subject: When Buying A Broadband Phone [print this page] Voice over internet protocol or VoIP, the breakthrough technology that allows people to make broadband phone calls possible is now being geared up to take over the future of internet communication and people connectivity. More and more companies are seeing the potential of this new technology and have started to plunge onto the bandwagon and offer broadband phone services to people all around the world.
The popularity can be attributed in part to the ease of use of these phones. The phones actually work like a normal landline or mobile. When the phone rings, you pick it up as you would any other phone. The advantage lies in the savings you make on your call costs. Because these phones run thru your internet or broadband line you normally get minimal line rental if any and cheaper national and international call rates.
There are several things to consider though before getting a broadband phone. Most broadband phone systems have no complicated switches or plugs or voice converters. These are all usually integrated into the system. A phone bundle would have hardware and software coming with it. Hardware for broadband phones systems use an adapter to make your old landline phone unit useable for the system.
The hardware is connected to a router that is found in your network or through the USB 2.0 port in your computer. Usually, hardware connected via a router use the ethernet connection thru a plug and play installation. The software is simply a bridge between your computer and the hardware.
Broadband phones or IP phones use a technology called voice over internet protocol or commonly termed VoIP. This is simply a way to transmit voice data signals thru the internet rather than thru your normal telephone copper line. The systems converts your analog voice signal into digital packets and converts it back into analog signals as they reach the receiving phone on the other end. This happens whether you are connecting to a landline number or a mobile phone.
Since there is a fair amount to data conversion happening in the background what you will need is a high speed internet connection. The faster your internet connection, the better.
Keep in mind that broadband connections normally pass thru checkpoints called nodes. When these checkpoints are overloaded or choked this would affect the quality of your phone connection. Having a good quality internet provider helps in this situation.
With a high quality internet provider and easy installation there should be no reason not to enjoy cheaper call rates thru broadband phones.
