|
||
If you've heard of VoIP, or even Voice over IP, you'll have some idea that it's a way of making telephone cheap international calls or even free international calls over the internet. But if you've looked into it, you might find it a little confusing. So what exactly do you need to do to implement VoIP either at home or at work?
Most of us are looking for easy ways to cut costs and balance budgets, whether it's at work or at home. One of the most painless ways to save money is to look at your telephone bills, especially if you call abroad. If you're looking for cheap international calls, or even free international calls, you may have come across VoIP: new technology that enables you to make cheap phone calls over your existing broadband connection.
If you want to implement VoIP, the main issue to consider is how much flexibility you want. As a rule of thumb, the more flexibility you want, the more you pay.
Not much flexibility: PC-to-PC.
If you want free international calls, and you don't mind a few limitations, consider a VoIP provider that offers free PC-to-PC international calls. To implement VoIP in this way, you and the person you're calling must have the following:
• a computer or laptop each;
• a broadband connection each;
• a headset/ microphone/ speaker (these may be integral to your computer) each;
• individual accounts with compatible VoIP providers that allows PC-to-PC calls, such as Skype or MSN.
As well as these set-up limitations, there are also restrictions in the way you use the service:
• you both need to sitting at your computers in order to make or receive a PC-to-PC Voice over IP call; this usually means agreeing a time and date for the call;
• the calls must be PC-to-PC; that is, you can't just pick up your phone and dial;
• if you use this to make any calls to any other landlines or mobiles, you'll be charged by the minute;
• you'll probably find that the sound quality isn't as good as that of a regular landline or mobile phone.
Lots of flexibility: phone-to-phone.
If you love the sound of VoIP, but aren't prepared to put up with the restrictions above, it's worth considering a completely different, much more flexible way of implementing VoIP and making cheap international calls. Using VoIP to make phone-to-phone calls is, basically, just the same as using a normal phone.
First, it's just you who needs to get set up with the following:
• a computer or laptop;
• a broadband connection;
• a regular handset;
• an account with a VoIP provider that allows this kind of calls;
In terms of how you use this phone-to-phone VoIP service, it's more or less what you've always been used to.
• you can just pick up your normal handset and dial;
• you can dial any number, not just other VoIP phones;
• you get unlimited calls to all landlines and mobiles featured in your particular call plan;
• you don't need a headset;
• you don't need to be at your computer;
• your computer doesn't even need to be switched on;
• the people you're calling don't need a computer, broadband or any kind of VoIP account;
• the call quality is so good that they won't even realise you're using a broadband phone.
Bespoke flexibility: phone-to-phone and PC to PC
You can, of course, combine these two ways of implementing VoIP and tailor-make a system that's perfect for you. It depends on your own needs and calling habits.
Say for example that you've got a family member you talk to frequently in France, but most of your friends live in the States. In this case, it might make sense for both you and the person in France to take the time and trouble to set up a free PC-to-PC VoIP service, and agree a regular time and day for speaking to each other. Then you could also sign up to one of the phone-to-phone VoIP providers and choose a call plan that offers unlimited anytime calls from the UK to, for example, landlines and mobiles in the States and Canada, for a low, fixed monthly fee.
Once you've decided how much flexibility you want, the next step is to go ahead and sign up with an appropriate VoIP provider. However you decide to implement VoIP, you can be sure of one thing – you'll save money, whichever system you use.
With international travel now part of everyday life and a transient world population intent on exploring the globe through gap-year travels, emigration and extended holidays, making telephone calls overseas has become a feature of many phone bills. Those calls can be extraordinarily expensive, particularly if you're calling from or to a mobile phone number. There is an alternative that could save you a considerable amount of money on those calls. VoIP (Voice over IP) is the new, technological answer to cheap international phone calls. All you need is a PC or regular home phone, broadband and a desire to save some money.
The advent of email has completely changed the way people communicate. Rather than having to wait for days or even weeks for a letter to arrive, an email allows you to read almost instantly a message from the other side of the world. VoIP could be considered to be the next step on this road – a ‘verbal email', if you like. And in the same way that emails are almost free (you still have to pay for the Internet connection, but it means that emails cost a fraction of a penny to send), so VoIP offers you the opportunity to make virtually free phone calls over the Internet. If you sign up to a VoIP provider that offers low-cost monthly call plans, then the limitations placed by the free providers on the duration or number of calls you can make is removed, allowing you to talk for as long as you want and still save money.
The usual system of ‘PC to PC' VoIP calls enables you to make free international calls, but you are tied to a PC to be able to utilise this service. Both you and the person you are calling will need a computer or laptop, a broadband connection, a headset, microphone and speaker and an account with a VoIP provider. This system is fine for most people, but it does have its limitations. Apart from being tied to the computer, you and your recipient both need to be signed up to compatible providers. Because free VoIP is independent of your traditional landline service, VoIP calls have to be PC to PC calls – you can't just pick up the phone and dial any number. You can use the service to call other landline or mobiles, but you will be charged by the minute for those calls in the same way as a standard phone call.
Using VoIP to call abroad also takes a little bit of forward planning, particularly if there are major time differences. You will need to make sure that both you and your recipient are at your PCs at the same time, so it's back to good, old-fashioned emails. The technology for making VoIP calls is still in its infancy and while the provision is excellent, PCs and laptops still have fairly archaic microphones installed in them, so the quality of the call may be less than that you would get with an ordinary phone or mobile.
However, if you can navigate your way around these slight drawbacks, using VoIP is one of the cheapest ways of making international calls. There is also the option of signing up with a VoIP provider who can offer you a paid call plan. This gives you the flexibility of being able to make calls using a traditional home phone instead of having to use a PC. The VoIP provider will send you an adapter that allows you to plug the base of your normal handset into your router, giving you the technology to make phone-to-phone calls. However, instead of going through your normal landline connection, the call goes through your broadband link. The quality of the call is vastly improved and the recipient can take your call using a normal telephone instead of having to link into their PC.
Packages range in price and how much you pay depends on the call plan you select. If you have family in the USA or Canada but don't need to call Australia, then you can select a package that allows you to make unlimited calls to your chosen countries for a capped amount each month. If you have family and friends abroad or call particular countries on a regular basis for your business, this really is the cheapest way to make unlimited international calls to your chosen destination and prevent your monthly phone bill from spiralling out of control. VoIP is one of the best methods of modern communication and the age of the ‘verbal email' is definitely here.