calls as one would at home, anywhere in the world, at no extra cost. No additional charges are incurred and the called party does not have to even pay for the call. For example, if a subscriber with a home telephone number in a U.S. area code calls another individual in his home area code, it will be treated as a local call no matter where that person is in the world.
Generally, telephone service via residential VoIP is either free or costs less than similar service from traditional sources, but it's comparable to alternative Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) service providers. Some cost savings are from using a single network to convey voice and data, especially where users have accessible underutilized network facility they can use for residential VoIP at no extra cost. VoIP to VoIP telephone calls on any given provider are customarily free, while VoIP to PSTN calls normally costs the user of residential VoIP.
VoIP technology does not quite require broadband Internet access, but this normally sustains improved quality of service. A considerable percentage of homes today are connected to the Internet through DSL, which requires a traditional landline telephone line. Having to pay for provider residential VoIP as well as both a basic landline telephone line and broadband Internet access minimizes the probable benefits of VoIP. However, some regional telephone companies now offer DSL service without the telephone, consequently saving subscribers money when they switch to provider residential VoIP. VoIP can also be used with Cable Internet instead of DSL, which can eliminate the need for a traditional telephone line completely.
Some broadband connections may have below looked-for quality. Where IP packets are lost or delayed at any point in the network between residential service VoIP users, there will be a momentary drop-out of voice. Technology has improved the reliability and voice quality over time and will continue to improve residential service VoIP performance as time goes on.Issues with enterprise IP telephonyAlthough only a small number of office environments use a pure VoIP infrastructure, telecommunications providers regularly use IP telephony. This is often used over a devoted IP network, to connect switching stations, as it converts voice signals to IP packets and back. The aftermath is a data-abstracted digital network which the provider can upgrade and utilize for multiple purposes.
Corporate customer telephone support often uses IP telephony strictly to take advantage of the data abstraction. The benefit of using this technology is the d esire for only one class of circuit connection and better bandwidth usage. Companies can acquire their own gateways to abolish third-party costs, which is worthwhile in some instances.
VoIP is widely employed by its carriers, chiefly for international telephone calls. It is regularly used to direct traffic starting and ending at conventional PSTN telephones.
IP packets are sometimes lost or delayed at any point in the network between VoIP users. This usually results in a temporary drop-out of voice. It is more noticeable in severely-congested networks and where there are long distances as well as inter-working between end points, such as in corporations.Requirements for home users and corporationsA major development starting in 2004 has been the introduction of residential VoIP services over broadband enterprise service VoIP, in which subscribers make and receive calls as they would over the PSTN. Full phone residential VoIP service telephone companies usually provide inbound and out bound calling with Direct Inbound Dialing. A popular offer is unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada as well as selected regions in Europe and Asia for an even monthly fee.
These services take a wide array of forms which can be more or less similar to traditional Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). At one extreme, an analog telephone adapter (ATA) may be connected to the residential VoIP service and an existing telephone jack in order to provide service nearly identical from POTS on all the other jacks in the residence. This type of service, which is fixed to a single location, is simply offered by broadband Internet providers like cable companies and telephone companies as a cheaper flat-rate traditional phone service.
Often the phrase "VoIP" is not used in peddling these services, but instead the industry has marketed the phrase "Internet Phone" or "Digital Phone", which is aimed at average phone users who are not really tech-savvy. In the corporate workplace, broadband enterprise service VoIP generally uses the term "Internet Phone". Typically, the provider publicizes the advantage of being able to keep the existing phone number. Examples of this type of service in the United States are not limited to Time Warner, Comcast's Digital Phone, Verizon VoiceWing and AT&T CallVantage.
An advantage of Vonage or BroadVoice broadband enterprise service VoIP is the ability to make and receive calls as one would at home, anywhere in the world, at no extra cost. No additional charges are incurred and the called party does not have to even pay for the call. For example, if a subscriber with a home telephone number in a U.S. area code calls another individual in his home area code, it will be treated as a local call no matter where that person is in the world.
Challenges in VOIP
Will VoIP be a Mass Market Product?
A common thinking among "Marketing people " is that for every product that enters the market there must be a path, a target, a need ( real or created) that decides how the product must enter the consumer's life, which part of the population is more likely to go for it, which niche it is going to fill and, most important "...certain things being stated, something other than what is stated follows of necessity from their being so." and that is the final issue: the price.
