The Internet is being used more and more not just for traditional services like email and websites, but increasing for making telephone calls and even video calls.
The attraction of using the Internet for phone calls is usually the cost but it also has many more advantages over the traditional telephone network.
With Internet based phones/phone services you can:
- Make and receive phone calls to other Internet based phones, landlines and mobiles.
- Leave and receive voice mail.
- Have video calls.
- Have advanced call management features like call forwarding.
- Get a new virtual numbers
- etc
all at low cost or in some cases free.
There are several methods used to achieve this, and on this site I want to cover the methods that are applicable to small businesses (typically<5 employees), home offices and home users.
These users would in the old PSTN world have had some or all of the following:
- A business line and number
- A fax line and Number
- Required some form of messaging/answering service.
- Used Call forwarding.
- Made expensive International phone calls.
Basic Requirements
There are two things that you really need:
- A broadband Connection
- A VoIP provider (e.g.Skype)
Broadband
Although Internet phone calls have been available for a long time their quality over a modem connection was poor.
Almost all solutions today require the use of a broadband connection.
The broadband connection doesn’t need to be provided by the same company that provides the Internet phone service, but if they are different then it may be worth checking if there are any compatibility issues (especially AOL users).
VoIP Service Provider
A traditional phone company (e.g. BT) connects your analogue telephone to the telephone network and manages the telephone number and call routing and management .
For Internet calls a VoIP service provider is responsible for the connection of the Internet based phones to the internet, call management, routing and numbering.
Common VOIP Providers.
Just as with email there are many well know companies offering free VOIP services:
- Skype
- Yahoo
- Microsoft
These companies provide a connection using a free computer based client (softphone) and generally offer free Internet to Internet calls to other users (with the same client).
All of the main free VoIP providers provide a propriety client using propriety protocols which doesn’t allow them to Inter- operate.
Although all can be used for making cheap personal calls currently only Skype offer services suitable for small/home businesses.
In addition Skype has currently the largest user base making it more probable that a business client will already have access via Skype and will not be required to install it.
Skype also has a big advantage that it isn’t restricted to using the computer base phone application, but instead allows you to use traditional looking phones and even mobiles to access the Skype VOIP network.
Virtual Phone Systems and Services
These are ideal for the small business who want an affordable professional phone system without having to buy and Maintain a PABX.
Depending on the provider they may/may not support VOIP phones see Virtual Phone Systems for more details
Internet /Virtual Phone Numbers
In order to make Internet to Internet calls no phone number is required as all of the common VOIP providers (Skype,Yahoo, Google) use their own addresses for Internet phone to Internet phone calls.
However if you want land line and mobile users to phone you on your Internet based phone you will need a standard telephone number.
Most providers provide you with a number, but this isn’t free , it is however relatively cheap. You will be allocated a phone number from the range that have been provided to the service provider.
Common are local numbers, 0800 and 0845 (UK), 056 (UK).
With this type of number you can get a London Phone number (example) even though you don’t live there.
Also you can receive calls to this number from anywhere you can connect to the internet. This means that you can be on holiday in Spain and receive calls to your London number on your laptop.
The person making the call pays only for a standard London phone call.
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Choosing An Internet Connection Provider (ISP)
Questions?
If you have a question then please feel free to ask but see the Internet Phone FAQs first in case it has already been answered.
