If you are considering changing to voice over internet protocol or VoIP for short you need to know the arguments for changing. Here are our top 10 reasons to switch to VoIP.

1. The cost is going to be considerably less than what you are paying now for your residential or businesses service. Basic VoIP plans start at $9.95 a month.

2. If you are paying for additional features like unlimited long distance or even local calls you will not have to do that with VOIP. Other features included would be call forwarding, 3 way calling, caller i.d., call blocking and many more.

3.. The VoIP "modem" is free and you can get it shipped in 5 to 10 days or you can buy it at a store for same-day service and the VoIP firm will reimburse or credit your account.

4. VoIP local in North America includes both the United States and Canada. Some plans include parts of Latin America, Asia, and Western Europe.

5. No charge for incoming calls from anywhere.

6. You do not need a computer. Just plug in your phone cable from your VoIP box to your phone or base station.

7. One really near feature is virtual phone numbers. For around $5 you get a phone number for just about any area code. Your friends can dial you as though you were a local phone call for them.

8. You can get your own 800 number for a low cost. Most VoIP providers offer cheap 800 numbers. These are free to the caller and offer a fixed monthly rate for you. This could be roughly $5 for the first 100 minutes each month, then 4.5-cents or so per minute after that.

9. Some VoIP providers have a system that if you don't answer the call it will call three or more other numbers to find you and then go to voicemail if you still don't answer.

10. If you travel you can take your home or office phone with you by just packing the VoIP modem in your suitcase. When you reach your destination just plug it into any high speed Internet connection and you can place and receive calls made to your regular phone number. This is true anywhere in the world and the charges are based on your home location.

These are 10 good reasons you should switch to a VoIP phone over the system you are now using. Just in case you are still not sold on the idea many will offer you a 100% money back guarantee just to get you try it out.