Cheaper phone calls over the Internet

There has been a lot written lately about VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol.
Other names given to VoIP include: Voice over the Internet, Internet telephony and IP telephony. They all mean the same, making (free) phone calls using a broadband Internet connection. In other words: everyone with a broadband Internet connection can take advantage of VoIP.

VoIP technology

VoIP converts an analog audio signal, such as speech, to a digital signal, then transfers the digital ‘packets’ over the Internet.
With this technology you can use your Internet connection to make free phone calls. You install VoIP software on your PC, then you use your cable or ADSL connection to make phone calls worldwide free of charge!

Cost saving

Companies in particular can save enormous costs when using VoIP, because VoIP uses an existing network (the Internet and local area connection) to send and receive data, speech and video. Imagine a company with many foreign branches, all on one Wide Area Network. They can benefit from VoIP by using the existing network to make office-to-office calls and save on national and international calling costs. Moreover, there is no need to maintain separate networks for data and speech, so managing the network is centralized and therefore easier and much more efficient. Furthermore, the use of VPN (Virtual Private Network?) by remote users can be more cost effective because there is no need to use a slow and expensive dial-up connection. Rather, any available (high-speed) Internet connection can be used.

Because Internet connections have become faster and more reliable than a couple of years ago, the use of VoIP will increase. There are several ways to make a VoIP call. Basically, all you need is a some software that can be downloaded from the Internet for free. Also more and more special VoIP telephones are becoming available that will make life easier. On this site you will read what VoIP is, what the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP are and what to look for in a VoIP telephone. VoIP is an easy and cheap way of making phone calls and it will gain in popularity every day. Installing VoIP software and connecting a VoIP telephone is easy and before you know it you will be making worldwide phone calls without extra costs.