Your VoIP services are based on computer-to-computer calling. People are choosing to change to VoIP from their regular phone service because of the quality enhancement of the product. Local calls, long distance calls, and even International calls come in very clear. The higher the speed of your internet service, the clearer your calls will be. At least 64 Kbps are required. A bandwidth of 128 Kbps will provide you with top of the line service results. Your VoIP provider can assist you with determining your Kbps as well as recommend any updates that might provide you with better service.

Some are skeptical to use the VoIP system because they are worried about the reliability of the system. In the past, if the power went out, then the system wouldn’t work. I can definitely see why that would be a concern. In a time of emergency, you need to feel comfortable knowing you have phone access to call for help

The solution to that problem is the introduction of a smart system. This system is a tool used to redirects phone calls to a different number, if the system detects your phone system is not responding. Incoming calls will be transferred to your required alternative during such occasions.

Other than the quality of the product, the price is a big seller. You can choose the options you want to use including caller ID, call waiting, and call forwarding. Types of plans include basic service, best value, unlimited access, and business plans. There are no long distance charges. This means you can make out of town and International calls at no additional cost. This alone is a great selling point, especially for businesses that often end up with huge phone bills on a monthly basis. For those wanting to maintain a budget, knowing how much your phone bill will be on a monthly basis is an added bonus. In addition, the cost of VoIP with all the features and long distance access is cheaper than most people were already paying for regular home phone services.

The Internet is a valuable resource for finding a VoIP provider in your area. There are several good information sites. You can get specific questions answered, review the types of plans, and look at the phone styles available. If the trend continues, then VoIP may soon replace home phone service plans worldwide. Look out, there is another huge technological change for most of us on the horizon!

Do I need software to connect to the Internet?
Absolutely not. The Windows operating system provides all the networking software needed to connect to the Internet and most other types of networks for that matter. Some ISPs require that their branded software be installed to connect to their service. This required software is used by the service provider to capture your attention for the purpose of showing you advertisements and the ISP’s own focused content.
Usually when you click to connect to one of these service providers your browser opens and you are bombarded with ads while the home page loads. You may be able to customize the content posted on the home page to your liking, but lets face facts, You have become a captive audience and you are being taken for a ride.

What does the Internet Service Providers software do?
Internet access provider software does 2 things immediately on install. First it hijacks your Windows connection software so that it can not be used to connect to any other service provider. Usually other Windows network services are also disabled, such as Internet connection sharing. Second, it hijacks your web browser so that you must log on to their home page, which I find ironic since internet service providers are always warning us about spyware that hijacks your browser.

The perpetrators of this type of hijacking is a list of the most popular service providers. You know them as, AOL, NetZero, EarthLink, PeoplePC, AT&T, Netscape… and the list goes on. AOL being the ring leader and takes control of your computer beyond the extreme to the point of being criminal. All of these service providers prefer to hijack the Internet Explorer browser because all Windows users have it installed and it is easy to build software for. But most can also be used with Netscape or Firefox.

So what is the alternative?
Simply contact a service provider and ask them if internet connection software is required to use their service. Not all Internet service providers require that you install connection software and are very willing to help you set up your Windows connection.
While doing research for this article, I expected to find price to be a factor in the connection software equation. ISP’s that require connection software obviously make money force feeding you advertisements, allowing them to offer lower rates. To my surprise that does not appear to be the most important factor in setting price. I found that bandwidth has more affect in determining rates.

So, escape from the hijackers. There are many national Internet service providers out there that don’t require that you be held hostage to pop up ads and stale content. Search the Internet for ISPs, do your homework and you will find the freedom to surf the web the way you deserve.

Lyle Cochran is a PC technician with over 10 years experience and webmaster of Cheap Computer Solutions, where you can learn the secret to finding cheap computer hardware parts and retailers online. The number one site for cheap computer how-to shopping guides. Working hard to save your computing dollars.
Download your free Cheap Computer Parts Organizer now.

Still, there is reason for users to be optimistic about the future. The following is an outline of the way the Internet access business should go in the coming year. I provide it to give you a better understanding of where you should go now, assuming you want to stick with the same internet access provider for at least a year.

Don’t ditch dial-up

A lot of users were glad they hung on to their dial-up accounts in the midst of uncertainty with their broadband connections. When things go bad with broadband (as they often do), you at least can get e-mail, if not a quick scan of the headlines in text-heavy Web sites.

