What is VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is also known as Internet Telephony or IP Telephony and it is a technology that permits users to talk with other users in the same manner as with the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) but with the advantage of substantially reduced costs. In fact, in many cases, the phone calls are free because you do not need to use the communication systems of the phone companies. In addition, voice communication can occur without the need for the usual phone equipment when the calls are made between two computers.

Since all that it requires are Internet access, software and a computer, it is possible to make a call from anywhere to anywhere as long as there is a broadband Internet connection in these locations. You can even place a call using your notebook computer where there is Wi-Fi. One of the primary reasons why even long distance calls over the Internet are much cheaper compared to calls using the usual telephone service is because Internet Protocol routes the data through thousands of potential paths through the network. On the other hand, POTS depends on circuit switching and this requires the use of wires or cables that cannot be used by others while they are occupied.

VoIP makes use of the packet switching system utilized for Internet connections and is much more efficient because the communication lines do not have to be completely occupied by a user for the duration of the call. The software converts segments of the conversation into digital data and transforms them into packets. These packets are provided with identification codes so that the software at the other end will know how to put them back together and then convert them back into voice. Thus, there is no need to keep a certain line occupied while two people are conversing.

The packets of voice data are sent through the network and it is up to the Internet Protocol software to find the best route for them through the network of possible paths. Thus, we can see that packet switching permits numerous phone calls to occupy the communication line that would have been occupied by a single telephone conversation in POTS. In addition, the voice data can be compressed before transmission which greatly reduces the time that it will have to use the network.

The primary advantage of VoIP is that it is a way to make telephone calls, especially long distance calls, cheaper. In many cases, the phone call can be done for free because you are already paying for Internet access whether you use VoIP or not. In the case where actual telephone units are used and a system is provided to replace POTS, some fees may have to be paid but the reduction in expenses is still substantial. Meanwhile, there are some disadvantages when using VoIP and one of these is that it requires power to run. A standard phone has its own power and will not be affected by a power failure. Another possible drawback is that it can be affected by problems with data transfer and result in unintelligible conversations.