Voice over IP: An Innovative System for Making Calls

Voice over IP: An Innovative System for Making Calls

by Kristen Kiya

Voice over IP is the latest technology that has been introduced in order to make voice calls to people anywhere in the world by making use of broadband internet connections. The traditional analog telephone connections can also be used for availing these services by bringing into use an analog adaptor. Nowadays, the IP connectivity is extended over networks and is fully functional on telephone numbers that are local, mobile or international.
These services function on the principle that the analog voice is converted to digital format before being transferred to other areas of the network. Now, VoIP telephony has been made possible even in areas such as airports, parks and cafes by converting them to wireless hot spots. Thus, it becomes possible to enjoy the VoIP services in all these areas.

The VoIP service providers offer their services for a nominal fee or sometimes even absolutely free of cost. The user may be asked to choose an area code when he subscribes to a service provider. This would allow him to make international calls as well as local calls at ease. The difference, however, is that unlike the traditional phone connections, the same tariff is charged for a call made to an international client or a person staying in the same locality. Then there are also other benefits such as a three way dial system, initiating a conference with a group of people, call management, contact lists and voicemail.

The VoIP service is easy to access; individual users would need to buy some special hardware such as sound cards, speakers, and microphones that are easily available in the market. There are also various softwares that can be downloaded from the internet, installed in a computer and used for accessing VoIP. The UK Voice over IP providers, however, provide analog adaptors, modems, hardware and software to their customers for accessing the Voice over IP service.

The providers of branded Voice over IP have services that are quite distinct. Many a times, these are international providers and have their own connections and networks. The local service providers most often have to lease services from the international providers in order to offer their private services to their target customers. So, it is inevitable on the part of the customers to check before choosing their Voice over IP provider and be sure about the advantages and limitations of the services being offered.

Such a service is best when the internet connectivity is fast. This service has to pass through a number of phases for the voice to the delivered on the other end. The voice is first converted to a digital format which then passes through an internet server. This signal then crosses one network and enters into another network of another internet server. The signal is thus transmitted over the internet and then reconverted to the analog form so as to facilitate its deliverance on the other end. Thus, the voice gets transferred without any loss in its quality as during the process of its transfer it is sent in the form of a digital signal.