VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a type of technology that facilitates the conversion of analogue audio signals of a telephone call into digital data which can be transmitted over internet protocol networks or Ethernet data connections. An Ethernet connection links computers within an office through Local Area Network (LAN) or intranet. It also links computers to the World Wide Web/internet (WWW) or Wide Area Network (WAN). VoIP is an alternative to traditional communication where telephone calls were transmitted over phone lines which were connected to public switched telephone networks. There are also IP phone systems, which uses a private network to make the calls. Recently, many individuals and businesses have switched to VoIP because of its numerous benefits.

Benefits of VoIP

One of the major benefits of VoIP is that it is inexpensive/low-cost. A person who has a computer and a fast internet connection can make numerous calls to people around the world at a cheap price, and at times for free. The cost of making overseas calls using traditional telephone lines is very high. As such, VoIP is very beneficial when making overseas calls. VoIP is cheap since there is less government control and there are no taxes charged on the internet.

Another benefit of VoIP is that it is portable since the connection is not restricted to conventional base-band links. No matter where you travel to, VoIP will always follow you since the internet is accessible worldwide. In the modern world, there are numerous computers in internet cafes, hotel rooms and libraries which have an internet connection. In addition, there are many Wi-Fi hotspots around the world. This means that you can use VoIP from any part of the globe as long as you have a computer and an internet connection. There are also portable VoIP phones which you can use to communicate to people around the world, as long as you are in a place with broadband connection. Traditional phone lines are not portable.

VoIP has several free calling features. Firms that own traditional telephone lines charge you for features such as call forwarding, distinctive ringing, call waiting and caller ID. VoIP service providers normally provide such features for free. Since VoIP uses modern computer technology, users can access advanced calling features such as video-calling which was not present in traditional phone lines.

However, VoIP service has its share of disadvantages.

Disadvantages of VoIP

A user must have a high-speed/fast internet connection to use VoIP service. This can be through cable modem, a local cable TV service provider, a local phone company or any other method of fast internet connection. Without a fast internet connection, you cannot access the VoIP service. Additionally, you need a VoIP adapter or a VoIP card for you to use the service. If there is a power outage, you will not be able to access the VoIP service since the adapter will go out. Traditional phone lines still work when there is power failure.

Another concern while using VoIP service is that it does not support emergency calls because the internet does not have locations. In the event of an emergency, the operator may fail to determine your location. Traditional telephone lines support emergency calls and services since the lines are fixed and operators can determine the exact location of the user.