Monthly costs: A VoIP provider can save you upto 75% on your telephone/long distance expenses. There are many VoIP providers out there so it will benefit you from shopping around. Unlimited calling packages can range from $19.95/month to as high as $54.95/month. Usually the lower priced providers have more customers and are able to offer the service at a lower price due to a lower overhead per subscriber.

VoIP Product Features: Not all VoIP providers are created equal. VoIP offers a great value to the consumers because of the drastically reduced long distance costs as well as inexpensive local phone service with lots of enhanced features. Some providers offer more features than others. Features like Call Waiting, 3 Way Calling, etc. are usually included in the VoIP monthly cost where as the traditional phone companies will charge up to and above $5/month per feature. When shopping for a VoIP provider, be sure to compare VoIP providers by features as well as by monthly price.

Keeping Your Number: Some providers allow you to transfer (port) your current phone number to the VoIP service and some providers do not. It is not recommended to switch your home number to the VoIP service immediately. It is recommended that you try out the service and see if you are satisfied before you request that your current number be switched. Keep in mind that if you have DSL service, you must retain a phone number with the service provider of the DSL because the DSL service is provided over that telephone line. If you want to get rid of your current phone company all together, then we suggest you use a Cable Internet Service Provider.

911 Service: Most of the VoIP carriers offer E911 service, but not all. Be sure to check if the VoIP provider offers E911 because it is not a given. If the VoIP provider does not offer E911, then we suggest that you either have a cell phone or traditional land line to use in case of an emergency. (Note: It is also important to point out that if you take your VoIP phone when traveling, E911 has no way of knowing where you are when you call 911 if you are away from the registered address.)

International Calling: If you make a lot of international calls, you will want to do a lot of research on International Rates as they vary by provider. There are a few carriers that offer unlimited calling to certain countries.

Money Back Guarantee: Since VoIP is a relatively new product, most all VoIP providers will offer a free money back guarantee. Be sure to check with each provider as we have seen the money back guarantees range from a 14 day to a 30 day money back guarantee. (Note: Be sure to keep the original packaging that your equipment came in just in case you need to send it back)

Chris Landry is the founder of VoIP Choices ( http://www.voipchoices.com ). Chris is the foremost expert in residential and small business voip providers. VoIPChoices.com compares prequalified VoIP providers by price and features. Chris can be contacted via email at Chris@voipchoices.com or by calling (949) 480 9700.

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A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to VoIP... Is My Home Ready for Voice over IP (VoIP) Telephony? VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is finally reaching out to thousands of average homes to offer huge savings in telephone costs. Already popular with the corporate world, VoIP, sometimes called Internet Telephony, IP telephony, or Internet phone, uses your computer's broadband connection - not traditional phones lines - to make long distance, inter-state or local calls. VoIP works by converting your voice into data, transmitting it over the Internet, and then converting it back into a voice stream so that it can be played on any telephone in the world - almost in the same way your computer transmits email over the Internet. Less expensive than traditional phones, and convenient -- you just use your computer or a VoIP-ready phone and a broadband Internet connection to make your calls -- VoIP makes for good economic sense. Around for a decade now, VoIP has overcome teething problems to come of age, using advances in PC and IP technology to provide voice quality telephone...