Everything you Need to Know About VoIP
Since immemorial communication has been an integral part of our life and will continue to be so. With an increase in globalisation and constant boost in world economy, communication has become a high priority area. As a result the selection of an appropriate channel of communication is one of the most critical decisions to be taken by an organisation looking at a long and successful run. Up until now public switch telephony network was the in monopoly. However with changing times, Internet has provided us with an extremely beneficial alternative to it, namely VoIP.
Understanding The Working Of VoIP
VoIP or voice over internet protocol is a technology that works through Internet. Unlike PSTN (public switch telephony network), voice over IP converts voice which is analog signal format into small sized digital IP packets and terminates it via Internet to the final destination or receiver. Before reaching the final destination these small digital IP packets are reconverted into analog signals i.e. your voice.
The number of people deploying VoIP call termination service is constantly rising with no sign whatsoever of slowing down. This is chiefly due to the numerous benefits of this profitable service. Let us have a look at how this service can help us gain.
Advantages Of VoIP Services
1. Cost Deduction – VoIP helps in tremendously cutting down the cost of calling as compared to PSTN. You can end up saving over 40% for every call made through this service.
2. Efficiency – Voice over IP services works on packet switching instead of circuit switching technology thereby increasing the overall efficiency which has a direct impact on the productivity which too rises.
3. Flexibility – One of the major benefits of using this turn key technology is that you can make VoIP calls from across the globe irrespective of the network from where you are connected to.
4. Convergence – VoIP allows convergence of voice, data and video through a single network i.e. Internet. This proves to be advantageous for virtual workers or even while you are traveling.
5. More Features Functionality – With voice over internet protocol, you get multifarious features with your telephony which are either not possible through PSTN or you are charged heavily for it. For instance, call forwarding, 3 way calling et cetera.
Disadvantages of VoIP
Till a few years back VoIP was a technology almost unheard of and the only people who knew about it were either the IT professionals or the so called technology geeks. Even with number of advantages that voice over IP bestows upon us, it wasn’t given preference by the users. This was chiefly due to its quality. Jitters and false billing were some of the common issues that disappointed the users. Over a period of time constant improvement in the technology and awareness about its advantages has changed the entire scenario with most of the corporates and residentials switching over to VoIP service.
Impact of IP Telephony On Business
Corporates from all sectors of the industry have acknowledged the golden points offered by IP telephony and this is precisely why they have started slowly but consistently moving towards deploying this service. A business irrespective of its size and area of expertise can successfully and profitably switch over to this service.
With the help of VoIP solutions and services business houses can substantially increase their revenue as well the productivity of the organisation. Gone are the days when PBX was used in organisations. Its place has now been taken over by VoIP PBX. It enables inter and intra office calls to be made at running cost. One can only imagine the savings that it leads to not to mention the rise in the efficiency of functions.
All said and done, no one can challenge the fact that VoIP is back and this time to stay. It won’t be too long before all of us would be making cheap calls across the globe with a smile on our face.
VoIP News – Vonage Tries To Solve Its Problems With IPO
Vonage announced on Feb 8 that it intends to issue an IPO in an attempt to raise $250 million. This move underlines some of the problems mainstream VoIP providers are having.
The problem for Vonage is that while its subscriber base is growing, it is still losing money. According to the IPO filing, Vonage lost $189.6 million on sales of $174 million in the first nine months of 2005.
The company spends so much on marketing that it is almost impossible to make money from low spending subscribers. Average single line subscribers paid $26.73 per month in 2005. But the company spent $213.77 per subscriber on marketing. That means it would take more than 8 months to recoup their up front marketing costs.
Market share is also shrinking and the competition is ramping up. Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are all aggressively entering the market.
They are also getting squeezed on the expense side. Currently VOiP providers like Vonage offload the carrier costs to internet subscribers. But the major telcos are lobbying hard for approval to charge providers like Vonage extra tool fees for the ramped up level of service required to make wide scale VOiP possible.
Pure VOiP providers like Vonage are eating into the traditional market of the telcos. So it seems almost inevitable that the telcos will retaliate in various ways to either hold on to their customer base, or convert customers to their own services.
**Other developments in VoIP
Microsoft – Gates and company will be entering the VoIP market aggressively in 2006. The new version of MSN Messenger, called Windows Live Messenger will have advanced VoIP capabilities, and an interface with the traditional phone system through an agreement with MCI. This alliance with MCI is Microsoft’s way of avoiding the threat of telco toll charges.
As with Skype, PC to PC calls will be free using Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft and MCI claim that PC to landline calls will cost only a few cents a minute, and much less than some other alternatives currently being developed.
Google – Much like Microsoft and Yahoo, Google is putting the pieces together to offer a comprehensive PC to PC chat/voice service, as well as a PC to landline service. That would take Google just one relatively small step from becoming a complete VoIP provider.
Google released Google Talk last August, and recently announced the release of Gmail Chat which integrates GMail and Chat. For voice capability, users still have to download the Google Talk client, but it is just a matter of time before there is one client for all three services (mail, chat, talk).
The company has also confirmed that it is working with VoiceOne, a Florida company owned by VoIP Inc. VoiceOne is providing Google with “click-to-call” services. This free service lets people speak directly to Adwords advertisers who come up in searches, with the costs, presumably, being covered by advertisers.
