subject: Voip- A Rage In It Industry [print this page] VoIP Phones are all the rageVoIP Phones are all the rage. These Internet phones are becoming increasingly popular with the general public as well as among the technologically gifted avant-garde i.e. geeksRus Chances are high you know someone who uses one or you may even use one yourself.
But did you know it can cost you your life? We will get to this life-threatening issue later but first you should have a basic understanding of what a VoIP phone is and how it works.
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. These phones are also commonly referred to as Voice over IP or Voice over Internet. VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a way of using analog audio signals, like on your regular phone, and turning these signals into digital data that's transmitted over the Internet instead of over conventional phone lines.
How does it Work?
A VoIP Phone Service can work on any computer that has broadband connectivity. If you have a headset/microphone, along with a VoIP phone system set-up or software program installed on your computer, you can place calls from your computer or laptop to anywhere in the broadband-connected world. Assuming that your friends have the same software set-up or have a VoIP Phone Service from many of the commercial providers, you should be able to communicate, i.e. talk to each other.
It basically works by sending small packets of data from one computer to another over the Internet. And since it uses the Internet, the route these data transfers take is as varied and as wide as the Internet itself. You call a phone number and the data is sent to your VoIP companies call processor. The call processor connects you to your friend's phone and a session is formed between your computer and your friend's computer.
Your call can now be handled as if it was an e-mail or a web page but each system must have the same protocol in order for you to communicate or talk. This may be over-simplifying things a bit, but this method is less expensive than a conventional phone system.
Many VoIP companies offer many services that a traditional phone company will charge you an arm or leg for! These include: Caller ID, Call transfer, Call waiting, Return call, Repeat dial, and Three-way calling. And because it is over the Internet you can check your voicemail via the Web - you may even attach messages that are sent to your computer or handheld.