Depending on those anavoidable patterns a product is more or less ready for a certain market.
High technologically devices, the ones that offer perfect quality and cost a fortune will target the elitarian market, where the price has not big importance (on the contrary, if the price would be lower than what certain people can afford, the product wouldn't reach them) since it means luxury.
When a product ceases to be luxury and begins to be a need, then the mass market is ready. The product can enter 60% of consumers' lives, reach easily a good upgrade in the percentage and become " The New Product of the year 200....".
Let's consider the VoIP market.
Prior to recent theoretical work on social needs, the usual purpose of a product invoked individual (social) behaviors. We now know that these assumptions are not completely wrong.
Wrong would be NON considering them.
In systems where many people are free to choose between many options, a small subset of the whole offer will get a disproportionate amount of traffic (or attention, or income), even if no one of the system actively work towards such an outcome. This has nothing to do with moral weakness, selling out, or any other psychological explanation. The very act of choosing, spread widely enough and freely enough, creates a power law distribution.
Now, thanks to a series of breakthroughs in network theory by researchers we know that power law distributions tend to arise in social systems where many people express their preferences among many options. We also know that as the number of options rise, the curve becomes more extreme. This is a counter-intuitive finding - most of us would expect a rising number of choices to flatten the curve, but in fact, increasing the size of the system increases the gap between the #1 spot and the median spot.
In other words: give to the people the choice among desktop phones and mobile phones and the majority will choose what they think more convenient, in spite of the cost of the service.
In a way the cost of the service is the only left advantage in favour of the fixed telephony.
If the price was the same the desktop phones would disappear from the life of the average consumer (mass market consumer).
To see how freedom of choice could create such unequal distributions, consider a hypothetical population of a thousand people, each picking their favorite way of telecommunication. One way to model such a system is simply to assume that each person has an equal chance of liking each kind of telephony. This distribution would be basically flat - most kind of telephony will have the same number of people listing it as a favorite. A few will be more popular than average and a few less, of course, but that will be statistical noise. The bulk of the telephony will be of average popularity, and the highs and lows will not be too far different from this average. In this model, neither the quality of the voice, the availability, the design of the device nor other people's choices have any effect; there are no shared tastes, no preferred genres, no effects from marketing or recommendations from friends.
This is the mass market of VoIP as dreamed and forecasted by most hardware producers.
People would choose VoIP in spite of the fact that the systems are not intercommunicating, the available phones are just desktop phones, most of the population doesn't have a "Flat rate DSL" and some do not even have a decent connection, (just one " UP to...) and just because VoIP means cutting cost.
They have a few wrong assumptions:
Most of the people want to save calling internationally
Most of the people will use a cheap Flat rate connection
Most of the people know how to handle a computer or a network, and so solve all the eventual problems that could arise.
But they do not consider that:
Most people call locally and just a few once in a while internationally.
Most of the people do not have a cheap flat rate Internet
Most of the people are not IT experts.
Besides people's choices do affect one another. If we assume that any kind of telephony chosen by one user is more likely, by even a fractional amount, to be chosen by another user, the system changes dramatically.
If Robert (our average mass market consumer) likes to have a phone in his pocket, available mostly anywhere, it is very likely that Mary would like the same.
Is VoIp ready for the "Mass Market"?
The answer could be No and Yes.
What would VoIP offer more than the existing several choices?
Price. Telephone calls would be completely free of charge among two IP phones ( and that believe me is a GREEEEAT THING when you try it)
The never enough considered satisfaction to be able to ref..ck who f..cked us for many years...
What would VoIP telephony need to be #1 spot in the curve?
A reliable PORTABLE Phone that doesn't need millions of Hot Spot's to work.
A reliable, cheap flat rate internet connection anywhere for everybody.
If ONE could put these patterns together, THEN VoIP would really have the chance to be #1.
A common thinking among "Marketing people " is that for every product that enters the market there must be a path, a target, a need ( real or created) that decides how the product must enter the consumer's life, which part of the population is more likely to go for it, which niche it is going to fill and, most important "...certain things being stated, something other than what is stated follows of necessity from their being so." and that is the final issue: the price.
Depending on those anavoidable patterns a product is more or less ready for a certain market.
High technologically devices, the ones that offer perfect quality and cost a fortune will target the elitarian market, where the price has not big importance (on the contrary, if the price would be lower than what certain people can afford, the product wouldn't reach them) since it means luxury.
