Telephone has changed for good the way we communicate. After telephones it was the age of cellular phones. Now the latest in communication revolution is talking to dear and near ones over internet at cheapest rates- welcome to the world of VoIP or Voice-over-IP.

What is VoIP?

VoIP is the protocol that lets you make phone calls to other VoIP subscribers or regular phone numbers from your computer. Here the strengths of Internet Protocol and the possibilities of telephone are combined. Sound bytes are transformed into digital packets and send over the internet. At most cases the VoIP providers don’t have to offer large band widths to the subscribers because a subscriber of the service can call another directly. The call need not be routed through the server of the VoIP provider. The advantage is your sound bytes directly reach your destination with out being routed through an exchange like in the traditional telephony.

Advantages of Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP)

The main advantages one see in VoIP is that it comes almost free. This is possible because VoIP utilizes the unused bandwidth in the network and because the VoIP providers are giving you the service through the internet connection you already use. You need to pay for the Internet you use.

But the VoIP service providers like skype.com doesn’t charge anything for calling other Skype users. That means you make international calls at local call rates or you only pay for the time you spent in the internet. Google Talk (google.com/talk/about.html) also offers free calls between its subscribers. Google Talk is available as a free down load from Google. It is under construction and a beta version is available now.

The second factor is the freedom of movement one can enjoy with the VoIP.

You need not have a fixed IP address to use VoIP. You can receive calls from anywhere in the world if you are connected to the Net and you have the necessary tool in your PC. Your incoming calls will be automatically routed to wherever you are signed into to use internet telephony.

Basic requirements for using VoIP

Almost all Operating systems support VoIP. A microphone and a speaker are the basic requirements. An internet connection with a speed of 256kbps will give the best sound quality. You can also use a VoIP phone to make internet telephone calls.

In the immediate future we are to witness the direct competition between VoIP providers and traditional telephone providers. According to a survey conducted by Yankee Group more than 17.5 million people will be using VoIP phone service by the year 2008. It is only wise to have a basic knowledge about VoIP and all the hype surrounding it.

Learn about VoIP software, phones and VoIP service providers and check out the service of different VoIP providers from the VoIP reviews. Compare the service and quality of voice of different service providers. Select one service that will be most apt for you.