If you can stream shows using your internet, you can also make calls by having a VoIP internet phone.
Though this is more popularly used in offices, it can also be used in homes. Instead of a traditional line that uses copper wires for data transmission, an internet VoIP service uses your existing internet connection for all its inbound and outbound calls. What keeps you connected using your computer is the same for your phone.
One of the benefits of this technology lies in the ease of its installation and operation. Unlike a traditional landline that requires a representative to install copper cables and ensure proper wiring is set, an internet phone service only requires you to connect an analogue adapter to the telephone. If you want to have extra hardware such as speakers and headsets to complement your VoIP, the decision to do so is up to you.
Phone features such as caller ID, call waiting, call transfers, three-way calling and advanced call-filtering options all come with a price with a standard phone line. The fees are added on top of the regular phone bill for these add-ons that you may not have a need for every single time you receive and make a call. With a VoIP internet phone, these features are free of charge. In most telecoms, these features are standard in their VoIP applications.
Another practical benefit of having this kind of phone is that making calls can cost significantly less compared to a standard phone line. Especially for households and offices that need to make international calls to touch base with relatives and colleagues overseas, having a phone that can make international calls and charge you at a cheap rate can be a huge money saver. There is no need to hurry up to finish the call since most international call packages offered by telecoms are practical even at less than one dollar per minute.
Isn’t it annoying to encounter lags and latency problems in between calls? Internet phones were never immune to these challenges. However, the improvements through the years in terms of its infrastructures allow voice clarity and top audio quality. There are no intermittent signals affecting the call and definitely no reason to cut the call short because it is choppy.
With traditional landlines, only 2 persons – the caller and the person who was called – can speak at the same time. This makes conferences impossible unless you have a 3-way calling feature. With VoIP, phone conferences are possible where a whole team of employees can all be speaking simultaneously and in real time.
Although there are drawbacks in using an internet phone such as its inactivity during a power outage or when an internet connection is unavailable, the benefits it can offer compared to a traditional landline make the former more favourable in comparison. Aside from offering a practical alternative to staying connected, opting for VoIP can offer an ingenious way to manage your calls locally or internationally, at home or in the workplace.
Resources:
VOIP.about
Enterprise Networking Planet
Searchitchannel.techtarget