If you have a dial-up account, and you’re paying less than $20 for it, consider it a blessing to have a back-up system. At the very least, when you need to reach tech support for your broadband account and you can’t get through due to heavy call volume, you can e-mail them from your dial-up account. Things to look out for in dial-up:

Go with a provider that has been around long enough to quickly respond to such issues as software upgrades and peak calling volumes.

Read the fine print before signing. Some ISPs will disconnect you after a relatively short amount of time of idleness. Others let you stay online as long as you’re actively engaged. Still others never disconnect users. The last is preferable; the middle option usually offers the best value.

Check out Boardwatch magazine’s ISP Directory to see how much infrastructure you will be paying for. Make sure your chosen ISP has an acceptable ratio of modems to users. Three users for every modem is acceptable, considering that it is unlikely that all their customers will dial up at once. o Match prices with the ratio of modem pools to users.

Check out options such as personal Web site services and multiple addresses. These are nice to have and can add value to your experience as long as you use them–provided they’re bundled in.

DSL doldrums

Of all the access methods, DSL has received the most scorn since I’ve been at this job. My own experiences were horrendous, and I’m not alone. It works great for about 20 percent of the population who are geographically blessed. It works OK for another 30 percent or so of the population, who may have to endure some line noise in order to get DSL. And it doesn’t work at all for the other half. Couple its inherent technical limitations with DSL providers falling off the wires like shocked birds, and the situation has not been pretty.

Still, those providers that have made it through the shock test should be able to offer a good experience (with the exception of Qwest). Consider DSL carefully and you will avoid a lot of pain.

Some DSL issues you should consider:

Talk to a neighbor about their DSL experience. Do they have a lot of line noise on the phone even with the filters? Did they have any equipment or network problems with their provider? If so, did they get put on hold and shuffled around through tech support when they called in? Was their DSL provider able to support a variety of platforms, or was it basically Windows-only?

Consider an ISP for DSL service.

The Baby Bells, such as Qwest and Verizon, are not well equipped to deliver DSL service. Even though smaller ISPs may only resell DSL service from Baby Bell providers, they at least provide a live human being when things go wrong. Because the Baby Bells know the cost of supporting DSL users, they can offer DSL to ISPs much more cheaply than they can offer it directly to users. So you can often get a price break from ISPs, especially if you’re willing to accept a slightly slower connection.

Mary works in US for a media company, occasionally writing for the biggest cheap internet access news portal, and drinking too much coffee.

Most people are familiar w/ NetMeeting and other software that let you talk to others over the internet. VOIP is similar. However, it also uses your phone – the interface we’re all familiar with.

Instead of connecting your phone to the wall, you connect it to a box either the VOIP company provides or you buy on your own. This is the modem. You need highspeed/broadband internet for this. Your modem plugs into your cable/dsl modem and now it can ‘talk’ btwn your phone and the internet.

Your phone lines already do pretty much what VOIP does, just w/ different/older technology (well, some of it’s new w/ optics and such, but…).

How hard is it to setup?

It’s actually very easy. Assuming you have the company send you a modem or you buy a kit at the store, you simply plug the modem btwn your current cable/dsl modem and your computer (e.g., the out from your cable modem now goes to the new box and the out from that to your computer). It also has a phone jack for your regular phone.

Once it is on, it will boot up and configure itself.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits depending on the company you go w/, but here are a few I have (all of these are free w/ the monthly fee- $14.99 for my setup):

1. Features like caller id, call waiting, call waiting caller id, call forwarding, etc.

2. Voicemail

3. Email alerts for new voicemail.

4. Web access to voicemail – you can play your messages on your computer.

5. Auto-forward – if the phone is ever down or isn’t answered, it’s auto-routed to another number

6. Online management of all features, settings, account, etc.

7. Computer dialing – highlight any number on your computer, hit F6 and it sets up the call from your phone to theirs – very convinient!

8. Keep your regular phone (you don’t need a voip phone)

There are some other cool features available for extra $ like the softphone which lets you use your computer as a phone w/o the modem – this means you can take your laptop w/ you wherever and you have your phone w/ the same phone number everywhere too (you can do this w/o the softphone, but you have to take your VOIP modem around w/ you – not bad if you’re going somewhere for a longer trip).

