VOIP is a hot topic these days, but what exacty is VOIP and VOIP service? It is a method of using the internet to carry phone calls. The term, "VOIP", stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. VOIP is a hot topic these days, but what exacty is VOIP and VOIP service? It is a method of using the internet to carry phone calls. The term, "VOIP", stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol.

Why use a VOIP service? Probably cost is one of the main considerations as VOIP is less expensive than many other telephone service options. The cost of VOIP service is similar to the cost of sending email. You must pay to have an internet service, but after that, your usage is free. In some instances, savings of up to 90% over regular long distance and other telephone services can be recognized.

Can my business use VOIP service? Anybody with an internet connection has the basic capability to use a VOIP service, and benefit from the cost savings associated with VOIP.

Can VOIP be used for long distance calls, and how about international long distance? Certainly. In fact, that is one of the primary arguments in favor of any VOIP service. The savings can be quite significant when a VOIP service is used for business or personal long distance calls. If you are now making international long distance calls for businesss or personal reasons, you should see immediate savings on your long distance telephone charges.

Is VOIP legal? Yes, it is a legal and acceptable alternative to standard telephone and long distance calling systems.

Will DSL or Broadband access enhance my VOIP service? Absoulutely. high speed internet services, such as DSL or Broadband, allow the use of multiple phone lines. This would be of particular importance to a business user.

Would VOIP work for an internal business network? As a matter of fact, many businesses have used it successfully for exactly that purpose, in addition to using it for external business contacts.

Is VoIP portable? One of the advantages of VoIP is its portability. You can make and receive phone calls wherever there is a broadband connection simply by signing in to your VoIP account. This makes VoIP as convenient as e-mail - if you are travelling, simply pack a headset or Internet phone and you can talk to your family or business associates for almost nothing.

Can I fax with VoIP? Ah! There''s the rub! Sending and receiving faxes over VoIP is one of the technical difficulties that hasn''t been completely solved yet. Although not as serious as emergency calls and power supplies during blackouts, a reliable method for sending faxes would help in the wider acceptance of VoIP. However, with the way technology advances, this problem may have been ironed out by the time this article appears.

What can we expect to see with VoIP in the future? With all the advantages of VoIP there is still one drawback -- it cannot give you total wireless phone communication the way that cell phones do. Industry analysts, however, predict this kind of service will be widespread within the next five years. Cellular phone companies will have no choice but to offer plans which combine VoIP and cellular otherwise they will lose business to companies that step in to fill the void.

Is VoIP secure? Since VoIP data is travelling through the Internet the same as any other kind of data, it is vulnerable to the same kind of attacks. There are many software tools available to hackers who wish to retrieve information that is being transmitted over the Internet, and these tools are just as effective with voice data as with any other kind of data. While this may not be a concern when you are making personal calls, it is a big concern for businesses that may routinely use telephone communication for discussing sensitive business information. Due to the increasing popularity of VoIP, security is a big concern and is receiving a lot of attention.

All in all, VoIP is here, and it is growing. Whether or not it is for you will involve research and decision-making on your part. Rest assured, however, VoIP is a permanent part of the communications landscape.

By Donovan Baldwin