What is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol, also referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP, for short, is fast becoming the choice of communications for home office users. VoIP uses your existing DSl or broadband Internet connection to transmit voice communications instead of traditional landlines. Essentially, a device converts the analog signal from your standard home telephone into a digital signal to be transmitted over the Internet, reaching its destination where the reverse process occurs in order for the other caller to communicate with you. Early implementations had its limits, but today, VoIP interfaces with standard landlines as well as all other means of telephone communications.
In order to effectively utilize this technology, a fast Internet connection, such as that found with DSL or broadband provided by your local cable company is recommended to carry the amount of data being transmitted in a conversation. Besides a standard analog home phone, you will need to subscribe to the service from one of the many providers, and obtain the necessary converter. The technology is so advanced that most computer users with an Internet provider can engage in VoIP telephone calls with nothing more than their Internet connection, computer and a headset with microphone. And while these services are often free or priced very low, they do come with many limitations most home offices cannot operate with.
Home offices usually demand a real telephone number not available by the free or low cost services. They also need features that are comparable, if not superior, to traditional landlines. But, regardless of what service you choose for your home office, you will most likely be guaranteed significant savings above and beyond any available land-line telephone service available today. So, the best choice is a true, full featured VoIP service provider such as Vonage for your home office.
Vonage is a leading VoIP telephone service provider who began conducting business in 2001. In 2002, they signed their first customer. Five years later, with 2.4 million subscribers and more than 9 billion completed calls to date, they continue to provide telephone services that rival any traditional land-line, as well as many competitors.
Vonage provides residential and business plans with a variety of services to fit your needs. One of their best plans is the Small Business Unlimited Premium Plan that is priced at less than $50 per month, lower than any conventional business land-line service. Plus, the features most business are forced to purchase as options are already part of the this telephone calling plan.
For starters, the plan offers unlimited calls anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, as well as Puerto Rico and and select European countries. Additionally, it offers highly competitive International rates to other countries. An impressive feature offered by this plan is a free dedicated fax line, something that will always cost you extra with any other service: that's two lines for the price of one. But the most outstanding value is found in its impressive list of features: Caller ID with name, Call Waiting, Voicemail, Call Transfer, Enhanced Call Forwarding, 3-way Calling, Caller ID Block, Call Return, Do Not Disturb, Anonymous Call Blocker, Repeat Dialing, Call Hunt, Ring List, and much more. More than 25 features are standard with the plan. And if these features were not enough to convince the average home office worker, the on-line account access and customization features will do you in.
You can access and control every aspect of your account on-line from anywhere in the world. Use features such as voicemail notifications to your cell phone, or even have a sound clip of a voicemail sent as a sound file attachment to your email. The features and possibilities are truly endless, and extremely convenient: the number one reason I have been a subscriber of their service since 2003.