Another really cool thing is the virtual phone numbers. You can get extra numbers that ring the same phone, but they are local numbers to any area code you want. So if I live in Dallas and have family in New York, I can get a local phone number here and there. That way my family in New York can call a local number (free) and talk to me! Vonage charges $4.99/month for that. I’m not sure about the others.

And the biggest benefit – IT’S CHEAP! I pay $14.99 plus some tax and such, but not the ump-teen taxes, charges, fees, etc. like the phone company charges.

Also, if you do a little research/reading, you can set it up to where every phone jack in your house is wired for VOIP. It’s little more than plugging the output of your VOIP modem into the wall jack you already have. Very little more.

Bottom Line

You get lots of good, free features and options for doing/managing a lot more including a lot over the web and it’s SO much cheaper (at least it is for me!). Being the ‘average guy’ I am, I don’t really use all the features. Fortunately, it’s pretty much a ’set it up and forget about it’ type thing except that I save $40+/month w/ it!

I use Vonage b/c that’s what I was told about first and it was one of the first. There are others and I’m sure they have their strengths, but Vonage has the cheapest base option at the time I did my research.

Bear Cahill is a software engineer in the Dallas, TX area and runs a few websites: The Armchair Geek (thearmchairgeek.com), Webpage Hosting Info (webpagehostinginfo.com), Go To College Online (gotocollegeonline.com) and The Video Exchange Community (videoexchange.org)

Publish freely if this resource box is included and links maintained as links.

Those who have tried Wireless Fidelity or Wi-Fi say they will never give it up. Those who haven’t tried it are missing what the Wi-Fi alliance simply describes as Freedom.

OK, so what is it, how much does it cost, how is it installed and what problems are there?

First the good news. A Wi-Fi Network is simple, easy and inexpensive to install. Basic requirements are: 1. A high speed (broadband) internet connection, the most common being cable, or DSL. 2. Next, an access point, sometimes called an antenna or a wireless router. These are available at your local electronics or computer store in a common price range from $50 to $150. 3. A wireless card or “adapter” for your laptop computer(s). Most new laptops come with wireless capability already installed but if yours doesn’t have it, for less than $100 you can add an adaptor…no tools required. That’s it. That’s all you need. The equipment comes with instructions that are easy to follow, and setup is a breeze. You can be up and running in moments, sharing internet connection, and even printers, scanners and hard drives.

Sounds great, no? Any drawbacks? Well, a couple. First of all, these networks operate in the unlicensed spectrum of ranges of 2.4 and 5GHz. Do these numbers sound familiar? If you have a cordless telephone, chances are quite good that it operates in the same 2.4GHz spectrum. This causes problems with some wireless networks. There are adjustments that can be made if problems arise such as selecting a different channel on your wireless network (a similar process to changing the channel on your electric garage door opener) and in most cases this solves the problem. Other precautions such as separation of telephones and wireless equipment can be helpful. Note: If you have an old 900MHz cordless telephone, you may want to dig it out of the closet or think twice before replacing it with one of the newer 2.4GHZ models. Manufacturers of the newest 5.8GHz models claim they also do not interfere with wireless networks.

The other drawback is more of a quiet menace, generally more serious, and usually happens without the network owner’s knowledge. Typically, wireless network products are shipped with any imbedded security features turned off in order to make setup a snap. There are a few more steps required to add network security. Without security measures active, your network is accessible by anyone with a Wi-Fi capable device and within range (typically up to a couple hundred feet). So what? Good question; maybe no big deal for the present time but the more users on your network, the less bandwidth there is for each user, and the sharing of your single internet access line (say 512Kbps) can cause noticeable slowing of downloads and certain applications. Higher speed internet access service can help if you are networking simultaneous users who use the internet.

A more critical issue is that of file sharing. If any of your computers are set to allow access for file sharing, or say sharing a printer or other peripheral device, your “guest” has the same access to these files and devices. This is an obvious problem and one that you need to be aware of. There are easy fixes. Read the documentation that comes with your equipment, and ask questions before you purchase. Tell the sales person how you plan to use this new freedom and ask for their suggestions as to how you can operate securely and reliably.

Then cut the cords and enjoy the freedom. You are bound to increase productivity, reduce fatigue, and get more done!

