The Truth And Myth of VoIP Services

Don't be fooled into thinking that VoIP services is a new kid on the block. The telcommunications industry has known about.......and been using....VoIP services technology of some kind for awhile. There's always been talk concerning VoIP services and how to capitalize on this Juicy market to come. Early on, only Cisco was really able to make it work properly. But it was just a matter of time before covergence would emerge and make more "dreams" posssible.

Today businesses are rushing into this market in mass for different reasons. From the price savings to the convergence effect of using a single network. But there is still "truth and myth" about VoIP as a business application you need to be smart about when using your own IP PBX or IP-Phone. [Note: for the purposes of this discussion soft phone such as Skype is not addressed.]

Myth

Being able to be reach anyone and call from anywhere.

This is almost true but you need optimal conditions in order to do this. The following problems will explain why many times challenges still exist when trying to place a VoIP call.

Let's imagine you have an IP phone connected to your IP PBX or have your own VoIP line and you are willing to use it from a public network, in a conference room, or in the hotel you are staying in. The following problems might appear:

1. The ADSL line is too slow.....This means you might be able to place the call but lags and echoes will appear.
2. There is no Quality of service.....Without getting into details, if someone is downloading or uploading a heavy document, you will lose quality because the IP is not prioritized.
3. The NAT (telecom Network) is blocking all VoIP calls.....This can be caused by multiple problems from Port translation to firewalling.
4. Your are using the WIFI....Most of the time hotspots are just made for surfing on the Net. Many problems could appear such as lags etc. Hotspots aren't made for using your VoIP phone.....yet.
   

Truth

To be honest, the truth about IP phone is that it will work fine mainly when you are using it on a clean network using "Quality Of Service"....and in a well known IP enabled environment. To make it work fine you need:

1. An XDSL pro with "Quality Of Service" and best of all connected directly to your Telco Provider.
2. An IP phone with a good firmware..... Don't risk using a cheap phone. You'll get what you pay for.
3. A good VoIP provider..... Most of the time the price of your calls have a bearing on their quality too. Anything costing 50% or less than what your standard PSTN phone service provider is good enough (believe me they still make a good profit).
4. No WIFI.... Don't use WIFI for VoIP, you will lose quality most of the time.
   

Conclusion

VoIP technology is still in the growth stage and developing everywhere because of price structure pressures and IP convergence advances. Just don't get the false sense of security that all VoIP providers are good, and don't think you will be able to place a call from anywhere.

If you want to introduce VoIP into your business, do your home work. Be sure to consider your intended application(s), appropriate configuration, and beware of being unduly impressed only by the price you might pay. Make your decision based on the best combination of meeting your application, configuration, and cost point requirements....as a total package.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Lemm

VoIP Pros and Cons

Pros

One advantage of using VoIP is the cost of the service. Phone service using VoIP costs less than similar service offered from traditional phone services, especially in regards to long distance telephone calls. Long distance calls through VoIP are offered at flat rates, which will ultimately benefit the consumer. Also, VoIP allows the consumer to share its voice and data equipment, which means that the costs are also shared. In other words, if you have an Internet connection already in place, VoIP can be used at almost no extra cost, and any network capacity that you are not currently using can be used for making calls.

Another key benefit of using VoIP is the fact that incoming calls can be automatically routed to your VoIP phone regardless of where you are connected to the Internet. This is especially important for those who go on business trips.

VoIP phones can also be integrated with other Internet services, such as videoconferences and file transfers. A user can send or receive messages or data while on their VoIP phone.

Cons

One cause for concern with VoIP is emergency 911 service. Before the government stepped in, 911 was not an optional feature for VoIP service providers, and 911 calls made after-hours were not guaranteed to be routed to the local area’s emergency call centers of the caller. However, the U.S. government required that all VoIP service providers make 911 service standard and functional by September 2005. Some VoIP service providers have appealed this deadline, so it would be wise for consumers to be sure of what their service provider’s policy on 911 is.

Another disadvantage of the VoIP service is the lack of encryption, which means that it is relatively easy for someone to eavesdrop on a VoIP call and even change the content of the call. There are a few solutions to this problem, but they do not guarantee full security of any calls. Airtight security would require the user to utilize encryption and cryptographic authentication, which are not yet readily available to consumers.

A third drawback is the inconsistent sound quality of the calls made with VoIP. The sound quality is oftentimes fickle and calls often have delays and echoes as well. This means that some calls made with VoIP might not be as smooth and natural as calls made over landline phones.

http://www.topvoipsource.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Hahn