Equipment Options For Voip Communication
By Ron King, Sat Dec 10th

The marriage of computer and telephone technology goes by thefunny name of (Voice Over Internet Protocol). But the costsavings are no laughing matter.

The Simplest Solution -- Headphones

Attach a headset to your computer's sound card and you can tryVOIP for free!

Download any one of the many software packages -- Skype,Gizmo, Free World Dialup, and Net2Phone are some of the bignames. Install and invite your buddies to install the samesoftware. It's that easy to set up. Special features like calldisplay, call forwarding, voicemail, and conference calls arealso free as long as both parties are using computers.

It's even easier to use. Just click on a name to start a call.Most of these so-called "soft phones" allow you to place andreceive calls at no charge to and from anywhere in the world, solong as you are not connecting to cellular or landline phones.

Internet Phones

The next step up from headsets is Internet phones. They pluginto the USB port or sound card of your computer.

Because you still need software installed on your computerto make and receive calls, these phones are also considered softphones. But they seem more like "real" telephones because theyring, have regular number pads and are used like conventionalphones.

Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA)

Progressing up the ladder, ATA is next. It allows you toconnect a regular analog telephone to a broadband modem. It isusually free when you sign up with a provider, similar tosigning up with a telephone company. There is a monthly chargefor this service, and you may have to sign a contract committingyou to that provider for a specified period.

Using an ATA for Internet phone calls is straightforward. Youpick up the phone and dial a number. Anyone calling you won'teven know that you are using VOIP.

A computer is not needed for this kind of link. It connects toeither a DSL modem linked to your phone line or cable modemattached to your cable television connection. Any traditionaltelephone can also be plugged into an ATA.

You can even take your ATA with you when you're traveling andreceive phone calls from anywhere by connecting it to anybroadband modem. Calls to your home phone number will be routedto your ATA (which has a unique identification) at the same costas the call to your residence.

IP Phone

The final option is an IP phone (not the same as anInternet Phone). IP phones plug directly into the modem;Internet phones plug into the sound card or USB port of yourcomputer.

An IP phone is a handset that has all the hardware and softwarebuilt into it. You connect an IP phone to a broadband modem,then make or receive calls the same way that you would with anATA. The advantage of an IP phone over an ATA is that it is acompletely integrated unit. You don't need an extra telephone toplug into it. Another IP phone advantage is that your phonenumbers are all stored and the display screen providesinformation about incoming calls.

There you have it: 4 choices that will all add up to substantialtelephone savings.

About the author:Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer.Visit http://www.voip-solutions-now.com to learn more about thissubject.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if theresource box is left intact.