John Geiger owns and operates the local affiliate of WSI Internet Consulting and Education, a Toronto based global network of consultants, developers and production centers providing turn-key internet business solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises to include web-site design, development and hosting; site maintenance and upgrades, full e-commerce solutions, on-line training and education, and other cutting-edge internet technology and solutions. For questions, comments, free consultation, or ideas for future articles contact John at (828) 328-5929 or http://www.webmasters-wsi.com

1) Local dial-up – They are simple to setup and can be costly as some companies charges phone bill while you are connected. Speed can typically range from the slowest at 26k to 56k connection speeds.

2) Cable connection – It requires a cable modem and are usually provided by company which offer cable TV. Speeds can range from 512k to the high speed of 10Mps.

3) DSL – A DSL modem is needed to be installed on to your computer. Speeds typically range from 512k to the high speed of 9Mps. The cost involved could be twice the amount of a basic dial-up.

4) Broadband – This is typically referring to a cable, DSL, wireless connections or satellite internet connections. Speeds typically range from a 512k to 1.5Mbs.

5) Wireless connection – A wireless modem is needed to be installed on to your computer and are available in limited area. Speeds typically range from 2Mbps. The advantage is that you do need a wire connection to be connected.

6) Satellite internet connection – Upload speed and download speed can be different. For example, you may be able to download through satellite and upload through dial up. This is the most expensive option out of all the options given, but this service is available anywhere throughout the world. Speeds are available at 500k onward.

Which type of high speed internet connections do you really choose? Well, the answer lies in what you need. One thing for sure, if you are tired of waiting for a standard dial up to connect and download, you are ready for a broadband connection. Plus, once you have experienced the power of a broadband connection, you will never ever go back to dial up again.

Justin Koh is a freelance writer whose articles have appear in most major ezines. You can find more of these at: http://www.highspeedinternetcenter.info

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Even now, not everyone is sure how to go about this technology for home use and does it have any benefit for your family. So lets clear our doubts regarding this technology.

First of all, you must have a high-speed Internet connection, which can be, satellite, or DSL Internet. The high-speed connection is required for VOIP to function properly and dial up connection doesn’t have the capacity to transfer voice without compromising on quality. Secondly, you need a gateway that is connected between your computer and Ethernet modem. The VOIP gateway is where your phone line will be plugged into. With gateways, you can be sure of getting improved voice quality.

VOIP is easy to use, and depending on the service and method you choose, installation can be as easy as downloading software or attaching an adaptor to your computer.

With the elimination of long-distances charges, unregulated charges, and all the freebies that come standard with VOIP service, it can actually amount to a significant saving for you. For example, you may be paying extra for features like: Call waiting, three way calling, Call forwarding, Caller I.D, Repeat dial. If you don’t want to leave out of the exciting face-to-face conversations with friends and relatives, get your videophone. One important thing to remember is that your gateway is reliant on electricity to function, which means power outages, will put your phone line out of service.

So, if you want to save money on your telephone service using the Internet, you will need to sign up with a VOIP service provider. Most providers allow you to call any phone number in the world for a moderately low fee. They also provide voicemail, call forwarding and conference calls, at no extra charge. Decision to choose VoIP depends on your needs. If you make a large number of long distance calls, it may be well worth looking into. VoIP services are often much less expensive than traditional providers.

Alen
xpert4u.co.uk
UK mobile phone directory

Enterprise IP voice is having a single network to serve all modes of communication. Enterprise VoIP introduces efficiencies into the network, and allows for tighter integration

Enterprise VoIP is making inroads among enterprises that cling to their circuit switched voice networks. The lure of Enterprise IP voice is having a single network to serve all modes of communication. Enterprise VoIP introduces efficiencies
into the network, and allows for tighter integration. Certainly from the supply side, we can see that Enterprise IP voice is taking off. Enterprise IP voice is still in the early stages of adoption, but is starting to move into the mainstream.

Awareness of Enterprise VoIP is winning over companies for its ease of use/manageability, flexibility and operational cost. Ease of use and manageability get high ratings because Enterprise IP voice equipment overcomes the hassle of performing mundane telecom tasks. For example, to change a user’s location within the building in a TDM world while maintaining the user’s current extension, physical changes would have to be made to the network. For companies that don’t have qualified staff, they need to pay for a service call. In an Enterprise IP world, user identity is coupled to the phone’s MAC address, and not to a particular port, so a user can simply pack their desk phone, plug it into the LAN port at the new desk, and be up and running. The convenience of Enterprise VoIP is a huge selling point.