When a product ceases to be luxury and begins to be a need, then the mass market is ready. The product can enter 60% of consumers' lives, reach easily a good upgrade in the percentage and become " The New Product of the year 200....".
Let's consider the VoIP market.
Prior to recent theoretical work on social needs, the usual purpose of a product invoked individual (social) behaviors. We now know that these assumptions are not completely wrong.
Wrong would be NON considering them.
In systems where many people are free to choose between many options, a small subset of the whole offer will get a disproportionate amount of traffic (or attention, or income), even if no one of the system actively work towards such an outcome. This has nothing to do with moral weakness, selling out, or any other psychological explanation. The very act of choosing, spread widely enough and freely enough, creates a power law distribution.
Now, thanks to a series of breakthroughs in network theory by researchers we know that power law distributions tend to arise in social systems where many people express their preferences among many options. We also know that as the number of options rise, the curve becomes more extreme. This is a counter-intuitive finding - most of us would expect a rising number of choices to flatten the curve, but in fact, increasing the size of the system increases the gap between the #1 spot and the median spot.
In other words: give to the people the choice among desktop phones and mobile phones and the majority will choose what they think more convenient, in spite of the cost of the service.
In a way the cost of the service is the only left advantage in favour of the fixed telephony.
If the price was the same the desktop phones would disappear from the life of the average consumer (mass market consumer).
To see how freedom of choice could create such unequal distributions, consider a hypothetical population of a thousand people, each picking their favorite way of telecommunication. One way to model such a system is simply to assume that each person has an equal chance of liking each kind of telephony. This distribution would be basically flat - most kind of telephony will have the same number of people listing it as a favorite. A few will be more popular than average and a few less, of course, but that will be statistical noise. The bulk of the telephony will be of average popularity, and the highs and lows will not be too far different from this average. In this model, neither the quality of the voice, the availability, the design of the device nor other people's choices have any effect; there are no shared tastes, no preferred genres, no effects from marketing or recommendations from friends.
This is the mass market of VoIP as dreamed and forecasted by most hardware producers.
People would choose VoIP in spite of the fact that the systems are not intercommunicating, the available phones are just desktop phones, most of the population doesn't have a "Flat rate DSL" and some do not even have a decent connection, (just one " UP to...) and just because VoIP means cutting cost.
They have a few wrong assumptions:
Most of the people want to save calling internationally
Most of the people will use a cheap Flat rate connection
Most of the people know how to handle a computer or a network, and so solve all the eventual problems that could arise.
But they do not consider that:
Most people call locally and just a few once in a while internationally.
Most of the people do not have a cheap flat rate Internet
Most of the people are not IT experts.
Besides people's choices do affect one another. If we assume that any kind of telephony chosen by one user is more likely, by even a fractional amount, to be chosen by another user, the system changes dramatically.
If Robert (our average mass market consumer) likes to have a phone in his pocket, available mostly anywhere, it is very likely that Mary would like the same.
Is VoIp ready for the "Mass Market"?
The answer could be No and Yes.
What would VoIP offer more than the existing several choices?
Price. Telephone calls would be completely free of charge among two IP phones ( and that believe me is a GREEEEAT THING when you try it)
The never enough considered satisfaction to be able to ref..ck who f..cked us for many years...
What would VoIP telephony need to be #1 spot in the curve?
A reliable PORTABLE Phone that doesn't need millions of Hot Spot's to work.
A reliable, cheap flat rate internet connection anywhere for everybody.
If ONE could put these patterns together, THEN VoIP would really have the chance to be #1.
VOIP Phone Systems
What’s Your IQ on Basic PC Phone ( VoIP ) Knowledge ?
