| VOIP is short for Voice Over IP or Voice Over | | | | conferencing and other services and applications. |
| Internet Protocol. VOIP allows you to use the | | | | CONS OF VOIP |
| Internet for your phone calls instead of your | | | | - INTERNET REQUIRED - What happens when |
| traditional land line based phone line. There are | | | | the Internet goes out where you are? So does |
| many benefits to this but also some drawbacks, | | | | your VOIP. Internet access is required for VOIP, |
| here is an overview of the pros and cons of | | | | there is no getting around that. This is why most |
| VOIP: | | | | VOIP users keep a land line or cell phone and do |
| PROS OF VOIP | | | | not rely 100% on VOIP for their communications. |
| - AVAILABILITY - Wherever you are, as long as | | | | Also, the quality and reliability of the Internet |
| you have Internet access, you can call and | | | | connection is important. If you are using a slower |
| receive calls. Even if you go on a trip somewhere, | | | | connection or one that has a high latency or other |
| anyone calling your number will still be able to | | | | connection problem, this will affect your VOIP |
| reach you. This unprecedented availability is one of | | | | communications with excessive echo or call |
| the main advantages to VOIP. Even cell phones | | | | dropping. |
| don't allow you the same functionality, where | | | | - NO FAXING - Unlike your traditional land based |
| your cellular provider may not cover every area | | | | phone line, you cannot do any faxing through your |
| or country you go to. The Internet is far more | | | | VOIP connection. However, services such as eFax |
| available in this respect. | | | | or Callwave may be an alternative. |
| - FEATURES - Features such as 3 way calling, | | | | - ELECTRICITY REQUIRED - When the electricity |
| automatic call forwarding, auto redial and even | | | | goes out, your land line shouldn't go out with it. |
| caller ID are included in standard VOIP packages. | | | | Not so with VOIP, you need electricity to connect |
| These are features you'll almost always need to | | | | to the Internet, so if the electricity goes out, your |
| pay an extra monthly fee to your local telephone | | | | VOIP does too. |
| provider for. | | | | - NO EMERGENCY CALLING - Due to the mobility |
| - COST - Most VOIP provider packages include | | | | of your connection, 911 or other emergency calls |
| unlimited calling to and from your number, | | | | won't be routed properly through VOIP, since |
| regardless of what country you call or where you | | | | they simply can't tell where you are. Most VOIP |
| call from. For people who do alot of calling or who | | | | companies however, have created their own |
| call foreign countries alot, this can add up to an | | | | emergency call centers to route emergency calls |
| enormous cost savings and much more | | | | properly through their system. |
| communication with your far away family, friends | | | | - SECURITY - Most VOIP packages and services |
| or business associates. | | | | do not yet offer any kind of encryption solution, |
| - LOCALITY - Many VOIP packages offer local | | | | so your communications will be going out over the |
| calling regardless of your location. So, if you have | | | | Internet unsecured, where digital eavesdropping of |
| a local Miami number and you call a Miami number, | | | | your calls may be relatively easy. |
| yet you are in Europe, it will be treated as a local | | | | - CALLER ID - Caller ID is included with most |
| call. Vice versa if someone calls your Miami | | | | VOIP packages, however, when you call someone |
| number in Miami, they won't be charged for a long | | | | on your VOIP connection, your phone number |
| distance call despite the fact that you are in | | | | may not show up on their caller ID. It may show |
| Europe. Yet another cost savings feature. | | | | up as unknown. Some people who screen their |
| - EXPANDED USE - VOIP can be used with | | | | calls may not pick up a call from an "unknown" |
| Instant Messengers with their voice calling | | | | caller. |
| features including MSN, Google Talk and even | | | | Those are the main pros and cons for VOIP, as |
| Skype. In addition, VOIP can be integrated with | | | | you can see, there are many advantages and |
| other Internet based applications and services | | | | disadvantages, but VOIP looks like it is here to |
| including file sharing, video conferencing, audio | | | | stay. |