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