1.T / F You can save a significant amount of money using VoIP rather than traditional telephone/cell phone calling methods.2.T / F The minimum requirement for VoIP is a broadband (high speed) connection.3.T / F VoIP security is not an issue to be concerned about because most computers are protected with firewalls.4.T / F Over 75% of the world will be using VoIP for communication within the next 3-4 years.5.T / F You can make all your phone calls anywhere in the world from your computer.6.T / F Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are perfectly safe to use, especially if your computer is protected with firewalls.Answers1.The answer is True. In fact, it is the tremendous savings of up to 80% off traditional phone calling that makes VoIP attractive to consumers and businesses. The only equipment needed for VoIP is your PC and a microphone (if one is not built into your PC). Beware of VoIP service providers that require you to purchase additional equipment and/or sign contracts.2.The answer is False. Although the public has been fed a steady diet that the minimum requirement for VoIP is a high speed (broadband) connection, this is absolutely false. Over 90% of the VoIP providers have used this false premise as a smokescreen to take your focus off the fact that their priority was and is to line their own pockets rather than expend the time, effort, and funds to develop technology that incorporates dial up capability. The technology required for dial up connections to use VoIP involves the ability to compress data packets down to a minimum size of 8 kbps prior to traveling over the Internet. 3.The answer is False. Security should be the most important feature of any VoIP solution provider. Firewalls do not incorporate protection for VoIP. VoIP security should incorporate protection against identity theft, Trojan horses, viruses, and worms. Craig Pollard of Siemens advised that “Voice must be protected like any other application". He further stated that, "Along with IT directors and telecom managers, a number of financial directors came to our road shows, which may not be surprising considering the damaging potential of VoIP threats if a network is not properly protected." Over 90% of VoIP solution providers do not operate on secure lines. These providers, in order to save a few dollars at your expense, operate on industry standard codec (encryption codes) and industry standard protocols which are publicly open and interpretable. Hacker friendly providers offer hacker manuals, software, programs, and even processor chips that makes accessibility to your computer from these industry standards – as enticing as chum is to sharks in a feeding frenzy. When a computer hacker gains unauthorized access to your computer, their sole purpose is to steal your identity and sell your personal and confidential information to other criminal entities. In addition, they often plant Trojan horses, viruses, and worms into your computer.4.The answer is True. Industry insiders such AT&T says, “VoIP traffic is projected to account for approximately 75% of the world’s voice traffic by 2007”. This suggests a major paradigm shift in communication.5.The answer is True. Not only can you make all your phone calls anywhere in the world from your computer, you can also travel with your computer phone. Simply by bringing your unique number and password, you can download your phone with your entire contact list. Of course, PC to PC is usually free between subscribers. PC to telephones and cell phones typically involves fees at drastically reduced rates when compared to traditional calling rates.6.The answer is False. P2P networks use industry standard codec (encryption codes) and industry standard protocols which are publicly open and interpretable. John Ashcroft, Attorney General, in remarks at the High Technology Crime Investigation Association 2004 International Training Conference held on September 13, 2004 stated, “We have seen worms and viruses attack…disrupting basic services…And with the increased use of the Internet and especially peer-to-peer networking, we have seen malicious code spread more quickly and infect more personal computers than ever before. The cost of these worms, viruses, and denial-of-service attacks…reaches into the billions of dollars.”P2P networks such as Skype operate by taking bandwidth (information carrying capacity) from customers on their service to assist other customers using their service - analogous to a symbiotic relationship. The tools that enable them to accomplish this are bundled in the software their customers agree to in order to download and access their VoIP service.Another grave concern for both individuals and businesses when using P2P systems is unknowingly having your computer used as a supernode. A supernode occurs when your computer is arbitrarily assigned as a hub. When you are running the software for P2P services, your computer’s disk space, bandwidth, and processing power are used to help other users on the same system operate their software more efficiently because of their own network or firewall constraints. We as consumers still have a lot to learn about VoIP, as this technology is the new era of communication and is continuously being changed. All VoIP service providers need to incorporate the protection, needs, and desires of its customers, as well as address security and dial up capability. All VoIP service providers should invest in developing a proprietary patented technology that incorporates compression of data packets so that their VoIP can be used on dial up connections, as well as cable, satellite, and wireless. All VoIP service providers should develop and create their own proprietary high end encryption codec with patented technology, simply because they do not want their customers to be victims of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or have their identity stolen as a result of using their VoIP service. Simply put, all VoIP service providers should place the protection, security, and needs of their customers FIRST. Of course, they are in business to earn profits, but it should not be at the expense of exposing their customers to unscrupulous entities.Want to hear and experience what exceptional sound quality on optimally secure lines sounds like? Download a 7 day free trial at http://www.free-pc-phone.com and see for yourself. **Attn Ezine editors / Site owners **Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include the resource box as listed above.
