Commercial companies have been reaping dividends from IP telephony cost savings for some time.as VoIP technology becomes more commonplace and the networks faster and more established, LANs can handle virtually any kind of data.It's the same deal for domestic users. More of us are building our own local area networks at home, expanding our Internet access with high speed Broadband connections that deliver sufficient bandwidth for us to seriously consider converging our home network with voice over IP telephony.
Even if its technologically feasible, why should you do it? When you look at the services and costs offered by VoIP providers compared to traditional telephone companies, the reasons become obvious!talking over the Internet rather than PSTN lines will save pots of money - at least 60% off curret bills. Or indeed any other hardwired mil-spec cables. Long distance calls, although initially routed on the Internet, will be switched to landlines at the destination switching station. Therefore, to the telephone company, this looks like a local call and will be charged at local rates or in some cases might even be entirely free.Rates may jump when crossing over to a cell phone network, but even so they are likely to be the lowest you can get.
IP telephony packages from providers such as Kings Electronics for example are free to set up and allow users to talk to other Kings Electronics IP Telephone numbers at no cost.Traffic with non Kings Electronics users is charged, but only at 30p per day.International calls are charged at local rates (in this case around 2p per minute) and all other calls/facilities are completely free.Indeed, with Kings Electronics, they pay you 3 pence a minute if you get an incoming call from one of their 0871 numbers!
Of course you do need to invest in some type of VoIP Telephony equipment. And you dont have to have an expert knowledge of electronic components. This may come in the form of a VoIP or SIP Telephone - like a normal phone except it plugs straight into your router, LAN or LAN hub.You can use a softphone application if it's already on your computer or get an Analogue Telephone Adaptor (ATA) that will make your regular phone function as an IP phopne.
To make all this work, you should have a broadband connection faster than 128 kpbs to allow clarity of calls without using compression codecs and provide enough spare bandwidth for regular internet functions like emails, web browsing and file downloads.A broadband connection is also usually 'always-on, so you can take and make calls without delays.
