What Is VoIP & How You Will Save Amazing Amounts Of Money In South Africa & Worldwide?
How you and anybody else can make massive monthly profits by opening your own Call Shop or Public phone using the low cost worldwide calling system called VoIP.
Today (Friday November 4th 2005) was a day to remember for me ... I used VoIP for the first time. Earlier in the day I'd downloaded my FREE PC phone (a PC phone is a virtual phone ... it's actually a picture of a phone that pops up on the screen in front of you) The PC phone has all the buttons functioning including redial and many others.
You Can Use A PC Phone Like This One ... FREE
It works like a telephone ... you just press the numbers and the phone rings and connects. To use this phone I needed to don my headset. I called some colleagues in the UK and didn't tell them I was using VoIP. I just had a casual conversation asked them what the phone reception was like and whether it was raining ... always a good question to ask people who live in the UK.
They confirmed it was raining and that reception was excellent ... see my bill for those 2 telephone calls that lasted 2 and a half minutes by clicking the thumbnail image below. Cost was R0.20 for one and R0.82 for the second call. Now that's cheap.
VoIP is an acronym for
the cumbersome "voice over internet protocol". VoIP is also known as voice over
ip phone, internet telephony, internet phone and pc to phone.
Thin of a VoIP as your own computer internet phone. This internet phone allows you to make telephone phone calls from your own computer to anyone and anywhere in the world at a fraction of what the normal Telkom or cellphone call cost would be. The fact that your computer phone is used means you can also transmit video and other audio files too.
A VoIP converts your voice to bits of data and like any other data this means you can send the call across the internet like any other file. At the receiving end of this internet phone call the data is converted back to high quality voice.
Discover VoIP ... Have You Heard Of Skype or Vonage VoIP?
The VoIP technology is about to hit South Africa and in such a way the cost of making all telephone calls will fall dramatically. You'll be able to ring family, friends and business associates anywhere in the world for a few cents per minute. The exorbitant rates charged by Telkom for so long will become a thing of the past .... IF YOU HAVE AN INTERNET connection and preferably a high speed internet link such as ADSL (broadband)
You can expect VoIP to spread rapidly because it is so easy to use and offers so much for hardly any investment.
Based upon a recent report Voice over IP is projected to grow $23.4 billion in the USA from a level of just $1.24 in 2004. This is an unbelievable growth rate.
The present leader in the USA is Vonage with 32% of the market but cable companies are making big gains
The Sort of Equipment You Will Need
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You will need a computer with internet access.
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You'll need an inexpensive microphone unless your computer has one built in.
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VoIP and voice over ip phone providers prefer high speed internet connections
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How Can I Make a Call or Receive an Incoming Call?
You'll hardly notice any difference. In the section below I will talk about the general systems available but take note that there will almost certainly be more than a single supplier of VoIP services and VoIP technology systems.
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A picture of a Voip phone will show on your screen and the computer phone will behave like any other phone.
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You will have access to a Voip dialing pad on screen and you just dial the number using Voip.
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You will be able to preprogram numbers for quick dial access and then just press the call button with Voip.
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Like a normal phone you will then hear the internet phone ringing to the person you have called
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When they lift the receiver you just talk normally. Voip is no different
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They will not know you are using VoIP.
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If you receive a phone call
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Your Internet phone will ring on your computer
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You click a button, accept the call and talk
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You can also ignore and allow the VoIP call to be automatically forwarded to your voicemail after a specified number of rings
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What Features Can I Expect Of a VoIP Phone?
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Most VoIP or voice over ip phones have text messaging, and contacts list.
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Some VoIPs have webcam (video transmission) capabilities.
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There is usually an "in attendance" button to click that can tell callers when you are available, are unavailable, are away, or just off line.
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Who Can I Call Using a VoIP Phone? ... It Depends
Some (eg Skype) PC to PC calls among their own subscribers and to make sure sound quality does not deteriorate through over-use at any time.
Many VoIP service of voice over ip telephony use have their own VoIP software and technology.
Some VoIP service providers limit use to PC to phone landlines or PC to cellphone on their own subscriber base.
What Are The Advantages of VoIP
VoIP internet phones might provide you with unlimited talk time to anyone anywhere for flat monthly rate
VoIP internet phones might provide you with pay as you go talk time to anyone anywhere in fixed denominations such as R50, R100, R500 etc.
All VoIP internet phone make it possible to lower costs to landlines dramatically but actual costs will vary depending on VoIP supplier.
All VoIP internet phone make it possible to lower costs to cellphones as well but actual costs will vary depending on VoIP supplier.
You can expect to save more than 50% on present telephone calls.
What Does VoIP Cost?
It can vary a lot ... Things to Watch Out For with VoIP Internet Telephony Services
Make sure there are no hidden costs
Check if lines are secure to prevent your conversation being broadcast ... and to prevent worm and viruses spreading
Check if a dial-up connection can be used
Check to see if you are getting a public listing of your name and telephone number
Check that spyware doesn't accompany the VoIP Internet Telephony service