The In's and Out's of VOIP Technology

Remember the time when cellphones were not yet popular and everyone was using hand held or wireless analog telephones? It wasn't until cellular phones became inexpensive that mobile cellphones became very popular. The became more accessible to the "average" person. The exact scenario is happening with VOIP technology. VOIP technology is being used to speak to someone halfway around the world or even just around the corner because you are also ca[able of seeing the person you are speaking to with the video phone,which used the VOIP technology. The savings between using VOIP compared to using a land-line telephone are quite significant. It is an excellent alternative which allows you not only to see the person you are speaking to but also offers you substantial savings on your monthly telephone bills. It enables you to talk to anyone at any time for one low monthly cost. This technology is also expanding into the business arena as well. VOIP technology is also becoming a very popular choice for business owners.

VOIP offers its users a wide array of benefits. All you need is an internet connection and an electrical outlet! Unlike some other systems, that require a PC, an internet connection, a microphone, and a headset in order to work. Why go through all that hassle, when a much simpler solution is available to you right now? Analog (land-line) telephones are a thing of the past. Analog telephones are expensive to maintain and making long distance calls will only make your monthly bill even higher.

Another advantage to having VoIP technology is that you are able to make unlimited calls anywhere in the world. Consider this, if you are on a land-line telephone making a call to someone that is miles away, you will be charged every minute you spend talking to that person. Remember, telephone companies charge by the minute not per call. This makes for a very fast conversation with the person on the other end of the telephone. In fact, certain VoIP companies charge a flat rate per month regardless of how many hours you spend talking.

Instead of limiting yourself to talking to a single person, why not talk to more than two at the same time. This makes business meetings and conference calls more convenient since everyone can be listening at the same time and can share details real time since VOIP calls do not have any delays. All calls are made "real time"

VOIP also allows you to enjoy other features like conference calls, call waiting, caller ID, and much more, These same features offered with a land-line telephone would have an additional cost through your telephone provider. VoIP is portable so wherever you go, you can still use VoIP as long as there is an internet connection. VOIP technology offers the best of both worlds!

Joseph Huber is a successful business owner and entrepreneur. He has used his knowledge to better the lives of others. He enjoys being able to teach people what he has learned over the years both from his successful businesses and his life experiences. Joseph believes that there is nothing better than sharing information with others and advocates "paying it forward" as much as he can. Joseph currently resides in Massachusetts with his family.

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VoIP is a Great Modern Day Communication Choice

Looking for a choice of modern auto transmission technology? Look at VoIP or voice over Internet protocol. Actually, the task of transmitting audio sounds over the Internet has been going on for some time. It still continues to improve as well as create providers realizing its great potential for making non-traditional long-distance calls. The actual setup is much simpler and the cost much more effective than any traditional means. In fact, some critics predict that this system will eventually become superior to the traditional way that phone calls are being made based on its great technology. Typically, there are three different ways to make calls through this type of system.

Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA)
With an adapter, you connect your regular telephone through your computer and then into the Internet.

It converts to a digital data stream as it is transmitted through the Internet coverage. The setup is quite simple with but a cable connection from your phone to the computer.

Computer to Computer
The second way for communication through this system is making a call from one computer to another. Software is needed to be installed so that these calls can be made for free.

VoIP Phones
The third way is to use a VoIP phone that looks just like a regular phone. These have a handset, cradle and all the buttons that are usually typical for a standard telephone. However, VoIP phones use an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. You will connect your VoIP phone directly to your router. There is no need for any additional hardware or software since it is already built into the phone.

Andrew Wayman works for a IT support Thames Valley agency with high end IT management services.

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7 Reasons to Add SIP Trunking to Your Telephone System

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) usually brings to mind popular consumer services such as Vonage, Skype and Google Voice. Many businesses have replaced their old telephone systems with VoIP through services commonly called Hosted VoIP, Hosted PBX, IP Centrex & Virtual PBX from business VoIP providers. However, integrating VoIP with legacy telephone systems is gaining popularity through Session Initiation Protocol or SIP trunking.

SIP trunking is not limited to newer telephone systems that can accept them directly. Older telephone systems can use a SIP trunk with the aid of an integration box. Here is a list of SIP trunk benefits that most any telephone system can take advantage:

1. Direct Inward Dial (DID) DID is a telephone number that rings directly to a desk phone or a department. The number can be published on business cards, the Internet and directories or it can be private. Older telephone systems require expensive circuits or telephone lines for DID. Newer digital systems can handle DID with the use of a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) circuit. Although PRIs are an efficient way to take advantage of DIDs, they can be costly for telephone systems of 20 phones or less. SIP trunks can provide DIDs economically for very small phone systems.

2. Publish Local Numbers in other Market Areas The 10 digit telephone numbers that point to SIP trunks are not limited by geographical areas. A telephone system located in Dallas could have local numbers on its from Dallas, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Someone calling the local Chicago telephone number would have no idea that they are talking to someone in Dallas.

3. Stop Guessing at the Required Number of Telephone Lines Most businesses with older phone systems almost always guess at the number of telephone lines that they need. The penalty for guessing wrong is paying too much for too many lines or losing business and frustrating callers with too few. Although many SIP services are priced base upon the number of concurrent calls that they will pass, the price point for each path is significantly less than traditional service. In addition, many SIP providers can advise on whether a business has the correct number of concurrent call paths.

4. Back-Up Circuits Companies that experience periods of heavy call volume or cannot afford to be without telephone service can employ SIP trunks as back-up. SIP Trunks affordable price makes them a better alternative than other options. If the Internet provider is a cable company or wireless ISP, SIP trunks can also offer a diverse cable route into the building since they are delivered over the Internet.

5. Disaster Recovery SIP trunk providers deliver their service from 'soft' switches that are far more flexible than the large hardware central office switches of large telephone companies. Beyond providing a diverse cable route into the business, many SIP trunk providers can automatically re-route calls to other 10 digit telephone numbers including mobile phones in the event they lose contact with their customer. Further, they can process calls through automated attendants and voicemail at their Point of Presence (POP).

6. Unlimited Long Distance SIP trunk services are delivered with a wide variety of price packages. Businesses can easily find a package that will meet their needs. Some packages include unlimited domestic long distance within the Continental United States. SIP trunks can be used for outbound long distance calls only, turning exorbitant long distance bills into a flat monthly rate.

7. Quickly Re-configure Service to Meet Changing Needs The 'soft' switch architecture of SIP trunk providers allows them to be agile in meeting a changing customer's needs. They can quickly add and subtract features and concurrent calls paths within hours and without sending a service technician on-site.

SIP trunks can add value and enhance the features of any telephone system including old legacy systems. They adapt quickly, control costs and offer features not available from standard telephone line service. With the aid of integration boxes, any business can start taking advantage of VoIP and its many benefits without changing out their complete telephone system.

Visit my website to learn how Hosted VoIP and Hosted PBX can help your business. You can contact my knowledgeable Hosted PBX sales engineers at 866-242-6161.

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Choosing the Right VoIP Service

More people are choosing to switch to VoIP all the time. But choosing the right provider is not an easy choice. You need to choose the one that best suits your needs.

VoIP is well known for being cheaper than telephone services. If the only reason you are switching to VoIP is that you want the cheapest ways of making calls that is possible then you shouldn't have a problem finding a suitable provider. Some providers even offer free calls between two computers and you can't get cheaper than that. Using a computer to call a phone can also be very cheap. If nothing else matters to you except for price them you will not have a problem.

For many though, the quality of the service is just as important, if not more so. Call quality, support and other features such as an answer phone can be important. You need to consider which of these are important to you, and how important they are compared to the price. You need to figure out how much you are willing to pay for the exact services you want, or whether they would be nice but you could do without them if the price is right. Call quality is probably the most important thing, so to most the balance between call quality and price is the key.

If you will be using VoIP purely for personal use then the price is probably likely to be the reason you choose a particular provider. This is, after all, probably the reason you are switching to VoIP. Extra features are unlikely to be important. You will want to be able to hear the person on the other line, and you will want them to be able to hear you, but other than that price may be what determined which service you choose.