Other drivers propelling Enterprise VoIP include scalability and the desire to consolidate voice and data networks.
Implementing multiple wide area networks is expensive, and complexity increases as the number of networks and sites grows.
Large organizations seek network convergence, and Enterprise VoIP is the way to get there.

Consumer adoption of VoIP services may also spill over into the enterprise VoIP world, as was the case with wireless LANs.
Once people get used to advanced features available at home–for example, visual voicemail–they may end up pushing for the
same capabilities of Enterprise VoIP at work. For companies that are deploying Enterprise IP voice, the advantages outweigh
the barriers. The initial cost of deploying Enterprise VoIP technology are capital expenses. There are also some technical
hurdles to adopting Enterprise VoIP although in the long run, the future of Enterprise VoIP is assured.

For more information on Enterprise VoIP
and emerging VoIP over IP technology, visit AudioCodes

Internet ISP service prices vary from company to company. You should not solely base your decision on price though. There are many other things to take into consideration when choosing an internet ISP. Here are a few:

1. How many email addresses do they allow per account?

2. Do they offer personal web site service?

3. Can I connect from anywhere?

4. What is the amount of web storage that is available?

5. Do they offer SPAM block or virus protection? What is the cost?

6. What is their customer service like? Is their response quick and helpful, or slow and irritating?

7. What type of service do they offer? Dial-up, DSL, cable, satellite, etc.

8. What are their billing options? Do they allow you to pay monthly or by the year?

9. If you have children, do they have web blocking service?

10. If you are on dial-up, are there local access numbers?

As you can see there are many different things that you need to take into consideration when choosing an internet ISP. This list is not inclusive, there may be many more items that are important to you and your family.

When you find an internet ISP that you are interested in, research them via internet or by asking friends. Call their customer service number and ask questions to see how well they answer the questions and to give you a feel of their availability and response. A simple five to ten minute conversation can give you a pretty good idea of what their service would be like if you had a problem.

Narrow it down to two or three choices and then line up their features side by side to see which one is the right choice for you. You may find that they vary little or you may find that they vary widely. This will give you a clear picture of your choices to enable you to make the right choice for you and your family. This will give you an internet ISP that is sure to make every member of your family happy!

Learn the essential information for picking the right Internet Service Provider at Netzero Internet

The disadvantages of VOIP can be annoying, but are relatively limited for the consumer. The main complaints regarding VOIP have to do with providing the level of quality of service that customers are accustomed to with regular telephone technology. The reason for this is multifold. VOIP requires a large amount of data to be compressed and transmitted, then uncompressed and delivered, all in a relatively small amount of time. Problems develop in VOIP conversations when this process takes too long and the callers experience one of two problems; echo or over-talk.

Standard phone calls function with a delay of no more than 10 milliseconds. But one major disadvantage of VOIP is that there have been delays of up to 400 milliseconds, meaning that the callers won’t hear each other fast enough to make the conversation flow easily. They will either hear themselves talking or they will start talking again before they have heard the other person respond. Although these problems won’t necessarily happen every time a call is made, it can happen often enough to be annoying.

The disadvantages of VOIP are usually tolerable if the callers are using a free service and the calls are for individual, personal communication. But once a network of users, such as a business, wants to use VOIP, the problems become a little more complicated. Part of the reason is that most networks have a firewall; and most firewalls don’t know how to route a VOIP call once it is received – which phone does it go to?

Plus, multiple users create a problem when judging what amount of bandwidth can be and should be used at any time. If multiple users need to make VOIP calls, it can be difficult for the company to know exactly how much bandwidth to provide – especially if internet access, video conferencing or other data transmission services are using the same path.

Overall, the disadvantages of VOIP aren’t significant enough to dissuade the average consumer from using the technology; especially with the fact that they know that the calls they are making are free. But we can rest assured that the technology will only get more reliable as time goes by.

Article written by Van Theodorou, President of WorldNet Solutions, Inc. They help you find the lowest business long distance rates and in essence become your telecom department at no cost to you.