Well, the starting point in discussing the pros and cons of VoIP protocol is cost! Switching to VoIP and using it as your primary phone system can save you between 30 and 50 percent or more on your monthly phone bill over your conventional PSTN system! Which VoIP System Makes Sense?

Well, the starting point in discussing the pros and cons of VoIP protocol is cost! Switching to VoIP and using it as your primary phone system can save you between 30 and 50 percent or more on your monthly phone bill over your conventional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) system! This is significant for all of us who are disenchanted with our local phone companies and all of their mysterious charges that simply drain our pocketbooks!

We as consumers now have choices of VoIP carriers that offer top services as well as very low costs for unlimited calling with all of the included bells and whistles that you can imagine, like carrler ID, Call waiting, call forwarding, voice mail and more that we are used to.

The list of pros is long for the use of a VoIP system, so let us keep going! With VoIP you can also port (keep your number and move it to your VoIP company) your present phone number. Your voice mail messages are also sent to your e-mail and you can listen to those messages no matter where you are in the world by logging into your e-mail account. There are also VoIP carriers who specialize internet connections all over the world for the travelers among us who need to stay connected while at the airport or other locations away from home. Video mail is also a new feature that is available through many VoIP carriers. So, now you can see your callers!

Clarity is another big plus! Clarity has improved very much over the past several years and a VoIP call is now several times clearer than a conventional phone! You will be very pleased that it sounds like your caller is standing right in front of you. Of course you can call any type of phone system in the world from your VoIP system or vice-versa. Now let us say that you live in California and some of your loved ones live in Pennsylvania.... no problem for VoIP! You can sign up in California for a new number with the same area code as your loved ones have in Pennsylvania and they can now call you as often as they want as if it was a local call for them! I think that you are starting to see that VoIP is great and the possibilities to be creative and save money are great!

Now, let us look at some of the "cons" of VoIP. Don't worry this list is short! There is a 911(Emergency Call) controversy going on, but 911 is available with all VoIP companies, but with some you might have to give your address for now.

With VoIP you need to have a High Speed internet connection and the reliability of your VoIP system will follow the reliability of your High Speed service provider. You need to choose wisely here! VoIP is here to stay and will only continue to improve!

By Hugh J. McMarlin