VoIP it might sound like a scary new technical term with little practical near-term relevance, but actually it’s an exciting communication protocol that more and more people are adopting every day. This section provides an overview of the basics of Internet voice adoption.

There are three primary benefits to adopting VoIP:

1) It’s inexpensive. Instead of paying for both an IP cable modem line and a landline phone, users only need a cable modem to connect to the Internet to initiate and receive phone calls.

2) Calls are free. Phone companies charge you for calls in terms of minutes, whether you're billed under your service plan or as an add-on. Some long-distance and international calls result in additional charges to your phone service bill. With VoIP, you can call anyone, anywhere in the world, at any time. The only cost to you is your Internet connection, which, chances are, is a bill you’re already footing since you’re reading this information on the web.

3) Portability. You can’t take your home phone with you on business trips or vacations, but with VoIP you can. Much like a cell phone, as long as you have a connection (in this case an Internet connection) you are able to make and receive calls from anywhere. Simply plug in your laptop to an Internet port to send and receive calls.

Now keep in mind that VoIP isn’t a "standard" capability of any computer. You need to download software in order to make it function.

There are two basic types of VoIP software:

• Gateways – Software that connects to other users through a third party, also known as PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network)
• Peer to Peer – Software that doesn’t use a central, or third-party, service provider, but instead is a direct connection to the person you’re speaking with on VoIP.

Which program you decide to use is really up to you. What is most important is that there is a large assortment of providers out there offering either type of software program – and, best of all, the majority of these programs are offered to users at no charge.

Can VoIP replace the old reliable analog telephone? Some people believe that eventually it will. As communication systems improve and more people become wired into the World Wide Web via cable service, the need for the push-button phone will go the way of the dinosaur.

Topics in this section:

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

See also:

• Getting Connected
• Network Design & Operations
• PSTN & Cellular Networks

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