More business are turning to Business VoIP. As previously mentioned, VoIP calls are normally cheaper than telephone calls, and the quality of VoIP is improving so it is adequate for business use. With a quality provider you can't tell that the person on the other end of the line is using VoIP, something that wasn't always the case. Features such as call forwarding and answer phones are now commonly available with business VoIP providers. Call quality is much more important than VoIP for personal use. If your Mother can't hear you one time when you call her, I'm sure she'll forgive you, but if a potential new client can't, and it's due to the poor quality of your phone or VoIP system, they are likely to go elsewhere. It just seems unprofessional if people are unable to communicate with you properly. For business, you may need several lines on the same VoIP network so you can call internally and pass callers to another person. For personal use price is probably the most important thing but with a business VoIP service the quality of the service and calls are probably more of a priority. You still want a good price and want it to be cheaper than the telephone service you are replacing it with, but it is not the determining factor.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Interoute offer a quality Business VoIP Service across the world.

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VOIP - Changing the Way the World Talks on the Phone

It may seem very challenging to switch from your regular phone system to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), but it is really quite easy. Yahoo Messenger and Vonage are two VOIP vendors whose services can greatly benefit traditional phone users who change over. Voice over Internet Protocol services are making big changes in the way the world talks on the phone.

You have to know what type of service you will be using before you buy a new VOIP phone system. This will help you pick the right VOIP service provider to meet your needs. For services with great long distance features, you might want to try Vonage or Skype. This is especially true if you are primarily doing long distance calling. Lots of VOIP services don't even charge long distance rates. This is especially true for calls between two users of the same service. For this reason, getting started on that kind of network right away can really help long distance users.

Many of the Voice over Internet Protocol systems offer a flat rate service that allows unlimited calling. People considering changing to VOIP should take the time to compare the various vendors to get the most suitable deal for both services and cost. Rather than getting the very minimum features, it may be worth paying a bit more in order to get the maximum benefits available. You can get very basic unlimited calling service for around $10 a month, but it doesn't include many features. This kind of "deal" will often cause you to miss out on some of the best benefits of using VOIP.

You will find a lot more features with broadband service than you would typically get with traditional phone service. In addition to the traditional phone features of emergency directory assistance numbers, call blocking, voice mail, caller ID, last number redial, call forwarding, local number portability, call waiting, and fax redirect, lots of VOIP companies offer even more. No matter where you are in the world, you can often choose the area code you want with VOIP. The following useful tools are also included in VOIP: multi-ring options for calls that come in while the user is already on a call; global travel without long distance rates; instant connectivity to hot spots that allow VOIP users to connect internationally to any area that is internet capable; a personal computer to phone feature that enables excellent back and forth connectivity; and full sets of contact lists that are stored on a removable hard drive.

The many features offered with VOIP telephony make it an extremely interesting piece of the telecommunications puzzle. This is especially true for users who make lots of calls internationally. Many features can be had with voice over IP. This service is a leader worldwide in the new communication venture. Those who use VOIP phone systems claim complete satisfaction with their services and great capability to have communications operations internationally with no problems. This guarantees VOIP phone systems will be around for a long time.

Cameron Tacassi, being a private electronics consultant, recognizes that in order to have efficient VOIP systems it requires custom magnetic and other devices such as smt inductors to function properly. Cameron confidently recommends Allied Components as the source.

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Making Sense Out of Internet Telephony (VOIP)

Voice Over Internet Protocol also known as VOIP is a very ground-breaking discovery. VOIP is a technology that converts analog information digitally into a computer. With this technology, making phones calls especially long distance phone calls much easier. In essence, VOIP translates the sound you hear from a telephone into digital information which is communicated through the internet. Achieving this innovation is much easier with the help of a very reliable internet provider. Now, making a phone call is much faster, easier and cheaper. Since VOIP uses the internet, it means that making phone calls will not cost so much especially if one is trying to reach the other side of the world. All it takes is having a computer, internet connection, a microphone and speaker (nowadays we have headsets). Most communications are done using VOIP. It changes the way people are socially connected with each other. It's the most convenient and cheapest way to get in touch with friends and family around the world. The practicality of VOIP has made it one of the most important innovations of our times. It now caters not only to personal use but is also being used by top corporations and businesses that have branches globally. Nowadays, one meeting is held in various conference rooms all connected by a computer. It is very convenient and cheap, not to mention the savings they will get by avoiding travel expenses just to meet with business partners.

Voice over internet protocol uses various internet networks. The other name used for VOIP is Internet Telephony. It is simply a way of communication used through the internet instead of a public switched telephone network. This process is converting analog voice signals into digital signals which are then transformed into internet protocol packets to be sent out over the internet. This process is reversed once the other end receives the signal, thus making it a two way communication. This process uses different languages and for VOIP to work, these languages should synchronize. The synchronization makes the sound waves clearer and more natural once sender and receiver communicates.

Other than the computer, VOIP also uses other tools to make communication happen. Nowadays Smart Phones connected to the internet are created and designed especially for VOIP use. In the internet many software are also created to cater Internet telephony needs. Software such as Skype or Ventrillo is available for free. It is software used in order to make a "phone call" over the internet. These applications are now improved because it now uses video calls/conference. One can make a phone call and can actually see the other person through live video streaming.

VOIP is a very convenient and practical use of communication. As mentioned before, it can be used both for personal and business use. One can get away from paying large monthly bills because of high cost overseas/long distance calls. Distance is not a hindrance anymore to stay in touch with other people. VOIP is indeed a sensible way to communicate.

Tina L. Douglas is a well established author on the topic of voip service.

For more advice and information on top voip service, just click on the link.

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Are You in For VOIP?

First, what does VOIP mean? VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, it's a unique and intelligent way of processing voice data in order to be accessible through the Internet. Such that, millions of people today have preferred to use this instead of using the traditional telephones in calling their love ones across the miles. This is also a great way of saving from build up telephone bills because one can access it 24/7 with the help of the Internet. This is basically a delegation of analogue data to a digital one.

In facilitating VOIP, one may choose to adhere to high definition audio signal or to compressed ones. Either way, the use of VOIP provides a common network for people to be connected in order to contact or call them anytime of the day.

VOIP is what have most companies and businesses prefer to use nowadays, firstly because, it causes a great cost reduction, which means to say, savings on their part. Another is that, VOIP makes transactions easier, faster, comprehensive and reliable because you can actually see who you are talking to or transacting to in your calls. A bonus added to this tool is that, it does not provide for any start up fees or monthly payments, indeed a good way of doing business for free. As compared to the traditional telephone calls when any providers have to worry about bills and beating deadlines at the same time, through VOIP one can be hassle free in doing business.

The efficiency of VOIP has been tested the moment its release in the market. This has been manifested through skype, a network where one may be able to sign up for free and start video conferencing any time of the day. Of course, everybody is very familiar with yahoo, where while chatting, one can choose to call somebody or a buddy who is also on - line and start video calling or calling using through computer. This is also the one commonly used in the call center industry where calling using the internet is a method used in telemarketing and in providing customer service.

Of course, there are proper guideline on how to manipulate VOIP and how to be responsible when adhering to it in order to protect users, but the idea of connecting with your boss who happened to be attending an executive meeting in another country using the internet and going away with the high paying telephone bills are a good way to start a good business. Noted also are those couples who tied the knot because of this emergence because they need not have to meet daily or have to travel that far in order to be with their loved ones, a mere click on the internet can connect them 24 hours in a day and it's up to them to decide for the dates.

Indeed, VOIP has helped million of people all over the world - for business, personal or even just for fun, it is the best way of transaction ever made possible using the internet.

Tina L. Douglas is a well established author on the topic of voip service.

For more advice and information on voip service, just click on the link.

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VoIP (Voice Over IP) Codecs

Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is a revolutionary technology which takes analog audio signals and turns them into digital data which can be transmitted over the internet. It has the potential to wholly revolutionize the world's phone system. Its providers are already very successful and major carriers, such as Vonage, AT&T are in the process of setting up VoIP plans across United States. Above all, VoIP is basically very clever invention which has the future capability to replace the so called traditional phones or even cell phones because of quality and cost.

Now we talk about VoIP codecs: Codec which basically stands for Corder-Decorder functions by converting audio signals into compressed digital signals for the purpose of transmission and again into uncompressed signals to replay. This is the essence of Voice over Internet Protocol. Codecs sample the audio signals thousands times per seconds and thereby accomplish the very purpose of conversion. Example- G.711codec which samples the audio at a speed of 64000 times a second. Each tiny sample is converted into digital data and then compressed for transmission. Now after reassembling 64000 samples, pieces of missing audio become very small to the human ear, that when you listen seems like one continuous second. It depends on the codec which is being used that's what are the sampling rates like 64,000 times per second, 32,000 times per second or 8000 times per second. Out of this most commonly used codec is G.729A codec which has sampling rate of 8000 times per second.

