What is Voip?
"It's like Skype, right?"
Yes, Skype is part of the Voice over IP family, but Skype is only a small part of that family.
"What does this VoIP mean anyway?"
'VoIP' means Voice over Internet Protocol. We all know and love the internet, and the Internet
Protocol is simply the language our computers use to talk to each other as we browse the internet.
So with VoIP it is now possible to make phone calls over your Internet connection rather than
a normal telephone line.
The VoIP Technology
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies that enable voice communications using IP networks like the internet. Inventive developers and entrepreneurs have created an industry around VoIP technology in its many forms: desktop applications, telephone services, and corporate phone systems. VoIP is a core technology that drives everything from voice-chat software loaded on a desktop PC, to full-blown IP-based telecommunications networks in large corporations. To the Wall Street speculator, VoIP is a single technology investment with many revenue streams. To the enterprise network engineer, it's a way to simplify the corporate network and improve the telephony experience for users of the network. To the home user, it's a really cool way to save money on the old phone bill.
Why VoIP Now?
The concept isn't actually that new: VoIP has been touted as a long-distance killer since the later 1990s, when goofy PC products like Internet Phone were starting to show up. But the promise of Voice over IP was lost in the shuffle of buggy applications and the slow-to-start broadband revolution. Without broadband connections, VoIP really isn't worthwhile. So early adopters of personal VoIP software like CUSeeMe and NetMeeting were sometimes frustrated by bad sound quality, and the first generation of VoIP products ultimately failed in the marketplace.
Fast forward to 2010. Suddenly, everybody is talking about VoIP again. Why?
The explosion of broadband technology means that voice calls over the internet offer
excellent quality, and are no longer the frustration they once were. Also the clever
heads behind VoIP have brought the technology to a maturity that ensures excellent quality and
reliability, while providing features and capabilities that make the old PSTN look
like a simple cousin from the country. VoIP has now become more than just a way to save money, but now also
brings efficiencies to your business, reducing voicemail tag and turning your phone
into a smart device.