VoIP has been praised by many critics as the next must-use technology that will take the communications world by storm.

Why does VoIP service help communication consumers? There are four main reasons, actually:

1. Cost – Consider this scenario: You currently have a cable modem to connect to the Internet. Chances are you also have a landline phone and/or a cell phone you're also paying for monthly. Both of these services charge you a monthly fee and sometimes even additional fees, depending on who you call or when you call. VoIP eliminates the additive costs altogether. As long as you have an Internet connection of some sort, you’re not charged for calls you make. All you need to make a VoIP call is your computer, VoIP software, speakers, and a microphone. Whether at home or on a business trip with your laptop, you can still make calls that don’t cost you anything. This is especially important when for people who do international calling. Calls once costing hundreds of dollars in phone bills a month now can be made free of charge by simply hopping online.
2. Conferencing – Again, be it with friends or with business partners, VoIP makes it much simpler for everyone to talk together at the same time. Instead of flying people in from several different locations, you can talk directly to everyone at the same time via a VoIP connection.
3. Additional features – In addition to chatting, advantages of VoIP can also include the sharing of application/files with each other and group web surfing. Instead of sending someone a link to a site and writing an e-mail about what you would like them to examine, you can actually take them there and discuss it with them as you both view the site together.
4. Time – One great advantage of VoIP is time saved. People no longer have to wait on an e-mail server to send information to one another. They don’t have to catch a plane to the other side of the country for a meeting. Instead, they can work directly from the home or the office at a much quicker rate of speed, which makes productivity all the greater.

VoIP does has its disadvantages – for example, you need to be connected to the Internet to make a call instead of just picking up the phone and dialing a few numbers. But, as you can see, for many people in both their business world and personal life, VoIP does offer an economical means of communication with others, be it down the block or halfway around the world.

See also:

• VoIP Adoption
• Disadvantages of VoIP
• Regulation & Policy
• Standards

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