A Codec uses advanced algorithm for the purpose of sorting, sampling, and compressing and finally packetize the data. The most prevalent algorithm is CS-ACELP algorithm in VoIP. It stands for conjugate-structure algebraic-code-excited linear prediction. It functions by organizing and streamlining the bandwidth availability. Another aspect of this is Annex-B which functions by creating the rule of transmission as it states that if no one is talking then don't send the data. This rule created so much efficiency in its greatest ways that packet switching became superior to circuit switching. The codec works by using the algorithm for converting and sorting everything out. But it fails when you don't know where to send the data. This problem is handled through the use of soft switches. These switches use a numbering system so as to route the phone call towards the area codes. Based on this numbering system anyone can be located conveniently, no matter in which corner of the world.

Dennis enjoys writing on wide range of topics such as VoIP (Voice over IP) training and VoIP telephone. You may visit for more details.

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Bandwidth Requirements For VoIP Phones

Since VoIP technology is still evolving, there are many business practices regarding it that are still undecided. One of these is how much bandwidth is necessary for a comfortable VoIP service. We all know the advantages of using VoIP since it only requires one network for management compared to traditional PBX systems which also need the PSTN network. But does it mean that you can keep your existing Internet connection as it is, or will you require additional bandwidth to cope with the excess traffic? This article will discuss issues that arise from these considerations

Typical VoIP data

For now, let's consider a typical VoIP connection between two people. The amount of data used will depend on the codec used to encode the voice. HD voice for example, which is clearer uses a more sophisticated codec and makes use of a higher amount of bandwidth. Interestingly, the bottleneck here is not your download capability, but your upload capability which refers to how much data can be sent from your network. The upload speeds are typically much slower than download speeds.

Good quality VoIP calls will make use of HD Voice codecs and can use up to 88kbps of bandwidth overall including the headers etc. This means that you need to have at least 128kbps if you want to comfortably browse the net for regular usage like downloading websites etc. This is quite a low figure especially in today's environment. So if you need VoIP for personal use, even the most basic net connection available in the US is going to be sufficient for your needs no matter how much width the codec requires.

The problems occur when there are multiple VoIP lines. This is a big issue faced by businesses. It requires a detailed analysis of log files to find out the typical activity of how many calls are likely to be online at any given moment and make provisions for contingencies. Your service provider can help you out with this exercise since they will have the experience of similar types of businesses. They will also suggest different plans that will be more suitable for an Internet connection that also has VoIP data.

Very large businesses will need significantly powerful Internet plans in order to cope with the amount of Voice data. But these mammoths will already possess powerful pipes to the Internet to accommodate all their employees. So scaling up shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Bhagwad is an experienced writer for Hosted solutions for VoIP He also specializes in reviewing VoIP phones to those who are just starting out.

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Vonage Benefits - How to Take Advantage of Vonage VoIP Features

Vonage is a public internet phone service company that offers VoIP facilities to subscribers in the US, Canada and UK markets, enabling them to make calls to anywhere in the world. The Vonage VoIP phone service can work with either a DSL connection, Cable modem connection or a wireless system. Through VoIP, Vonage enables its subscribers to communicate just as they would on the regular phone service connection at a fraction of the costs incurred with traditional phone service connections.

There are a number of benefits that users may enjoy through the Vonage phone service. These include their low monthly fees and rates for making international calls. Vonage users also get to enjoy free in-network calling and get to keep their own phone numbers and area codes. Additional Vonage features include voicemail facilities, call waiting, caller ID, call forwarding and 3-way calling; fax services, toll free numbers and softPhone technology that enables users to convert their laptops into mobile phones while on transit. Vonage users also enjoy the option of having 411 dialing which allows them access to phone numbers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Vonage also enables its users to make emergency 911 calls. Vonage does not require its users to join through annual contracts either.

• Features - Vonage offers its users some additional calling features that would otherwise be too expensive to access or are not available on the traditional phone service providers. These include the virtual numbers, toll-free 800 services, videophone capability, add-a-line and a dedicated fax line.

• Virtual numbers - Virtual numbers are a service that is unique to VoIP and enable users to select and use phone numbers with an area code that differs form their own geographical location. This is an advantage of VoIP because VoIP services and technology are not location based; therefore allowing users to live in one area of the United States yet have an area code listed for a different state for their VoIP home phone.

• 800 services - The Vonage 800 service number enables users to receive long distance calls without their callers incurring the charges of long distance calling. This is great for Vonage business users who may receive calls from customers from all over the world.

• Dedicated fax line - The Vonage broadband phone service users can send faxes by adding a dedicated fax line to their accounts. This is an advantage to businesses such as the home based businesses that require the stand alone telephone and fax lines. Users may also add an additional phone line and phone number to their Vonage broadband service account.

• Videophone - Vonage offers a videophone service which enables users to integrate phone calls and video capture together through their videophone or home PC. The Vonage videophone service uses VoIP internet technology and is as such far less expensive than the traditional phone service providers.

Joan One is a freelance journalist and creative writer who immensely enjoys writing and researching into any topic under the Sun.

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VoIP Service - How to Choose the Best VoIP Service Provider

In order to take advantage of the benefits of voice over internet protocol - VoIP, you need to sign up with a good service provider. Before you choose your VoIP service provider, you may want to take the following into consideration.

Reputation - Read customer reviews, testimonials, comments and feedback about the VoIP service provider before you sign up. Hearing the experiences of an existing customer will help you avoid any negative surprises.

Calling plans - Consider which countries you call frequently, then check with the VoIP service provider to confirm whether their calling plans include the countries you call most often. It is pointless to sign up to a VoIP service provider that has calling plans inclusive of countries you not likely to ever call, or only call rarely.

International tariffs - Check the international calling rates to countries which are not included in your calling plan. This is so as to avoid having to pay high rates when calling countries which are not included in your calling plan.

Tie-Ins and Fees - Check to see how transparent the VoIP service provider is with their fees. You should be aware in case the VoIP provider wishes to have you commit to a contract or if they offer a trial period, if there are any penalties in the event that you wish to cancel the service, or any admin, set-up, equipment, postage fees or any other charges; and also whether or not the VoIP provider offers a money-back guarantee, no-questions asked trial period.

Flexibility - Find out whether or not the VoIP service provider will allow you to select a dialing code - whether its a local code to where you live, just as in the traditional phone services, or one that is local to your family and business customers, as this could be an asset in the future.

Customer service and technical support - The VoIP provider should offer good client service and technical support to its clients at any time of the day. Such services and support should be easily accessed by clients via phone or email.

Features - Find out about the additional features that the VoIP service provider is offering on top of the basic calling services. You may opt to sign up with a provider that offers the basic features such as caller ID and voice-mail for free, unlike the traditional phone service providers who normally charge for such basic services. You may also want to find out whether it will be possible to keep your original telephone number should you wish to.

Add-ons - Find out whether the VoIP service provider offers any add-ons or chargeable services which you may add on to your account later should you wish to do so. These may include being able to make phone calls from a PC or laptop, add a second phone line or create a virtual phone number which rings to one's own number and therefore enables family or friends that are located abroad to call you cheaply.

Joan One is a freelance journalist and creative writer who immensely enjoys writing and researching into any topic under the Sun.

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The Bandwidth Requirement For VoIP Connection

Even though the bandwidth and connection speed are not exactly the same technically, they are interchangeably used. A range of frequencies through which data is transmitted is in fact the bandwidth. The same principle has been applied for radio, TV and data transmission. More data are transmitted at one point of time if the bandwidth range is large and thus the speed would be great. However, technically speaking, bandwidth is not connection speed and they are used interchangeably by most of the internet users.

Basically the bandwidth is measured in Hertz or Megahertz and the hertz are counted in millions. One megahertz is equal to one million hertz. Connection speed which is technically called as the bit rate is measured in Kilo bits per second or in short kbps. It simply means that how many bits are transmitted in one second. Usually most of the service providers use the term kbps or mbps to refer the transmission speed that they offer. You have to note that one mbps is equal to one thousand kbps. There are options for performing online connection tests in order to verify if the connection speed is good or bad and whether it is suitable for VoIP.

