An Introduction to Voice Over Internet Protocol

VoIP is rapidly changing how people communicate.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is used to describe a means of communication that gained popularity for its many benefits. Unlike traditional telephone systems, VoIP utilizes the Internet to send and receive audio but VoIP can also send and receive video, data and text, so the name is sort of a misnomer. Webcams, instant messaging, specially designed telephones and programs like Skype all take advantage of VoIP technology.

History of VoIP

According to WhichVoIP.com, VoIP's very beginning was back in 1995 when a company known as Vocaltec released the first known Internet phone software. Though popular, the software never truly took off due to the slower Internet connection speeds of the time. By the late 90's and early 2000's, as Internet connections advanced and quicker speed was readily available, more and more people began taking advantage of the technology and in 2000, VoIP traffic accounted for 3 percent of all voice traffic, according to WhichVoIP.com.

VoIP Today

Since the early 2000's, many of the kinks that kept VoIP from really growing have been worked out. By 2005, VoIP call quality was rivaling the quality of traditional landline phones. With this growth in quality, video over Internet Protocol became integrated into what VoIP encompasses. Now, provided you have a steady Internet connection, you can place and receive video calls to and from computers for completely free with high quality audio and video.

For Home and Business

VoIP technology is not limited to at-home or in-office use. Solutions are available for both settings and each utilize different features for their intended setting. For example, personal users can engage in free computer-to-computer VoIP sessions with various programs and services but the same solution would be impractical for a large business, who can use special VoIP hard-phones (physical telephones) with business specific features such as multiple lines and conference call capabilities, which are enhanced even more with VoIP's video transmission.

Advantages

The main advantage traditionally associated with VoIP is cost savings. According to VoIPResource.net, companies that switch to VoIP can expect to save anywhere from 30 to 50 percent over their traditional phone bill. VoIP is also not specifically location based, meaning that you can login to your VoIP account anywhere you have access to broadband Internet. Microsoft claims that you don't even need a computer to use VoIP by attaching a special adapter to your land line, similar to how DSL Internet works.

Disadvantages

According to Microsoft, VoIP technology isn't that secure and is largely unregulated. For example, a telemarketer can legally bombard a VoIP client with calls or messages. They can also spoof caller ID, or trick it into displaying false information so you think you're talking to somebody else. Another large possible disadvantage to VoIP is how closely it depends on a reliable Internet connection. If your connection goes out, so goes your ability to use the phone.

References

• Watch VoIP: VoIP History
• Packetizer: How does VoIP Work?
• Microsoft: VoIP: Internet phone security
• Why Switch to VoIP: Advantages and Disadvantages of VoIP
• VoIP Source: VoIP Benefits