You've probably heard about VoIP technology or Internet telephony. Voice Over Internet Protocol is a new form of communication that enables you to telephone through the Internet for free or at a very low price. Developers and entrepreneurs have created an industry around VoIP technology in its many forms: desktop applications, telephone services, and corporate phone systems. VoIP is an essential technology that have many aspects. It seems that many communications firm foresaw the magnificence of VoIP technology, because by this time it is extremely widespread.
VoIP is one the world's fastest growing industries. It almost covers the whole world. In the last few years we could see a complete revolution in communication world: everybody begins to use PCs and Internet for job and free time to communicate each other and sometimes to talk each other. VoIP can send voice over the Internet, rather than through the regular telephone network. The point is that analog voice is converted into digital signals (bits) and then backwards. It allows you to make and receive phone calls to practically any number worldwide including landlines, mobiles, international numbers etc.
To the businessman, VoIP is a single technology investment with many revenue streams. To the enterprise network engineer, it's a way to simplify the corporate network and improve the telephony experience for users of the network. For you, it's the best way to save money on the terrible phone bill. And this is what makes VoIP so revolutionary.
The big deal is that you can save great amounts on your phone bill, especially if you frequently make calls abroad. When you are using PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) line, you always pay for time used to a PSTN line manager company: more time you stay at phone and more you'll pay. In addition you can't talk with more people at the same time. But with VoIP technology, you can talk all the time with as many people as you want (the needed is that other person is also connected to Internet at the same time), and as far as you want. What's more, you can share data with your partners. You can send images, documents and videos while you're talking.
If you run a business, the advantages and the money you can save multiply. But then, why everybody doesn't use it yet? Well, the only disadvantages are voice quality and call reliability compared to PSTN. VoIP applications require a real-time data streaming cause we expect an interactive data voice exchange. But this problem is solvable in the close future.
Attila Z Jancsina is a freelance copy writer. He occasionally writes for VoIP Provider
