What if your phone was not your cell but an internet phone? It might be… internet phones are the latest and greatest technology. There are promotional internet phones all over the Web in case you haven't heard. Is an internet phone really different from an ordinary phone? Not really. You still have a receiver… you can still use a handset that you plug into a box that hooks to your computer. You can still receive voice mail messages anytime you want.

It sounds like internet phones are pretty similar to ordinary phones so far.

Are these customizable internet phones portable? Do you plug these personalized internet phones into a wall socket? No! Not necessarily… well, that isn't entirely true. If you have an internet connection on your laptop and you plug your internet phone into it, technically you do have a portable customized internet phone. Let's find out more about how internet phones work so you understand the process. Then you can decide if internet phones and internet calling is right for you. Most people say “aha” once they figure out how easy it is to use internet phones instead of traditional land lines.

Customized Internet Phones Explained

So what are internet phones? They hook to the internet; that is internet phones certainly connect to the internet and work a lot like ordinary phones although they do not cost nearly as much as ordinary phones especially when you have to make a “long distance” telephone call.

Most internet phones offer a wide range of features just as you would expect of say your cell phone, but you don't have to pay into an expensive plan for 5-years or anything like that. There are many advantages of using internet phones for online internet calling too.

Maybe you've heard of some of the technology used to make internet calling possible… products including VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or SKYPE.

How Internet Phones Work

Here is how customized internet phones work. First they are not really that customized because anyone can use them any way they want. You simply use the internet instead of your phone line to call people and send them your voice message (or live phone call). If you use VoIP, the company you sign up with (an internet-like phone company) sends you a box that hooks up to your internet and you make calls with it just as you would your phone.

You just talk through your internet connection instead of your telephone line.

Pretty neat, huh?

There are many advantages to personalized internet phones. You can send your messages to your email, you can save on calling fees, and you can pick your own zip codes because you are not using a phone line that is linked with a local land line.

While internet phones may not be for everyone, and some people prefer to use what they “know” undoubtedly at some point in the near future as branded internet phones and calling services become more popular internet phones will certainly learn to dominate the calling market.