VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol is an emerging technology that with the right equipment and a provider, enables voice communications or the audio content of a phone conversation to be transmitted in digital form over the internet. The advantage of this is that a standard telephone line is not required for VoIP.

As VoIP is an ever evolving technology, it is important to familiarize oneself in latest developments prior to making a commitment to a particular phone, provider or setup.

But let's look at some of the basics and how practically anyone can give this technology a ?run' without dipping deep into the pockets.

The Basics VoIP has a range of options and abilities depending on the service and equipment utilized. These include: ? Only calling other people using the same service; ? Ability to call any phone number including long distance, international, mobiles and of course local; ? Calling directly from a computer using a microphone or VoIP telephone; and ? Calling from an ordinary phone which is plugged into an Analog Telephone Adaptor or ATA.

Equipment Required Given that this is Voice over Internet, it stands to reason that an internet connection is necessary - albeit one of high speed (broadband).

Depending on the service being utilized it may be as simple as a microphone, or a VoIP telephone, or an adaptor that a normal phone can plug into with the adaptor plugging into an Ethernet connection.

So How Can I Make Calls for Free? There is a range of free VOIP software on the internet. A well know one is Skype at www.skype.com where users can make calls to landlines and mobiles for a fee but call each other for free.

Ok so you see the limitation here. To get free calls the person you wish to contact also needs to be a user of the same service. Whilst this is true, there are ways of obtaining very low cost calls through a number of providers. This said, the free services like Skype are well worthwhile for someone who wishes to experiment at no cost.

Service Providers Vonage is a major VoIP provider and AT&T are also offering services. There are many others some of which I have listed below with no particular bias: ? 1TouchTone ? AOL Internet Phone Service ? Axvoice ? BroadVoice ? Dialpad ? GalaxyVoice ? Net2Phone

For Australia several websites of VoIP providers are listed below: ? www.engin.com.au ? www.broadip.com.au ? www.faktortel.com.au

VoiPStunt - Free International Calls to a Range of Countries At the time of writing, VoiPStunt were providing free software which allows free calls between peers. However they are also providing free international calls to a list of international countries listed below:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela.

Now that's not a bad list. The catch, a minor one, is that international calls for trial users are limited to one minute. To obtain up to 20 hours of free international calls you will need to top up your account however VoiPStunt state on their website they will not touch these credits so long as you are calling the free destinations. (source - www.voipstunt.com).

Current terms and conditions should be examined prior to engaging any service.

Summary VoIP is an emerging technology with much more to come in the future. Why not enjoy free international and peer phone calls in the meantime.

Author Tim ONeill has an Associate Diploma in Electronic Engineering. For further information, books and VoIP items, visit http://www.voipworking4you.info.

VoIP is an acronym for Voice over IP (Internet Protocol), or in more common terms, phone service over the Internet. Basically, it's a set of common Internet standards that allows a user's voice to be converted into small packs of digital data which can then be sent over computer networks. At the receiving end, VoIP computers reassemble the data packets back into a conventional audio signal that can be heard just as if on a regular telephone line. This is an online scheme that has been bubbling around the Internet community for the past few years. A major advantage of VoIP is that it avoids the tolls charged by ordinary telephone services.

There is VoIP billing software also that handles billing and other processes. This software can be used by all kinds of businesses. It helps in keeping track of customers, the bills to be sent to them and other such details through a protocol. This software has features like broadband phone, PC to phone, wholesale (termination), traffic exchange, international callback and prepaid calling cards that meet your VOIP business needs.

VoIP billing is tightly integrated with popular gateways, gatekeepers, proxies and soft switches from vendors like Quintum, Cisco, Sylantro, Veraz, Nextone, IPtel, Mera, and other compliant devices. Most telephony billing systems currently used today are based on non-IP standards, making them not equipped to handle or accurately bill for IP services; hence, VoIP billing rose to prominence. The reasons why most of the service providers and enterprises chose the VoIP billing software to expand their business is that it integrates the core functions like authentication, authorization, and accounting with vital functions that facilitate the effective management of all billing-related processes, like customers, services, finance, service distribution, reporting, traffic partners, and user rights.

VoIP billing software allows service providers and enterprises to expand their business by including cost-effective VoIP services in their offerings. It also enables the pre-paid or post-paid billing options for call usage and provides the ability to offer flexible call plans.

Billing Software provides detailed information on Billing Software, VoIP Billing Software, Chiropractic Billing Software, Free Billing Software and more. Billing Software is affiliated with HIPAA Complaint Medical Billing Software.

VoIP service providers have sidestepped the conventional phone companies in terms of better services, wireless infrastructure, better quality and ease of operation. With VoIP technology, the same international call that charged you a great deal can now be made at a fraction of that cost.
VoIP technology i.e. Voice over Internet Protocol is an all internet based system. Through VoIP one can establish contact with anyone across the globe, provided that the IP network is accessible at the receiver0s end too. Calls made via VoIP come almost free. It completely outclasses the old and expensive mode of communication- POTS. Moreover an efficient broadband connection with adequate bandwidth, help VoIP stand out and carry voice signals clearly.
VoIP technology can amazingly trim down your monthly phone bills by 50% or even more. Specially, if your mainstream calls are international, VoIP is your best solution. This is so, because the traditional phone services cost almost twice over than what a VoIP costs for the international calls.
Initially VoIP was often suspected due to inferior voice quality. But now with new-improved internet features and broader bandwidths, this problem almost died away.
Many VoIP service providers also offer additional features and schemes all inclusive in the package or […]

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