VoIP telephony has caught the imagination of business leaders and today there is fierce competition among providers to be a leader in the Industry. For the consumer the choices are mind boggling and it is becoming extremely hard to make an educated choice. VoIP telephony has caught the imagination of business leaders and today there is fierce competition among providers to be a leader in the Industry. For the consumer the choices are mind boggling and it is becoming extremely hard to make an educated choice.

To guide users there are several sites which present  comparison charts, grading, as well as in depth analysis of services by VoIP  providers.  Factors considered are financial stability, customer support, services, as well as adaptability.

According to VoIP industry watchers the top 4 VoIP providers are:

1. Vonage is the acknowledged leader offering VoIP services for USD 24.95 and a basic plan for USD 14.99. The company has a growing subscriber base of 7, 500,000 users and offers great services and competitive packages. Apart from standard packages they have free phone support and a 24/7 customer care e-mail option.

2. Sun Rocket is a new entrant which is providing tough competition for other leaders in VOIP. They offer services for USD 9.95 limited and USD 24.95 unlimited. The company waives activation fees, has no hidden costs, offers the phone adapter free and they are a special offer of a Uniden cordless phone free. Innovative the company is offering an annual plan for USD 199 which means you only pay USD 16.58 a month for a bouquet of services.

3. Packet 8 brings VoIP at a low cost of USD 19.95 along with great service. They offer free activation and one month free. In addition, they offer 911 emergency service calls for a small extra fee.

4. Lingo benefits those consumers who make calls to the United States, as well as Western Europe. For USD 21.95 they allow unlimited long distance calls to 17 countries in Europe.   For a small nominal fee they company provides two phone numbers.

Giants in the VoIP market are Cisco, Motorola, Clariys, and Juniper among others and the race for getting a slice of pie is hot and happening. The strategy is to provide more and more subsidies and free bees to capture users and to make up revenue through other avenues.

The golden keys to success in the world of VoIP have proven to be: quality, reliability, and cost effectiveness.