The promise of free phone service and dial tone beckons us to consider VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) for our home or business. But how free is it, and do you lose anything as compared to traditional Ma-Bell lines? To start with, you need a broadband internet service provider (ISP) to even realistically consider VOIP. A Cable modem or DSL service is an essential. VOIP is normally piggybacked on top of an existing data network, the capacity of a broadband pipeline for both the LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) may need to be increased. Another consideration is the downlink and uplink capacity. Whereas 256K download and 125K upload may have been sufficient, the burden of digital voice packets on a traditionally data only network could severely slow the offices data network and may require you to upgrade to 756K or even 1 Meg. Of course, this will depend on the intensity of usage of one's internal LAN, internet WAN, and phone line usage. If sufficient broadband resources are available for both, everything should be fine. If this is overlooked, the network could be bogged down and voice calls may be choppy or have an echo effect. The data flow for internet can be slowed considerably.
Remember, to increase the broadband upload and download capacity costs more cash. Think of a narrow feed water pipe, and by increasing the size of a water pipe allows a greater volume of water to flow. The broadband pipeline is similar in that a increased size allows a greater volume of data flow through and to be processed simultaneously. This should be considered carefully when making the jump to VOIP. If the adequacy of your data network is unknown, or is borderline in its capacity to support your internet usage, you may have to upgrade the capacity provided by your DSL or Cable Internet access provider. Conceivably, the money you save in going VOIP could be swallowed up by paying monthly for a higher capacity internet access pipeline. This is not a perfected science and some experimentation and surprises should be expected.
In making the move to VOIP, contingencies should be set up to maintain access to dial tone. If the computer network goes down, and you have only VOIP service provider for phone service, you will lose your dial tone. Consider keeping a couple standard copper telephone lines as backup. The best way to do this is perhaps keeping a line for your FAX machine, or maintaining a phone company telephone.and using it only for emergencies or incoming calls so you do not have to pay for toll calls. Also a very important issue, the 911 Emergency number does not work or work properly with all VOIP phone service providers. If 911 is dialed without properly setting up the proper protocols in the VOIP environment, the emergency call may not access the right emergency services.
Do you have to replace existing phone equipment to utilize VOIP? This question has actually two answers. If the intention is to only get VOIP dial-tone benefit, existing hardware may be utilized with VOIP companies providing analog converter boxes which have regular phone lines as output. These lines can be plugged directly into existing phone system hardware. If the intent is to create a virtual office with remote locations acting as extensions nationwide, more expensive equipment upgrades may be necessary.
In reviewing Broadband phone service providers on a Google search, the results include Vonage.com, lingo.com, packet8.net, myphonecompany.com, and voicepulse.com to name a few. They all provide similar a service.VOIP dial tone over the internet. The service is accessed through the ISP gateway by using a special router which has analog telephone line ports. The Linksys units have three network connections and two analog line ports, and require programming and fiddling to spring into action. The Netgear units are similar but are said to be more user because they are virtually plug and play in the quest to get your VOIP dialtone once you subscribed.
Most all the VOIP service providers offer Voice Mail Box, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting, Caller-ID, *69 (call back), speed dial, 3-way calling, Free Fax Line, unlimited US calling and in (their) network calling with their packages. International calls are usually an additional amount unless you get it as part of package, but none-the-less very reasonably priced. A neat feature is the ability to have a phone number and area code in another region pointed right to your number for additional cost. This enables you to have a footprint in another state and customers in that region call you as a local call. Pricing packages range from $19.99 (residential), and $39.95 - $99.95 for business packages for the first line. The second, third, fourth and so on lines are normally offered at further reduced rates. Remember if you get a plan based on lets say 3,000 minutes, all your calls including local and long distance are charged against it. Since this is an internet medium, all the phone calls are looked at the same whether next door or across the nation.
You need to consider is the quality of the phone service. We all consider dial tone a given right, however, internet dial tone is dependent on the integrity of the network. If the power is out and your cable, DSL or other routers is out the phone service is gone. If the internet is down, or service is interrupted, your dial-tone is gone. Please consider the reliability of your internet service network when you use your PC, this will be the barometer as to how your phone service will be as well. My sister Laura and I have independently experimented with one VOIP service (VONAGE). We found the call quality and sound transmission is pretty good overall. Sometimes the call sounds like they are coming from a distance, but most of the time the quality is good. She has been plagued with a "tone beep" which sounds like someone pressing a number key quickly and releasing during the conversation. Callers may feel they are being recorded or someone else is listening during a conversation. Visiting the internet bulletin board it can be found many others complain of this same issue which has of yet to be fixed. Overall, VOIP has its advantages and is an exciting new frontier. But one most also note that the Ma Bell phone companies have not yet rolled over died, and it is important to balance the good with the bad and make a careful decision before making the leap. In closing.stay tuned for (BOPL) Broadband Over Power Lines!
This article can be reprinted in its entirety provided the following 3 lines of crediting the author are also included:
Cliff.Ferguson@abtelephone.com
American Business Telephone and Technologies
http://www.abtelephone.com
American Business Telephone and Technologies, LLC designs, supports, installs, repairs and sells total office telecommunication solutions and complete telephone and voice messaging systems. We provide free consultation, site surveys, review of design plans and proposals for telephone systems.
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