VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" , a protocol optimized for the transmission of voice through the Internet or other packet switched networks.
More importantly (and without the jargon) VoIP refers to a standard for voice transmissions travelling over IP networks (e.g. DSL or Broadband connections). This standard holds the key to cheaper communications: Telephone over the Internet.
VoIP is also known as IP Telephony, Internet telephony, Broadband telephony, Broadband Phone and Voice over Broadband.
Who can use VoIP?
VoIP Telephone Services are available to anyone who has a Broadband Internet Access (DSL, Cable or better).
Benefits of VoIP
The benefits of using VoIP can be summarised in 2 major points, savings of up to 90% on telecommunication expense and highly increased flexibility.
In more details, this means for example:
+ Call rates are much lower than conventional phone calls, especially for international calls.
Example: Call from Germany to a mobile phone in India.
Conventional operator: ~1,7€ / minute
VoIP: ~0,018€ / minute
+ No more need for telephone lines and telephone infrastructure, all phones are connected to the Internet though the local network, just like computers. If the business grows, just add more phones as easy as adding more computers, no need for expensive infrastructure upgrades.
+ Incoming faxes are received by email as attachement, anywhere in world. This is saving paper and thus the environment, you choose yourself if you want to print the fax on paper or keep it electronically.
+ Local phone numbers in any country without physically being there, allowing customers to call you at local rates.
+ Offices of the same company around the world communicate with each other for free, as long as they all use the same VoIP operator, like voipGATE.
+ Increased security: Conventional phone lines can easily be intercepted and tapped in to. VoIP calls can be protected with very powerful encryption mechanisms, making it virtually impossible to intecept them.
+ VoIP can be gradually introduced into any business and co-exist with conventional phones, either to smoothly transition to VoIP-only or as a complement.