It is known to everyone that the internet is widely used a communication medium. When you are using it for communication purposes, the bandwidth becomes the most expensive requirement since it is recurring. As voice is a type of data which is bulkier than conventional text, the bandwidth requirements are more important for voice communication. From this what has to be interpreted is that you would get a better voice quality if the connection speed is greater. These broadband connections are the talk of the town and are also getting cheaper and cheaper.

Broadband connection means unlimited access, precisely 24 hours a day. Moreover the speed would also be much higher than that of dial up connection. These days the VoIP service providers offer at least 512 kbps and this is more than enough for VoIP communication. This is the situation in developed counties and regions however. In some other places, some users would be restricted to low connection speed which would be at high prices.

Some of the typical bandwidth connections associated with popular communication devices and technologies are dial up, ISDN, ADSL etc. In dial up connection, you would get a speed up to 56 kbps and it is not exactly suitable for voip connections. The speed would be up to 128 kbps in ISDN and it is suitable for fixed and dedicated service. The ADSL would give up to several mbps and it is one of the best WAN technologies. However it is restricted to immobility. Then there are wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, GPRS, CDMA offering up to several mbps. Among them some technologies are suitable while others are limited by distance and signal quality. They are considered as mobile alternative for ADSL. Next comes the Ethernet widely known as LAN. The speed would be up to thousands of mbps and it is the best. However it can be limited to the length of wires which can be short in most cases.

To get more information about VoIP service provider as well as finding more information about Toll Free Number and 800 numbers.

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Choosing a Hosted PBX Solution

Once you've made your decision to implement a managed VoIP solution, you now need to take a look at all the providers and figure out which one is best for your business. This decision is crucial because you'll be with them for a long time. Regarding vendor lock in, it's a bit of a dicey thing. If you have an existing PSTN number, you can port that over to your new provider who will route calls from it to your office for a small fee. If you switch providers later, you can just do the same thing again.

However, if you get a brand new number from a VoIP provider, you can't port it over to a new service because the number doesn't belong to you. It's only leased by the VoIP provider for you to use. So if you want to keep your options open at all times, port your PSTN number instead of taking a new one from the VoIP provider.

With that said, let's see what determines your choice of a hosted VoIP PBX solution provider.

Cost

A no brainer here. But because of the way costs are delivered, you need to look beyond just the monthly fee. For example, one of the charges VoIP providers put on their bill is the cost of additional users. This varies from provider to provider, but there are certain firms that allow unlimited users for the same monthly fee! This is essential for you if you have a large organization with people coming in and out all the time. Some firms may allow unlimited users, but charge for the number of devices each user can have.

Customization

Because each provider is different, it's very important for the provider you choose to be able to accommodate your needs when necessary. This means for example, being flexible on the features and allowing you to purchase services ad-hoc without having to change your entire plan. Suppose you need an additional conferencing room, you should be able to buy one easily at any time and start using it.

HD Voice

Also find out if your provider supports HD voice and whether this can be extended in conferencing situations where one or more members don't have a HD voice enabled phone. This will allow you to have trouble free communications without needing to repeat letters of the alphabet and without having to get confused over who's who in a large conference.

These are just a few of the many different parameters that need to be looked at for VoIP providers. We'll be taking a look at more in the future, so keep coming back!

Bhagwad is a specialist in Hosted VoIP PBX services. He's also an expert in giving advice for implementing VoIP for your business

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SIP Phones - The Distinct Variations You Can Elect From

SIP VoIP or Session Initiation Protocol Voice-over Internet Protocol is a highly beneficial form of communications technology that you can only take advantage of if you have a SIP enabled phone system or SIP phones themselves.

For big businesses and companies that have their very own PBX (Private Branch Exchange), a SIP provider that will do the SIP trunking will be what's needed. But for smaller population and telephone system usage, such as for private homes and medium-sized business, availing of the SIP VoIP technology can be done best by purchasing SIP phones.

But you should know that there are different kinds of SIP phones that you can choose from, and each of them has their own line of specifications. Now, how will you know which one is for you?

First among the list is the SIP VoIP soft phones (or software-based phones), which are the ones that use the speaker system and the microphone of your computer in order for them to make or receive a telephone call. Some examples for this are the Xten phone and the 3CX VoIP phone for Windows. And then there are the USB VoIP Phones.

These are phone-like devices that you will have to plug-in to your computer for usage. Although they function mainly just like the soft phones, devices of these type have their own set of speakers and microphones to use. Last on my list would be the Hardware phones, which carries their needed hardware with them already so they would not rely much on the computer.

These SIP phones look exactly just like the typical household land line phone that we know about, which makes them easier to use rather than having to dial on the computer. They also have readily-integrated networking features so all you have to do is provide the internet connection and they will be able to handle themselves.

So, have you now got reached a decision as to what type of SIP phones to use?

To learn more about SIP phones and for more information on SIP providers, visit today.

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SIP VoIP - Understanding VOIP

SIP VoIP stands for Session Internet Protocol Voice-over Internet Protocol. But here's the thing, unless you are an IT expert or at least very well versed when it comes to computer and technical terms, you will surely never understand it. So, to an average person who doesn't have a degree on any computer-related study at all, how will you be able to understand what SIP VoIP is?

First of all, SIP is a technology introduced to improve the system of telephones all over the world. But in order for you to be able to enjoy this technology, you must have a provider that would give you the SIP service that you need. The process in which a normal telephone system is turned into SIP-capable is called SIP trunking. When a certain telephone system gets a SIP trunking service, it will get hitched to the internet. Yes, the same field of World Wide Web that we use to browse random stuffs.

What happens then is that instead of you relying on telephone lines and public operators to guide the route of your phone calls, you will just need to rely on the VoIP technology that routes your calls over the internet. And because you are now using the internet, your phone number will be in the form of an IP address rather than the conventional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) number.

So if a SIP provided telephone system tries to contact another SIP-enabled phone system, all they have to do is connect using the other system's IP address. But what if you want to call a normal non-SIP phone number? Calling PSTN numbers is still possible for SIP systems, as all that will happen is that your IP will be adjusted to fit the PSTN number you are calling.

Then again, those are just the specifications. How can you really benefit from this SIP VoIP technology as opposed to if you use a normal telephone system? Well, first of all, we know how the internet offers a very fast connection and transfer of signals. And because all locations are equal on the internet, long distance costs may be completely eliminated. Now, do you at least get the basics of SIP VoIP?

To learn more about SIP voip and for more information on SIP wholesale, visit today.

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Enter the A-Z Termination Business by Becoming a Reseller

If you're looking to get out from under a boss, consider reselling a-z termination services. These services are commonly used when utilizing VOIP to make local and international phone calls. Most a-z termination providers will support their resellers to help them build successful businesses. Resellers can sell the services directly to individuals or businesses or sell other services, such as discount calling programs and prepaid phone cards, from a retail outlet.

One of the benefits of starting out as a reseller is the ability to brand yourself before venturing out on your own. If you can provide stellar customer service along with an exceptional product, you will create a following of VOIP buyers. It's this following that you can take with you when you eventually become an independent termination retailer.

Starting Out as an Affiliate

One of the easiest ways to break into the business is by becoming an affiliate of a product you currently use or trust. Often times a calling service will offer free minutes or services to users who can get friends and family to sign up. The company gives you a referral number and your referrals use it to sign up under you. This is a great way to begin learning how to sell the benefits of VOIP and calling plan services to people. Once you've sold the product or service to all of your friends and family, you can start a website or blog and include an affiliate link. This helps build up an Internet presence, especially if you frequent message boards offering your service.

Types of Products to Resell

Many entrepreneurs start off by selling prepaid phone cards or VOIP software. These cards and software are usually offered through a wholesale program put out by the provider. The wholesale cost is then recouped through the charges associated with the card, and an extra amount is added to bring in a profit. Calling cards are a popular product because both individuals and businesses take advantage of these cards.

VOIP software is typically sold to businesses who want to integrate their IPPBX phone systems with voice over Internet protocol. The same wholesale principles apply, and resellers are able to brand themselves with local companies. You can also look into selling discount calling services to businesses that make a lot of international calls. The more you sell your services, and make the companies realize a need for your services, the easier it will be to break away from reselling and start your own a-z termination business.

Interested in a-z termination? Contact Zamir Telecom at http://www.zamirtelecom.com/.

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Things to Look For in a VOIP Provider

If you want to be ahead of the curve and truly be able to compete in the current market you need VOIP provider services that will help to be great - not just good. You need to be better than good because there are providers of VOIP services that are good but they are not the ones that are going to get the customers. There are two main things that you should consider when looking for someone to help you with your services.

