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.

Voice over internet protocol or VoIP is beginning to come into it's own. The promise of cost savings over traditional phone lines is driving this technology into the mainstream. Leveraging your existing broadband connection to save on your monthly phone expense at first glance makes sense. Let's take a closer look. First off, can your existing broadband throughput handle the additional strain of digital voice transfer? You can use your favorite search engine (google, msn, yahoo, etc.) and search for ?VoIP broadband test' to get a general idea of the speed of your connection. This is only the first consideration. How is your existing broadband access coming into your home? If you're using DSL then using VoIP for your ?primary' phone line may not be an option. DSL availability without existing phone service is not generally available. You should check with your local phone company before canceling service. You just might end up with no phone service, VoIP or traditional. Check first. If you're using cable internet access and your connection speed test looks good, find a VoIP provider that allows for a trial period. You may find a good provider that offers up to 30 days for you to cancel if you are not satisfied with voice quality or service. A VoIP converter and a router will be required to setup your VoIP service. Your modem would plug into your router. Next your converter plugs into your router and your phone base plugs into your converter. Most normal phones should work fine. There isn't any ?special' phone required to use this type of service. The entire process is pretty painless, but if you should run into any issue, your provider should be ready to help. If you're looking to leverage your existing broadband internet access to save money on your monthly phone expense, VoIP can be a great option. Just remember to check your connection, check with your local phone provider (for DSL users) and find a provider that offers a money back trial period. This can be a great way to save money, but don't be pressured before you know the facts. Even if it doesn't work out for you now, keep your eye on this technology. The FCC is already involved in the apparent conflict between VoIP service providers and DSL access. E911 service (Enhanced 911 service) is already being mandated and additional steps will be made to bring this technology further into the mainstream. Make no mistake about this technology. It has arrived and is here to stay.

Michael Weaver - http://www.fullservice-broadband-provider.com

The full service broadband provider is a service offered by Try Right Technology, Inc. This service provides unbiased informative information on broadband technology as well as local/long distance and cellular service. Copyright 2005 - Michael Weaver. This article can be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

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