1.T / F You can save a significant amount of money using VoIP rather than traditional telephone/cell phone calling methods.2.T / F The minimum requirement for VoIP is a broadband (high speed) connection.3.T / F VoIP security is not an issue to be concerned about because most computers are protected with firewalls.4.T / F Over 75% of the world will be using VoIP for communication within the next 3-4 years.5.T / F You can make all your phone calls anywhere in the world from your computer.6.T / F Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are perfectly safe to use, especially if your computer is protected with firewalls.Answers1.The answer is True. In fact, it is the tremendous savings of up to 80% off traditional phone calling that makes VoIP attractive to consumers and businesses. The only equipment needed for VoIP is your PC and a microphone (if one is not built into your PC). Beware of VoIP service providers that require you to purchase additional equipment and/or sign contracts.2.The answer is False. Although the public has been fed a steady diet that the minimum requirement for VoIP is a high speed (broadband) connection, this is absolutely false. Over 90% of the VoIP providers have used this false premise as a smokescreen to take your focus off the fact that their priority was and is to line their own pockets rather than expend the time, effort, and funds to develop technology that incorporates dial up capability. The technology required for dial up connections to use VoIP involves the ability to compress data packets down to a minimum size of 8 kbps prior to traveling over the Internet. 3.The answer is False. Security should be the most important feature of any VoIP solution provider. Firewalls do not incorporate protection for VoIP. VoIP security should incorporate protection against identity theft, Trojan horses, viruses, and worms. Craig Pollard of Siemens advised that “Voice must be protected like any other application". He further stated that, "Along with IT directors and telecom managers, a number of financial directors came to our road shows, which may not be surprising considering the damaging potential of VoIP threats if a network is not properly protected." Over 90% of VoIP solution providers do not operate on secure lines. These providers, in order to save a few dollars at your expense, operate on industry standard codec (encryption codes) and industry standard protocols which are publicly open and interpretable. Hacker friendly providers offer hacker manuals, software, programs, and even processor chips that makes accessibility to your computer from these industry standards – as enticing as chum is to sharks in a feeding frenzy. When a computer hacker gains unauthorized access to your computer, their sole purpose is to steal your identity and sell your personal and confidential information to other criminal entities. In addition, they often plant Trojan horses, viruses, and worms into your computer.4.The answer is True. Industry insiders such AT&T says, “VoIP traffic is projected to account for approximately 75% of the world’s voice traffic by 2007”. This suggests a major paradigm shift in communication.5.The answer is True. Not only can you make all your phone calls anywhere in the world from your computer, you can also travel with your computer phone. Simply by bringing your unique number and password, you can download your phone with your entire contact list. Of course, PC to PC is usually free between subscribers. PC to telephones and cell phones typically involves fees at drastically reduced rates when compared to traditional calling rates.6.The answer is False. P2P networks use industry standard codec (encryption codes) and industry standard protocols which are publicly open and interpretable. John Ashcroft, Attorney General, in remarks at the High Technology Crime Investigation Association 2004 International Training Conference held on September 13, 2004 stated, “We have seen worms and viruses attack…disrupting basic services…And with the increased use of the Internet and especially peer-to-peer networking, we have seen malicious code spread more quickly and infect more personal computers than ever before. The cost of these worms, viruses, and denial-of-service attacks…reaches into the billions of dollars.”P2P networks such as Skype operate by taking bandwidth (information carrying capacity) from customers on their service to assist other customers using their service - analogous to a symbiotic relationship. The tools that enable them to accomplish this are bundled in the software their customers agree to in order to download and access their VoIP service.Another grave concern for both individuals and businesses when using P2P systems is unknowingly having your computer used as a supernode. A supernode occurs when your computer is arbitrarily assigned as a hub. When you are running the software for P2P services, your computer’s disk space, bandwidth, and processing power are used to help other users on the same system operate their software more efficiently because of their own network or firewall constraints. We as consumers still have a lot to learn about VoIP, as this technology is the new era of communication and is continuously being changed. All VoIP service providers need to incorporate the protection, needs, and desires of its customers, as well as address security and dial up capability. All VoIP service providers should invest in developing a proprietary patented technology that incorporates compression of data packets so that their VoIP can be used on dial up connections, as well as cable, satellite, and wireless. All VoIP service providers should develop and create their own proprietary high end encryption codec with patented technology, simply because they do not want their customers to be victims of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or have their identity stolen as a result of using their VoIP service. Simply put, all VoIP service providers should place the protection, security, and needs of their customers FIRST. Of course, they are in business to earn profits, but it should not be at the expense of exposing their customers to unscrupulous entities.Want to hear and experience what exceptional sound quality on optimally secure lines sounds like? Download a 7 day free trial at http://www.free-pc-phone.com and see for yourself. **Attn Ezine editors / Site owners **Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include the resource box as listed above.