Your VOIP Project Needs Special Forces

To have a truly great service and to give people what they really want you need a team that can completely see the entire picture. They need to understand that people want more than just good service. Of course customer service is important. It should cover all the bases from online service to call centre management so that customers are able to reach agents in a manner that works best for them.

Your project should also include easy payment gateways for billing. Consumers want to be able to pay for goods and services in a variety of ways so providers must ensure that options like online billing, credit card billing, and debit card billing are available. Emergency support services must also be available. When business people use a VOIP provider then want to be sure that they can have access to the services they want exactly when they need it.

Availability of Software Consulting Services

There is much to consider when becoming a service provider so you should make sure that you have access to a consulting service that is professional and covers all of your needs. They should be able to advise you on the deployment of Internet technologies like encryption, Proxy services, Web security, wireless networking, and mobile computing. They should also be able to help you with web site visibility, and of course, usability. Your service will not be function if users are not able to maneuver through your site to find what they want.

These two services - project needs and consulting - are critical to developing a VOIP provider service that will meet the demands of technology wise consumers. By investing in consulting and project services, your customers will have all of their needs addressed and you will find that your business will run much smoother.

Interested in finding a voip provider? Zamir Telecom at http://www.zamirtelecom.com/ is worth checking out!

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How A-Z Termination Providers Can Help Your Business

In order to stay competitive, many a-z termination providers allow other businesses to use their services to make a profit. With more people wanting to call internationally, anyone who currently uses computers as part of their business can offer voice over Internet protocol calling services to their customers. This service can not only increase business, but if you price it competitively you can increase profits, too.

So what sort of businesses can benefit from VOIP termination services? Telemarketing companies, while not being able to resell the services, can save money by using the discounted rates offered by the provider. This allows the telemarketing firm to expand its calling area and make international calls to sell their product, if desired. Any retail business that currently offers free or chargeable Internet can take advantage of the services offered by a-z termination providers. This can include a coffee shop, lunch café, bookstore, or library.

How to Add and Organize the Service

Adding the VOIP services is easy. Simply find a preferred provider and sign up for their call routing services. Once all of the technology is installed, start offering the service to your customers. Remember that any technology snags will fall on your shoulders, so make sure you know how to operate the service and get help if needed.

Depending on the type of business you run, organizing the service can be the most difficult part. Will you offer it for unlimited usage or allow people certain time slots. Is it on a first come, first served basis or will people need to schedule their time? For cafes and bookstores, it's probably best to offer a first come, first served option and then just offer the service in time increments. For libraries or universities, it might work well to have people schedule a time and offer first come, first served during the times there are no users.

How You Profit

Profiting from this business is quite simple. You figure out how much you pay per week or month for the termination services and then charge a fee that covers those costs plus gives you a profit. If you don't currently charge for Internet usage, consider keeping the price competitive so as not to lose customers. If you're already charging for Internet use, you're probably making a profit off of that already. Make sure not to jack the prices up too much or customers may go elsewhere for free or cheaper services. By taking advantage of what a-z termination providers supply to smaller businesses, you can increase profits and offer a service not available everywhere else.

Interested in a-z termination providers? Contact Zamir Telecom at http://www.zamirtelecom.com/.

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Reliable A-Z Termination Services Are Crucial for Your VOIP

Reliable and complete a-z termination services are crucial for VOIP providers. For this reason, it is imperative to research the services of any company you are considering. It is also important to choose a company that is able to make use of multiple platforms in order to give its customers the broadest available base possible at a competitive price. This enables you to pass on the savings to your clients, and in turn, enables you to stay competitive in your industry.

These types of communication services are crucial to the success of your business. The accuracy of the connections provided by the company with whom you work need to be top notch in order for you to have an edge and to remain competitive.

A-z termination services for your VOIP business means innovative new techniques that keep pace with the changing global needs of your customers. Smooth and accurate completion of all calls that rely on your network mean your clients are happy. In addition, competitive rates to multiple countries will allow you to offer VOIP services that are both affordable for your clients as well as reliable.

In order for you to offer seamless telecommunication services to your client, it is vital to choose a company that also offers a variety of related services. Support and management of your VOIP network as well as consulting interop with multiple carriers are just a few of the related services that make a complete package to ensure your clients have a clear and quick connection.

Intuitive routing of all incoming, as well as outgoing, calls ensures that your clients crisp and robust access to the communication venues they deem necessary. In addition, the company you choose should offer support services staffed by highly trained engineers in order to ensure that you have the support available when you need it the most. For those unavoidable emergencies need to have access to support services that can be handled using a credit card. These are just a few of the necessary services that you need to be aware of in order to ensure the success of your VOIP business. The inclusion of these services will also ensure the complete satisfaction of your clients, both present and future.

Services utilising a-z termination technologies are at the heart of a successful VOIP business. It is important to the continuous success of your business for you to explore all available options when looking for a company to handle such tasks.

Interested in a-z termination ? Contact Zamir Telecom at http://www.zamirtelecom.com/.

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Reduce Phone Bills With Call Termination

A telephone call made over a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) connection is routed between telephone companies from the originating point through to the call termination point. The originating point is the person making the call and the termination point is the person receiving the call. A VoIP call is a call made through an internet connection, whether on a computer or a telephone. Many homes and businesses use VoIP calling to save money, especially on long distance calling.

A VoIP Bucket Brigade

Think of call termination as an old fashioned bucket brigade. The brigade starts with the water pump and the bucket is passed through each firefighter's hands until it reaches the final firefighter who throws the water on the fire. In the same way, a VoIP telephone call starts at the originator of the call and is passed over different channels until it reaches the termination point. Just as water can be sloshed out of a bucket, so can a call lose some of its' connectivity or clarity as it is passed between telecom companies making it less effective when it reaches the termination point. You want to be sure that the company handling your "bucket" has steady hands and knows what they are doing.

When the bucket reaches the fire, the water in it is still from the pump, but now it is in the same location as the fire. The same thing happens with your phone call. The call still starts at originating point, but at the termination point, because it is terminated with a local company, the call is actually local.

How Can a Termination Provider Save You Money?

A telecom company which provides termination services can save you money on your long distance calls by routing your calls through local companies in different countries. Rather than pay for a telephone call from North America to Bangladesh or the United Kingdom, you would pay for a local call within either country. There may also be a per-minute charge to make these calls plus a fee from the telecom company for their services.

How to Choose a Call Terminator:

A good telecom company will have contracts with terminators in many different countries so that you can make use of their services worldwide. Look for company which provides what is called A-Z or A2Z services for VoIP. This means that they handle your VoIP needs across the board. Look for a company which offers good customer support, either online through chat or e-mail or even remotely. Remote support involves you granting permission for a technician to access your computer to help you fix it.

Choose a call termination provider who meets your needs and watch your phone bills come down!

Need info about call termination solutions? Zamir Telecom at http://www.zamirtelecom.com/ can help.

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What to Look for in a Call Termination Provider

Call termination is a rapidly expanding sector of the telecommunications industry. With voice over Internet protocol allowing businesses and individuals the opportunity to reduce their phone rates, many people are looking for providers who offer reduced termination rates. Businesses prosper the most from call termination providers because they can greatly reduce company overhead by using a discount provider.

But how do you choose the best provider? All of them claim to have the best rates and services, so how do you differentiate between those who actually offer good service and those just trying to get your business? As with any service, it's best to write down your needs and then make sure the company you choose has the products and services to meet them.

Exceptional Call Routing

The most important thing when choosing a provider is the level of quality during call routes. It's important that the company has a guarantee that their call routing services are clear and concise. While it's great to save money, it's imperative that you don't lose call quality when talking internationally. Calls should go through effortlessly with no static or interruptions. Find out if your preferred provider guarantees exceptional call routing and how they handle occasions of poor call quality.

Project Support

If looking to implement a new aspect to your business, see if the provider can help you obtain phone numbers or provide project support for your phone needs. Most termination centers are eager to help clients with telecommunication projects and have employees who specialise in working with businesses all over the world.

Call and Technology Support

When running a business, you will always have workers who don't understand all aspects of using the phone system. This is where a great support team provided by your termination provider is helpful. With a good support system in place, you won't need to hire additional technology employees to answer questions and fix problems. Your employees can email or call the termination provider and receive help. Make sure to look for a provider who offers this service free of charge. If you need to pay for assistance, it's probably better to just hire a tech person.