Yahoo – Yahoo announced in December that they will offer two new fee-based voice over IP services so customers can make voice calls from a PC to a telephone and receive phone calls on a PC.
The new VoIP services are called Phone Out and Phone In and are part of Yahoo Messenger with Voice.
Phone Out will let users to make calls from a PC to traditional or mobile phones in more than 180 countries. Projected cost will be $0.01 per minute to the U.S. and less than $0.02 per minute to more than 30 international countries.
Phone In will let users receive calls on a PC from traditional or mobile phones for $2.99 a month. Multiple phone numbers will be available for travelers, and phone numbers in different countries will be available so people who call them from that area will only pay for a local call. This is very similar to Skype’s current offerings (see below).
Skype – EBay bought Skype in 2005 for $2.6 billion, so chances are they have big plans for the service. Skype offers a range of VoIP services, but so far all require at least one user be tethered to a PC with a broadband connection. Services include free computer-to-computer calls, as well as paid calls from a PC to the public network (SkypeOut) or public phone to PC (SkypeIn).
With the release of Skype 2.0, the company has announced a number of enhancements to their core service such as teleconferencing capability, and video calling. Another useful service is Skype VoiceMail. Callers from anywhere can call your number and leave a voice mail on your computer.
Judging from their web-centric approach to VoIP, Skype does not have plans to directly compete with the telcos for traditional phone business. However, they are well-positioned to offer click-to-call services to everything from community and dating websites, to EBay itself.
World innovation with TerraSip mobile VoIP
Estepona, 22. March 2006
For TerraSip members it is now possible to use the received landline number of another VoIP provider on a TerraSip member account.
Forwarding a geographical landline number on to the SIP account:
Before TerraSip offers the geographical call numbers, the so-called DIDs (Direct Inward Dialling), in all countries, the developer team has built a very user-friendly new feature in the account software. If a user had already received a landline number from somewhere in the world from another VoIP provider and if he would like to use this number now in connection with his TerraSip account, then he can do this easily.
He enters the account data of his previous provider within his personally protected area “MyTerraSip” and saves this data. In the same instant the forwarding of the received call number functions on his TerraSip account , i.e. the telephone configured with a TerraSip account rings, if the received landline number of the other x-arbitrary provider is called.
Accessibility with maximum flexibility:
Many voice over IP users have accounts with different providers. A once received DID does not loose its value, if one decides to use another service. The crucial advantage is that the users friends, family and business partners remain accessible under the same number. Administering and communicating different numbers – possibly on different devices – is not necessary any more with this solution.
“It is a small but a very fine tool, which lends virtual landline numbers a larger range with minimum resources. Since a customer can attach and also restore this function again completely, we are thus able to provide this function absolutely free of charge. We are proud to promote innovative developments and the use of VoIP” says Daniel David, the project manager.
The service is immediately usable for all members of the TerraSip community.
Information to the provider
TerraSip is a recent, globally aligned and world-wide operating enterprise. It offers free internet telephony per international SIP standard for TerraSip members. The membership is free.
TerraSip’s adjustment aims at mobile internet telephony, the voice over WLAN, briefly VoWLAN. Recently TerraSip started a first pilot project of VoWLAN with two WiFi network carriers in Germany and Austria, in order to test mobile internet telephony in the German-speaking countries.
TerraSip S.A.,
Avenida Espana 70,
29680 Estepona,
Spain
Tel: +34 636982416
E-Mail: pr@terrasip.com
Web: www.terrasip.com
(2200 charchters, released for free casting)
In case of further queries please contact the press department of the company: pr@terrasip.com
How to Make a Call Through VoIP
Today, the Internet has made the world come closer and telecommunication over IP network has made conversations unlimited. Well, now with VoIP services user can enjoy calling to near and dear ones at minimal rates across the globe. Voice over Internet Telephony caters the need of international market by offering low call tariff rate for long distance and international calling. With its cost efficiency, reliability, functionality, security and vision of scalability feature, voice over IP network stands ahead of traditional Pubic Service Telephone Network or PSTN.
IP telephony is considered as the right choice for ‘NEXT GENERATION’ people for sharing or transferring voice, video and data communication.
Like PSTN, a user can easily make calls through VoIP. In addition to equipments used in PSTN, voice over IP requires additional piece of Analog Telephone Adaptor (ATA) to its computer. Well, the initial cost of setting Internet telephony infrastructure on PC is minimal as ATA is a hardware equipment that is generally supplied by VoIP service provider. Thus, once user phone is installed with VoIP software and ATA, he/she can make phone calls as a normal calling and enjoy call without any barrier. With the help of ATA, analog voice is converted into small packets of digital data and sent over your Broadband Internet connection to IP service provider. This digital data is perfect for the Internet and helps to lower down the cost.
So, selection of best VoIP service provider is must, thereby user must look for services like:
1. Storing incoming calls to voice mail.
2. Send a voice mail to you as an e-mail attachment
3. 3-way calling, Id caller, Call forwarding
4. Minimal charges
5. Opt for high bandwidth provider
Lastly, stepping in the world of IP network has made all circuit-switched equipment vendors and service providers to opt for VoIP services.
