Can You Use an Internet Phone Through Narrow Band AOL?
Before high-speed broadband became available, with its minimum 100 kbps speed, AOL narrowband or dial-up service was the most popular Internet provider. Delivering dial-up service at a maximum of 56kbps, AOL provided largely basic services such as email and web browsing. Internet-based IP telephone service, or VoIP(voice over Internet protocol), became available through advances in broadband technology.
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Narrowband Specifications
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Slow Internet access limits options. Narrowband Internet ranges in speed from 2.4kbps to 56kbps. For reference, most basic broadband services offer 1000-5000 kbps service. The more information you can download per second, the faster pictures, videos and certainly Internet phone will function. Narrowband service is primarily for very basic computing for rural customers.
IP Telephony Requirements
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Internet phone providers vary on the minimum Internet speed they require. The largest Internet phone carriers, Vonage, Skype and Magic Jack, require a minimum of 100 kbps, much higher than a narrowband service can provide. Keep in mind that when a manufacturer lists a minimum required speed, he lists the lowest speed required to allow for acceptable quality -- which may or may not not yield high-quality service.
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Conclusion
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Purchase broadband Internet if you want Internet phone service. If you live in a rural area and a land-based, wired broadband provider is not available, investigate satellite broadband. While satellite Internet may be expensive, it exceeds the minimum standards necessary to provide your Internet phone service.
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