It's Now Possible to Get Cheap Calls to the Whole World Using VoIP

VoIP (Voice over internet protocol) is fast becoming a popular form of communication for people worldwide. The reason for this is the price. VoIP offers a fast, effective and most importantly a cheap way to make the usually expensive worldwide calls.

Firstly though, what is VoIP? Well VoIP is a relatively new technology that allows the user to make standard telephone calls without having regular, standard phone-line. It instead uses a broadband connection. Some VoIP service providers give the user a special VoIP phone that enables these calls to be made, while others can allow cheap calls to made using a computer.

The service allows for cheap calls to be made via a technology known as Least Cost Routing. This means that when you place a call to a different area or country the system find where the call can be sent in a data form to various locations and then converted in VoIP and an analogue call.

When the call is converted, at that point it is still considered local. Since the internet is free, it allows for VoIP service providers to operate at a cheaper rate and this in turn can be relayed back to customer for cheaper call rates.

Some VoIP service providers may offer unlimited free calling rate for calls made to others also on the same service provider's network. This allows for example the user to make cheap calls to another VoIP user in India when in the past this might not have been available.

Others may offer more flexibility and allow cheap calls to be made to anyone with a phone number. Be it local, mobile, long distance or even international, the possibilities are there.

As the VoIP service is digital, there are features that may not be normally available on a standard phone.

Some service providers may offer international calls to a non-VoIP user at an additional rate in a similar way to traditional phone services. But some providers will allow you to choose an area different from the one in which you live. Therefore this could come in useful to say someone who regularly wants to make calls to India or China, but at a cheap affordable rate.

So what is needed for a VoIP connection? Well a broadband connection is a must have for a start. A computer may be important to some but is not crucial to access the service. Some providers, as mentioned provide a special VoIP enabled phone, while others have developed adapters which allow for standard phones to be VoIP enabled.

VoIP service providers are now putting a massive emphasis on the Indian market with packages including cheap calls to India being readily available. With the ever-growing Indian business economic climate too, it offers a perfect opportunity for customers in the business sector to be able to communicate internationally in a cost-worthy manner.

In this fast digital age, where the need for quick, quality, reliable international communication has never been more important, VoIP certainly offers a cost-effective alternate way of making cheaper calls.

Costas Kariolis - Senior Director Online of Vonage UK. Vonage are leading VoIP (Voice over IP) providers for home & small business users. Offering unlimited and cheap calls to India and many other country landlines via an internet phone service for a set monthly fee.