Question: What Is 'VoIP'?
You hear about people using the Internet as a telephone service, and how it can save hundreds of dollars in phone bills. But what exactly is 'VOIP', and how does it work?
Answer: VOIP is Internet telephoning. Often spelled with lowercase 'o', VoIP is an abbreviation for 'Voice over Internet Protocol'. VoIP is a relatively new worldwide system that uses Internet computers instead of conventional telephone cables to transmit live voice signals. The technology is not perfect, and there are commonplace complaints that VoIP conversations sound 'tinny' and 'sometimes slow with lag'. But VoIP is getting more sophisticated everyday, and has the tremendous benefit of being much cheaper to run than regular telephone systems. Instead of paying 20 cents per minute for long distance calls across the ocean, VoIP users can talk for as little as a penny per minute. Some VoIP users even get free long distance if they are willing to use lower-grade VoIP software and hardware.
While there are thousands of people who use VoIP on regular-looking telephone sets, many VoIP users choose to use their computer microphone and speakers/headset as their Internet telephone. These VoIP users look like air traffic controllers or video gamers as they have their conversations at their monitors. But don't let appearances fool you: VoIP is not a gaming geek fad. VoIP is absolutely here to stay as a telecommunications system, and telephone companies everywhere are afraid that the greater public will embrace VoIP instead of their conventional telephones.
How Do I Try VoIP for Myself?
If you are interested in trying Voice over IP, there are all sorts of benefits and technical things to consider. But the learning curve is not difficult, and it is no more complex than using a new DVD player. About.com has some great tutorials on getting started with Voice over IP...
While there are thousands of people who use VoIP on regular-looking telephone sets, many VoIP users choose to use their computer microphone and speakers/headset as their Internet telephone. These VoIP users look like air traffic controllers or video gamers as they have their conversations at their monitors. But don't let appearances fool you: VoIP is not a gaming geek fad. VoIP is absolutely here to stay as a telecommunications system, and telephone companies everywhere are afraid that the greater public will embrace VoIP instead of their conventional telephones.
How Do I Try VoIP for Myself?
If you are interested in trying Voice over IP, there are all sorts of benefits and technical things to consider. But the learning curve is not difficult, and it is no more complex than using a new DVD player. About.com has some great tutorials on getting started with Voice over IP...
