We’re hearing a lot about Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) these days. I for one am a big fan of this technology. Did you know that you could actually use VoIP in 3 different ways? That’s right! There are really 3 different ways that you can ‘make the call’. Ok, you can actually receive the call 3 different ways as well.

First up is probably the most popular. I use this way myself and most of the residential providers out there today use this as well. What is it?

ATA – Analog Telephone Adapter

Your normal phone plugs into an ATA that you received from your VoIP provider. This is the most common way to get hooked into VoIP. This device takes care of all the magic that occurs when you make and receive your calls over your broadband connection. Your analog phone signal must be converted to digital to be routed through your broadband connection and this ATA does the job.

IP Phone – Internet Protocol Phones

As the name would imply, these are ‘special’ phones. You wouldn’t know it by looking at them. They look like normal phones. What is different about these phones is the electronics inside them and the fact they don’t take a ‘regular’ phone cable (RJ-11). Instead these phones take an Ethernet cable connection (RJ-45) and also come equipped with the necessary electronics to plug directly into your router.

Computer-to-Computer

This is the oldest and possibly the easiest way to get plugged into VoIP. Here instead of using your normal phone or IP phone to make calls through your broadband connection, you use your computer itself! (You could do this over dial-up, but broadband is certainly better) There are a number of services available that offer no cost or low cost service. You’ll need the software and a microphone to speak into and speakers to hear from and of course your computer and a high-speed internet connection. Some providers offer this service for free when their software is being used on both ends of the call.

Watch out for Wi-Fi (using IP phones) and other advancements in VoIP technology. We truly are on the verge of a major breakthrough in telecommunications. So, what are you waiting for? Make the call!

About The Author

Provided by the FullService Broadband Provider - http://www.fullservice-broadband-provider.com. We provide unbiased and informative information on broadband and communication products and services. Our free service is possible through Try Right Technology, Inc. http://www.trighttech.com Copyright 2006

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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... Considerations For A VoIP Service Provider VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is poised to take the telephone industry by storm. It works by using the Internet to direct telephone calls, rather than land-based cable lines that are used with traditional telephone. Among the advantages are better affordability and greater functionality. Extra services that cost a great deal more with traditional telephone companies are often included in standard VoIP service, such as caller ID, call waiting, and conference calling. In addition, other features can be used along with VoIP, such as video conferencing and email forwarding to your phone. Because of the boom in VoIP, there are getting to be many VoIP service providers out there. It is important to look at all the options and research each provider before signing up with one. Some of the things that you should look for in a VoIP service provider include pricing, features offered, and guarantees. The costs for VoIP are traditionally lower than with land-based telephone service,...