About VOIP Processes ]
How to choose VoIP service without losing your shirt
Just mentioning the word to yourself either brings up images of walking in a new city where the grass is greener, or it brings up fear of the unknown. Some will tread carefully around the subject, waiting to hear others opinions about a specific service and some may charge fearlessly into a service that they know little about. Which way is the right way to choose a VoIP service? I say neither.Is there a safe way to choose a VoIP service? You bet there is, but it does take some work and careful research to make sure that you don't get stuck with something you cannot use or worse yet, be forced into a scenario in which your telephone communications is impaired.There are 3 general steps to choosing Broadband Phone service. They are:1.Qualify Yourself2.Qualify a specific Provider, and3.Research the provider.1.Qualify Yourself – Ask yourself “why do I want voip?” Is it because you want to save money? are you attracted to voip by all of the features that it offers? Maybe you're sick of your local telephone company. Whatever the reason, make sure that the benefits are better than what you're already getting now. For instance, you might want to save money on long distance with a voip provider but don't want to give up your old phone number. In this case you would have to ask yourself whether it would be acceptable to lose your old phone number to save a few extra dollars. These days, most providers (but not all) will allow you to keep your old phone number. Do you have a secondary means of communication such as a cell phone?When your internet connection goes down, so does your voip line. That means that if a large storm knocks out power to your house, then your internet connection will also most likely be down. Another thing to consider when qualifying yourself for voip service is that 911 service is not as robust as a land line service would be. You may have to give the dispatcher your name and address. The good news is that the larger providers are working with the dispatchers to provide 911 service that is just as robust as 911 on a land line.Last but not least you must make sure that your your internet connection is suitable for voip. Sorry 56k'ers but dialup just isn't gonna cut it for voip. If you do have a broadband connection, head on down to http://www.testyourvoip.com and do a quick test.2.Qualify a Specific ProviderYour voip provider means everything when it comes to reliability and sound quality. You should choose a provider that has the features that you need (call waiting, 3 way calling, extra lines, distinctive ring, etc.). One thing to definitely look into is the 911 service that's offered and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions to the customer service department of the prospective provider. Number portability (if you need to keep your old number) is something else to be looked into. The rates should be competitive and don't forget to look at international rates if you do any international calling. The most important thing to look for in a voip provider is a money back guarantee. If there is no money back guarantee, then pass on that provider; just about all voip companies have a guarantee.3.Research the providerJust because everything looks OK from a customer service angle, the service is cheap , and does what you need it to does not necessarily make it a good service. What does make a service good is if they have happy customers. The best way to do this would be to search the better business bureau for complaints against the company, search google with something like reviews, complaints, opinions, etc. author : Jason Stewart
Just mentioning the word to yourself either brings up images of walking in a new city where the grass is greener, or it brings up fear of the unknown. Some will tread carefully around the subject, waiting to hear others opinions about a specific service and some may charge fearlessly into a service that they know little about. Which way is the right way to choose a VoIP service? I say neither.Is there a safe way to choose a VoIP service? You bet there is, but it does take some work and careful research to make sure that you don't get stuck with something you cannot use or worse yet, be forced into a scenario in which your telephone communications is impaired.There are 3 general steps to choosing Broadband Phone service. They are:1.Qualify Yourself2.Qualify a specific Provider, and3.Research the provider.1.Qualify Yourself – Ask yourself “why do I want voip?” Is it because you want to save money? are you attracted to voip by all of the features that it offers? Maybe you're sick of your local telephone company. Whatever the reason, make sure that the benefits are better than what you're already getting now. For instance, you might want to save money on long distance with a voip provider but don't want to give up your old phone number. In this case you would have to ask yourself whether it would be acceptable to lose your old phone number to save a few extra dollars. These days, most providers (but not all) will allow you to keep your old phone number. Do you have a secondary means of communication such as a cell phone?When your internet connection goes down, so does your voip line. That means that if a large storm knocks out power to your house, then your internet connection will also most likely be down. Another thing to consider when qualifying yourself for voip service is that 911 service is not as robust as a land line service would be. You may have to give the dispatcher your name and address. The good news is that the larger providers are working