When choosing a provider, make sure they understand the different types of VOIP software and hardware on the market. It's easier to discuss options when the provider is familiar with the available phone systems and devices. This way when you call for help you can explain what system you're using and know that the customer service agent is familiar with your device. By having a call termination support system in place, you can insure your business calls go through without mistake.

Need call termination solutions? Zamir Telecom at http://www.zamirtelecom.com/ is one of the very few termination providers with direct contracts with local incumbent telecom operators across the globe.

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Nortel BCM Versus Avaya IP Office - New Product Comparison

Cost-effective Communication Using Nortel's BCM, Avaya IP Office

VoIP offers an inexpensive and in many cases, a fixed cost to your telephone bills. You can make unlimited calls to any destination with this solution. Many service providers such as Nortel and Avaya offer VoIP solutions for the home and office. Each solution has its unique features and is suitable for a wide variety of users. Listed below are some of the pros and cons associated with Avaya's IP office and Nortel's BCM solutions:

Avaya's IP Office

Suitable for Small Businesses

Avaya's IP Office- as the name suggests, is meant for small businesses such as home offices and offices with up to 250 employees. It comes in three variants - so allows you to control costs even further. It offers a lot of flexibility such as ease of communicating via laptop, mobile phone, office phone, and home phone through wireless devices, wired devices, or broadband. This unified messaging system is a great hit with employees and a productivity booster.

Also, each employee's needs vary - your receptionist uses the phone differently when compared to your travelling knowledge worker. Avaya's solution helps each employee choose their individual mode of communication, thereby satisfying all.

Teleconferencing with up to 64 People

Apart from reducing telephoning costs, Avaya's solution also cuts costs in other ways. Each Avaya IP Office unit comes with two built-in 64-party teleconferencing bridges. This ensures that you spend nothing extra on conference calls. The latest version of Avaya's IP Office has the ability to record conference calls, a definite plus point for most businesses.

Though point-to-point video calling is possible, video conferencing is not an option yet in Avaya's product.

Like the Avaya IP Office product, Nortel's BCM too supports conferencing. Some of the conferencing features are available only in specific models, so be sure to pick the right model if you require conferencing facilities.

Built-in Redundancy to Reduce Missed Calls

Yet another advantage with Avaya is the built-in resilience factor. This ensures that in case of a power outage, calls are automatically routed to your other office location, thereby greatly reducing the number of missed calls.

One problem with this solution is that you need a minimum of two office locations for it to work.

Centrally Administered to Reduce Operating Costs

Avaya's office solution can be easily managed from a central location. This reduces the need to have more than one administrator to manage the entire system. Besides, the system itself proactively identifies potential problem areas, thereby preventing major communication outages.

Call Center Solutions including Call Recording Facility

Avaya offers call center solutions as well in its IP Office product. The latest offering from Avaya can also record calls - a plus point in call center operations. IP Office 500 can support up to 32 sites and offers geographical redundancy as well.

While Avaya's IP Office is a great product, so is Nortel's BCM, it too has a host of similar features. Apart from the standard features, Nortel's BCM has some unique applications as well. Some of these include:

IP and IP-enabled Services for Unified Messaging

Nortel's BCM or Business Communication Manager can offer both IP and IP-enabled services. The system offers unified messaging just like Avaya. It also offers the user the flexibility to use call center applications and interactive voice response systems.

Scalable to Support Growth

Nortel's BCM is a scalable model, meaning you can start small and upgrade it as your business grows. This system can support up to 250 employees, the same number as Avaya's product. Some of its great features include a message box where you receive messages and leave a voice greeting. These can be password protected and will provide information such as caller ID and time of receipt of call.

The BCM also allows universal Internet access. Besides, it permits computer telephony integration. This ensures that you can use third-party PC based solutions to control your telephone services.

Easy Mobility for Enhanced Productivity

The entire Nortel BCM system is easy to set up and use. It offers converged voice, data, and Internet services that are easy to manage from a central point. Multiple location networks can be controlled from a centralized office location. Again, this saves on administrator costs. The access is mobile, enabling people to take their communication equipment where ever they go. By freeing people from their desks, overall business productivity is increased.

Security of Communication

The entire network and all communications are absolutely secure in the case of both Avaya and Nortel's products. Moreover, IP telephony is less expensive than conventional telephony, so you save on costs as well. With this VoIP solution, one no longer needs a conventional telephone to talk to a colleague across the world. A computer and a headset will do just as well.

Paging Facility

Unlike the Avaya product, Nortel's offering has an advanced paging facility. This is of great use if your employees need to be away from their desks frequently. Nortel also offers an integrated voice response solution in the basic BCM product.

Voice Clarity

Both Avaya and Nortel offer superior voice clarity when making calls - both local and international.

Both Avaya and Nortel's solutions are ideal for small offices. They offer a lot of flexibility in terms of usage. Nortel scores by being more scalable. If you plan to increase staff strength in the long term, then choose Nortel as their solution offers better scalability.

These VoIP solutions not only reduce telephoning costs, but also enhance productivity with their great features. As these systems support unified communication and mobility, they are ideal for both small and medium businesses. Whether you have telecommuting workers or not, these are a great solution to your communication needs. They are robust enough to prevent outages, so you need not fear for breaks in communication capacity.

If you are looking for more information on Avaya IP Office visit: http://www.avaya-ipoffice.net/

This article was provided by Scott Camball of TRC Networks, Our website address is http://www.trcnetworks.com

Browse our site and learn why we have become so well regarded as the top telephony company in the GTA. We provide services in Toronto, Southern Ontario, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver. Also, we offer our services in many other Canadian and American market places with Nortel, Avaya, and Cisco.

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How to Turn Your iPod Touch Into an iPhone

iPod touch effectively can be used as a iPhone without the binding contract from AT&T. As an elegant mp3 player it now iPod touch has the capability to perform all tasks that you can do with your iPhone. If you think with little abstractions the only difference between an iPod touch and an iPhone is that the latter can make phone calls. Otherwise, most of the stuff such as games or apps or functionalities are available for both of these apple gadgets. If we bridge the gap wouldn't you say you have an iPhone or that you have an equivalent of that? There is a vast number of applications, mostly free, that you can use on your iPod and turn it into an iPhone. Please read on for a review of few of these applications.

Truphone has an application that turns your iPod touch into an iPhone. You might wonder that iPod doesn't have a mic to talk. Yes, you will need a way to use a microphone on your iPod touch to use it as an iPhone. Truphone and many others (eBay is your friend) has developed such a device (headset with mic) and available for sale at just $7.49 plus postage for non-UK and non-Eu customers, or for £4.99 plus postage otherwise. This application lets you make FREE Phone calls to other Truphone users and many others including Skype, Google Talk etc. This app can be used over Wi-Fi and even 3G or other Data Plan, wherever you are in the world!

Skype has, since a long time, launched its application for iPhone as well for iPod touch. This application will let you make free phone calls to your skype contacts after you log in. This application, right now, is free to use but after 2010 there will be a small fee to use it - which kind of sucks. You can use your internet connection over wi-fi or over 3G, like truphone, to make calls - God bless AT&T. You can also call your contacts not on skype by dialing their phone number using dialpad, you might have to buy some skype credit or get a subscription though - unlimited calls to US and Canada is just $2.99/month.

Fring is a cool application with some really nice features such as Video calls to name one. Fring recently offered video calls using your phone over skype. This was even before iPhone 4 with facetime was released. However, in the very infamous recent fight between skype and Fring they no longer offer skype on their mobile client. However, you can still use fring to make free phone calls to your contacts over Gtalk, IMs etc. Also, you can configure your SIP settings in fring to use it as your sip phone. Most of the VoIP service provider that we reviewed can be configured using fring.

Whistle Phone is another option to make FREE Phone calls anywhere in USA. You also get a free phone number to receive incoming calls over your network. The only catch with whistle phone is that you need to listen to a 15 seconds ad before you can make an outgoing calls, remember RingPlus? But as per our experience it was not bad at all. That was a small list of applications that are easy to start with. There are some more applications that can be tweaked to work as a SIP client on your iPod touch. However, above applications take care of all your needs for a Free Phone Call, IM etc.

Free Calls Hub is a fast growing VoIP weblog with news and reviews about VoIP services.

