| By :
Mark Etinger
A lot of people don't know exactly what VoIP is, though as it becomes more and more popular that will most likely change very quickly. Basically, VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is a way to take analog audio signals and transform them into digital data that can be sent via the Internet. This means that VoIP can be used to place calls online that would normally be made with a regular copper-wire phone -- by which you can completely bypass the involvement of the phone company (though, interestingly, many phone companies utilize VoIP as a way to decrease their bandwidth). Essentially, VoIP has the capacity to completely revolutionize the way businesses communicate with each other, and many businesses have realized this, adopting VoIP office phone systems in lieu of copper-wire systems. The minds behind VoIP know that there isn't just one way to do something. There are several ways to place calls using VoIP: -IP phones looks like regular phones -- they have a handset, cradle and buttons. However, they use an Ethernet rather than a phone connector and connect right into the router. These are commonly used in office phone systems and phone systems for small businesses. -ATA, or Analog Telephone Adaptor, is the most common VoIP method. An "analog-to-digial" converter, it allows connection between a regular phone and a computer or Internet network, and transfers phone signals to digital data that can be sent online. While some ATAs come with software necessary for configuration, the installation of many is as simple as taking the ATA out of the box and plugging in your phone cable. -Computer-to-Computer (also known as "softphone") is extremely easy to use, and most convenient. As long as you have the software, speakers and a microphone, a sound card and Internet connection -- and, of course, a computer -- you're all set to go. Computer-to-computer is also great because you probably won't have to pay for calls using this method -- even long-distance ones. While using VoIP has many advantages -- cost effectiveness being one of, if not the biggest -- there are disadvantages as well: -Because VoIP relies on wall power, if the power goes out, so does the phone system. -There's no way to locate a person by their IP address, which would make many 911 calls, specifically the ones in which the caller is unable to divulge his or her location or speak at all, moot. -Because the Internet is involved, VoIP systems could fall victim to online worms and viruses. -Individual computers and how well they function -- or don't function -- can affect the quality of a call. If the person on one end of a call has a higher Internet speed than the person on the other end, the call could break up or be delayed. These are all issues that are being worked on, so that eventually VoIP can replace traditional office phone systems.
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