with the dispatchers to provide 911 service that is just as robust as 911 on a land line.Last but not least you must make sure that your your internet connection is suitable for voip. Sorry 56k'ers but dialup just isn't gonna cut it for voip. If you do have a broadband connection, head on down to http://www.testyourvoip.com and do a quick test.2.Qualify a Specific ProviderYour voip provider means everything when it comes to reliability and sound quality. You should choose a provider that has the features that you need (call waiting, 3 way calling, extra lines, distinctive ring, etc.). One thing to definitely look into is the 911 service that's offered and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions to the customer service department of the prospective provider. Number portability (if you need to keep your old number) is something else to be looked into. The rates should be competitive and don't forget to look at international rates if you do any international calling. The most important thing to look for in a voip provider is a money back guarantee. If there is no money back guarantee, then pass on that provider; just about all voip companies have a guarantee.3.Research the providerJust because everything looks OK from a customer service angle, the service is cheap , and does what you need it to does not necessarily make it a good service. What does make a service good is if they have happy customers. The best way to do this would be to search the better business bureau for complaints against the company, search google with something like reviews, complaints, opinions, etc. author : Jason Stewart
VOIP Internet Telephony
u.S. Soldiers in Iraq using VoIP to call home
August 19, 2007
Whether you are in the Bush or Kerry camp, and as divisive this election year has become, I think we can all agree that we should support our troops.
I was surfing the web and came across a company, Freedom Calls Foundation, that is offering free VoIP and video services to our troops abroad so they can call home for free. When you haven't seen your loved ones for months at a time, having not just voice capabilities, but also video to "see and virtually feel" your loved ones from afar is a real morale booster for our troops. I'm sure seeing live video has a very powerful impact on the miiltary families.
Freedom Calls Foundation's mission is to build a communications network independent of military networks employing state of the art Wi-Fi, VOIP telephony, Video Conferencing and Satcom technology to enable our troops to communicate free of charge from their base camps with their families at home by internet telephone, instant messaging and video conference.
Their website states, "Your generous contributions to the Freedom Calls Foundation serve to ease the burden of thousands of our brave soldiers and their families in their effort to protect our country and rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. A $50 contribution by just 1 million Americans will enable the Freedom Calls Foundation to offer its state of the art communication services to virtually every soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan free of charge."
I should mention that the video piece was donated by Viditel. In fact, although I don't have a photo of military personnel using Viditel, I thought I would share a stock marketing photo from Viditel. Notice the multiple video windows. I can certainly envision our troops being able to talk to parents, siblings, and grandparents all at the same time. Kudos to both organizations - and don't forget to consider a donation to Freedom Calls Foundation since it is a worthy cause.
August 19, 2007
Whether you are in the Bush or Kerry camp, and as divisive this election year has become, I think we can all agree that we should support our troops.
I was surfing the web and came across a company, Freedom Calls Foundation, that is offering free VoIP and video services to our troops abroad so they can call home for free. When you haven't seen your loved ones for months at a time, having not just voice capabilities, but also video to "see and virtually feel" your loved ones from afar is a real morale booster for our troops. I'm sure seeing live video has a very powerful impact on the miiltary families.
Freedom Calls Foundation's mission is to build a communications network independent of military networks employing state of the art Wi-Fi, VOIP telephony, Video Conferencing and Satcom technology to enable our troops to communicate free of charge from their base camps with their families at home by internet telephone, instant messaging and video conference.
Their website states, "Your generous contributions to the Freedom Calls Foundation serve to ease the burden of thousands of our brave soldiers and their families in their effort to protect our country and rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. A $50 contribution by just 1 million Americans will enable the Freedom Calls Foundation to offer its state of the art communication services to virtually every soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan free of charge."
I should mention that the video piece was donated by Viditel. In fact, although I don't have a photo of military personnel using Viditel, I thought I would share a stock marketing photo from Viditel. Notice the multiple video windows. I can certainly envision our troops being able to talk to parents, siblings, and grandparents all at the same time. Kudos to both organizations - and don't forget to consider a donation to Freedom Calls Foundation since it is a worthy cause.
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