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How to Make Unlimited Phone Calls While Traveling Abroad in Other Counties

Ever made an expensive international call from your hotel room to check-in with your family and friends back home? I'll bet you watched your watch like a hawk with those outrageous per-minute charges, unless of course you were Donald Trump. But most people nowadays travel with a laptop and hook-up to the hotel's high-speed internet and communicate via email. But the more internet savvy computer users have graduated to Skype and other free instant messaging services to chat live with text, voice and even video. But, is there a better middleman to internet phone calls than an expensive laptop?

Are Laptops a Weak Link?

Services such as Skype are fairly easy to use, but do require you to leave your computer on and stay signed-in to Skype. Sounds simple, but after repairing computers for many years, I saw customers with internet problems everyday, especially from malware, not to mention show-stopping hardware problems. Some were even stepped on, dropped, or damaged in the overhead storage compartments while flying abroad.

Even if your laptop does survive a flight (most do), a laptop is not a phone, it does not have a phone number that anybody can call you on, and with services like Skype, you cannot call real phone numbers without a paid subscription. Sure there is the MagicJack, but again, it relies on the health of your computer, and it is voice only (no video).

Free Long Distance and International Phone Calling?

So what is the best solution to make unlimited phone calls while travelling abroad? An Internet Video Phone! Internet video phones are not new, but they are more affordable than ever. One phone I know of is quite easy to use. You actually get assigned a real phone number. After the initial one-time setup, you just plug in 2 cords, one for the power, and one for the internet. The internet (ethernet) cable looks very much like a phone cable with a slightly larger connector. After powering-on the phone, it will automatically acquire an IP address from the internet service, after which you should have a dial-tone. Now you just leave it plugged in like any phone and make and receive calls like you normally would from home. It is that easy!

While you can expect a monthly service charge as with any phone service, it is probably about the same you are paying for your local phone service, with no additional charges for domestic long distance calls. As for international calling, an internet video phone is needed in the foreign location, meaning you will have to bring your internet video phone with you, or send one to someone abroad. Imagine being in Europe, Asia or wherever with a U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico area code! The only caveat is that it needs to be connected to a high-speed internet service and a compatible power source. It would be a good idea to carry an international power converter kit when using it abroad. As for home or office use, you should also have a router so you can share your internet connection with your computer and internet video phone simultaneously.

Putting it Another Way

I know many people understand that we are talking about VoIP Video phones, but just to make it more clear, it is like a "portable" digital phone service with video; complete with an assigned phone number, a webcam, LCD screen and speakerphone. The calls are routed through the internet, and with today's high-speed internet, video and voice come through with amazing clarity.

Creative Uses

It seems like everyone has a cell phone these days, and it won't be much longer before every household has a "video phone". It is available now, and I can't even conceive of the creative ways people will find to use them. I know one way would be for deaf and/or mute people to use sign-language over the phone, instead of TTY/TDD devices. And can you imagine the money an international business could save? The advantages are endless.

A spoken word is very powerful, and a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is priceless.

As exciting as Video Phones have become already, it is the "business" behind the Video Phones that is even more exciting. Watch the video for more information at: http://www.NixTheRatRace.com

Copyright © 2010, All Rights Reserved Worldwide

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Why Companies Employ Wide Area Network?

Before the actual topic is discussed, we should have a basic concept of what a Wide Area Network is. Referred to as WAN, the technology makes use of communicating local computer networks to larger working networks that may cover both national and international levels. This piece of writing will focus on the facts and reasons that have made WAN an important choice amongst companies.

A company working in one single building might have to link different departments together. Previously, the hassle of wires was a big problem, but now, this is achievable through fibre-optic cables laid in most of the offices. This however, remained to just one single geographical location. Over the years, businessmen had strived to take their business to international levels and hence came the use of Wide-Area-Network (WAN) services.

Wide-Area-Network allows the company to expand their coverage to a broader area. For example, a drugstore may fill in the name of a customer into their database. This database will be updated and via a Wide-Area-Network, the customer's identity can be accepted and entertained at any of the drugstore's outlets in the country.

Nowadays, business companies working at national and international levels need to share their internal functions which include the sales, marketing and accounting, production and development. Here, the role of Wide Area Network comes into play. The basic aim why companies use Wide-Area-Network is that, this network takes information from individual based networks in that particular company and transforms it into a comprehensive and unified computer network.

People have now made softwares integrated with Wide-Area-Network. These softwares allow users to store their data online and access them even when they are not sitting in their office. Hence, one big advantage of Wide Area Network is that, it can be brought into use from anywhere in the world. Suppose a businessman has gone to France on a business trip, his company is originally based in UK; he can access all the data that he needs by visiting the online profile of the company.

Previously, if one branch got damaged or was rendered inaccessible due to a natural disaster or any other related calamity, the entire team of employees could not reach and work at the offices. However, the Wide Area Network has allowed them to place all their work online, and work at any other location, if their primary location of work has been damaged.

Wide Area Network has also made file sharing really simple. Previously, people had limited facilities which did not allow them to share files, if they were at a distance from each other. However, in this era, companies are sharing huge packets of data every second around the world, thanks to Wide-Area-Network.

These were few benefits of Wide-Area-Network to the companies. The list however is not complete because Wide-Area-Network has not just provided us only with benefits; it has actually revolutionized our lives.

Find help and advice on Wide Area Network here.

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VoIP PBX - Exceptional Call Management Functions

VoIP PBX is a great addition to any business enterprise for effective and flawless telecommunication. The system comes with exceptional call management features that greatly enhance the telecommunication capabilities of a business organization.

For Professional Call Management

The hosted VoIP PBX telephone system has several stylish call handling features like auto attendant, call conferencing, voicemail, voice to email, fax to email, caller ID, call forwarding and more. The auto attendant takes incoming calls with appropriate salutation messages. Callers are provided with a menu of options such as dial-by-name, dial-by-extension and so on. The virtual receptionist manages several calls arriving together very efficiently and executes instant call routing without transmitting busy signals.

Continuous communication can be maintained with customers even from remote locations with the VoIP PBX system. Through the find me follow me call forwarding facility, calls to main business phone numbers can be received on alternate numbers including residential landlines and cell phone numbers. Unanswered calls are routed without delay to the voicemail system, where callers can leave voice messages. The voice messages are also forwarded to relevant email accounts and new message arrivals are notified on your cell phone. All this reduces the chances of missing calls.

Creating a Universal Business Presence with VoIP PBX

Using VoIP PBX, small businesses can cut down on their telecommunication expenses, as the system facilitates calls to be made to national and international destinations at economical charges. Small offices can establish their virtual business presence anywhere, without setting up any additional physical infrastructure. Besides, as several extensions can be maintained from an existing telephone connection, business can be expanded without much additional investment.

No Onsite Equipment Hassles

The IP PBX phone service does not require the installing of costly onsite hardware within the premises of the small business office. The necessary equipment is maintained by the service provider at its site and the PBX features are provided through a hosted server using broadband Internet or telephone network at a reasonable monthly rent.

VoIP PBX systems come loaded with features such as voicemail, fax to email, and automated attendant. AccessDirect is a leading service provider of Hosted PBX system.

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Make Free VoIP Calls

As for SIP VoIP in the home, there is too little incentive for savvy consumers to part with more of their hard earned communications dollars for an industry offering that simply does not meet the needs of the user. Until something concrete can be done to move SIP VoIP forward, service based on P2P such as Skype seems to be the only sensible choice on the kitchen table.

The most inexpensive way to go is to use your computer with speakers or a headset/headphones, a typical computer microphone and a high speed connection (DSL or Cable). Throughout the world people are discovering that Internet phone service (voice over ip) is not only a new but also an easier way to communicate but cost much less and many are free, we will get to that later. The biggest plus of VoIP services as opposed to traditional phone services, is its easy installation features and low cost.

Traditional hard line or land line phone service can charge many different types of fees including high rates to other countries. Internet phone service lets users make cheap phone calls using their broadband Internet connection and either using an Internet phone or what we talked about earlier, a microphone and speakers. It is evident that VoIP is advantageous than traditional phones. However people should be very careful before choosing their VoIP service providers.

Small offices and small business setups may require some kind of I-PBX solution so that each line can have an extension and calls can be switched and transferred easily. VoIP indeed appears to be one of the next big things for businesses and the average consumer. Depending on the service you select, you can receive literally hundreds of phone options for the same price as you now pay for basic telephone service. The hundreds of companies and individual representatives that are urging people to consider VoIP are in an all-out battle for market share in this high-tech arena of market share battles. Business VoIP provides options for multiple lines but is dependent upon your Internet connection.

