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