The best VoIP phone system companies provide outstanding customer support and ongoing maintenance to keep your system working smoothly. Telecommuters, sales offices, and other remote locations get extension dialing, call transfer, and other important calling features exactly the same as if they were in the main office. Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies that enable voice communications using IP networks like the internet.

Make Free calls Using VOIP. Voip review - Choose The Best One For You. Voip providers - Compare

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VoIP For Your Business

Calling from a fixed line requires a user to type the country code that one would like to connect to and then proceed to type the state and the city code and then the telephone number.

SIP however, is designed to be implemented. Unlike Skype which is already a ready made application, SIP is implemented to create VoIP systems and client applications. By designing your own SIP telephony system, you can choose which type of applications and features you would like your phone system to have.

When switching to VoIP for your business, be sure to spend time comparing and evaluating multiple VoIP conference software options. You may be tempted by online offers promising free VoIP conference software. Tread carefully with such offers.

You might also hear it called voice over IP (VoIP) or voice over the Internet (VoI). A somewhat synonymous term, IP telephony most commonly refers to voice calls routed over a private intranet or wide area network (WAN), as opposed to the public Internet. Although you need specialized software to make Internet calls, there are a number of free or inexpensive Internet-telephony products. Today, small businesses use Internet telephony primarily for international calls. Soon Internet telephony applications will become more popular.

The main reason to choose a small business VoIP system is if you have multiple branches, telecommuters, or remote sales offices that are already connected to a company network. A small business VoIP system will not reduce charges for calls outside the company network, though. To do that, you should turn instead to small business VoIP service.

Voice-Over Internet Protocol Service (VOIP) is a technology that breaks up voice signals into data packets and sends them over the Internet. Because it bypasses expensive phone lines, VOIP service is cheaper for providers and the consumer. Virtual PBX, a supplier of hosted business phone services, announced that it has expanded its Open VoIP Peering service to include support of any SIP-compliant phones. This service allows small businesses to take advantage of the robustness and features of traditional hosted PBX services and leverage the cost-effectiveness of VoIP technology. Existing single office with no PBX.

This scenario fits the description of only the smallest of offices with perhaps only one incoming line, much like a residential connection. The benefits of VoIP here are not clear-cut. The wonderful advantage of voip is that if a device fails, it's relatively easy to bypass it just by pointing the servers to another gateway and have them disseminate the information to the client machines, plug cables into another switch, rig up a temporary wireless connection, hang a cable from the ceiling anything works.

Make Free calls Using VOIP. Voip review - Choose The Best One For You. Voip providers - Compare

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Where Do You Start With Enterprise VoIP?

There are many different perspectives on VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or IP (Internet Protocol) Telephony in the communications industry. These perspectives vary depending on what vendor or provider you are having the discussion with. There are a couple of different issues to keep in mind when planning any type of IP migration or integration. First and foremost is what terminology is used. In the simplest of forms, VoIP is the full transport of signaling and voice data over an IP Network. IP Telephony is the strategy that allows signaling only to be transferred over the IP Network. Secondly is to develop a strategy on how either or both of these technologies can be implemented while maintaining a certain level of redundancy and acceptable voice quality.

When VoIP first hit the headlines in the mid nineties, it was advertised as the end to long distance charges. Ten years later it is obvious that is not the case. Although they might have gone through some tough times, Long Distance Carriers still exist and everyone still pays long distance toll charges in one way or another. The truth is that when using VoIP in a capacity that transports voice over an unmanaged network with no Quality of Service (QoS), such as the Internet, the results are usually unfavorable. The reason for this is very simple. The way the Internet and the protocols that make it work were designed, there was no consideration for real time transport of media. Traditional voice is transferred over circuit switched networks that allows for a constant connection between two or more parties for the duration of a call. IP networks, such as the Internet are packet switched networks, which allows data, in the form of packets to be transported in the best route or routes available. So hypothetically a piece of data can be sent over the internet and the packets could be split up in a few different ways and arrive at the destination in a different order than it was originally sent out. Due to such things as packet headers and IP addressing this is not a problem in the data world because it is not real time. A piece of data, such as an email can be reassembled after it reaches its destination and appear perfectly normal to an end user. If we considered voice in the same fashion, what we would get is garbled speech and inaudible conversations.

The way the industry has helped this is by establishing a set of parameters to allow for Quality of Service. QoS encompasses many different techniques, some which may vary depending on your vendor. Two very popular ideas behind QoS are packet tagging and queuing. Packet tagging enables network appliances so they can assign certain priorities to different types of traffic. This allows voice or any other type of real-time traffic to be assigned a higher priority than non real-time such as data. Network devices read the packets and will send out high priority packets before the lower priority packets. This is done in conjunction with queuing. The queues are used so the packet waiting have a place to "wait in line." When considering VoIP and speaking to your technology vendor, make sure they have an established and proven way of doing this effectively.

Now, what are the advantages? When speaking about full VoIP a very viable benefit is Toll Bypass. For companies that have more than one location and place a lot of calls between sites, a VOIP solution might be the way to go. The most important thing is that a company has a data network that can handle the additional traffic. More times than none, a data network has a lot of older technology that might need to be upgraded to support QoS and the higher bandwidth needed to compensate for the additional traffic. Besides Toll Bypass, IP Telephony itself has tremendous benefits. It gives us the ability to connect remote offices so they function as one "Converged Enterprise." An employee that works in an office on the West coast can now dial four digits and call someone on the East coast.

The possibilities are endless, but due diligence and planning need to be done before time. Deploying this in your company having to go back to the drawing board can be disastrously expensive. This cost can decrease the rate of your ROI by years. Interview your vendors and find someone you can trust. References as always are a must!

Chris Ferrera
Jack of all Gadgets
347-273-1221
http://jackofallgadgets.com

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VoIP Phone Service - Let Us See What It Actually Is

Voice over Internet Protocol translates into latest development in the fields of telecommunication. VoIP is an internet-based service, which is used to make and receive voice calls. Voice signals are converted to digital data packets, which are then transferred from one end to another via the internet where they are converted back to voice signals. Demand for Voice over Internet Protocol phone services has increased drastically over the past few years due to various reasons, primarily due to the additional benefits the service offers and the price it charges for each call.

Due to the increase in demand for VoIP services, there have been numerous VoIP phone companies entering the market. If today you decide to switch to VoIP phone service, you will have a number of internet phone service providers to choose from. In spite of its benefits, users around the world still hesitate to switch to VoIP service primarily because they are under the impression that it is a new technology and it will not be a user-friendly service and it will be not be as efficient as a conventional telephone provider is. Fortunately, no rumors are correct.

You need to follow the following steps in order to be able to get the best out of VoIP services.

For starters, it is imperative that you choose the right package plan. Variety of plans available in the market, therefore you should choose the one that suits you. For instance if most of your calls are long distance calls or international calls, you should choose a package that allows you make unlimited international calls to your desired location at a monthly flat rate. Therefore, before deciding the package plan, beware of the calls you make in order to get the best package and to keep your cost as low as possible.

The quality of the service is highly dependent on the VoIP hardware that you choose, for instance if you subscribe to a VoIP soft client then it is imperative that your PC should have sufficient hardware specs to run the VoIP software efficiently. Furthermore, there are numerous VoIP hardware available in the market; it is highly advised that you do not buy the equipment without consulting your VoIP service provider because most of the VoIP providers today provide the VoIP hardware for free. Lastly do make sure that you have a wireless router or other compatible devices installed.

One of the biggest advantages of using a VoIP service is that you get a bundle of extra value added services with the subscription without any extra charge. Therefore, make sure that your internet phone service provider activates all the extra services for you such as Caller ID etc. and that too free of charge.

The above tips ought to be enough, however to further capitalize on your VoIP deals and make sure to request a 30-day money back trial from your VoIP phone service provider. Also, make sure that you get a VoIP adapter free of cost and last but not the least even if you are still confused as to which VoIP phone service provider to contact, ask around for public opinion.

Aziz, Online Marketing Manager of Axvoice, USA suggests that If you haven't replaced your traditional phone service with a VoIP Phone Service yet, you are surely at a great loss. Subscribe to Axvoice VoIP Phone Service right now and start saving on your long distance personal or business calls the very next minute.

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