What Is The Best VOIP Solution
By Jon Arnold
A lot has been said and written about the virtues of the mountains of possible
VOIP solutions and how VOIP technology is one of the best inventions since
sliced bread and canned beer. All the advertisements and marketing hype would
have you believe that all VOIP solutions are good ones but none of them talk
about what is right for you, and when a VOIP solution from ANY VOIP service
provider may not make sense. VOIP is not a "one size fits all" solution.
First of all, please realize that VOIP is not a cure-all for anything. It does not get
whites whiter or colors brighter. It is a technology that allows you to make and
receive phone calls using your high-speed Internet connection. That's it.
Granted, it is cheaper than the phone company in most (but not all) cases, but
when is it not a good idea?
One of the things that VOIP providers do not emphasize (and should) is that
the quality of the VOIP conversation on the phone is highly dependent on the
quality of your high-speed Internet connection. For home VOIP, that is usually
DSL or cable Internet, and if your connection is not stable, reliable, and good
without hiccups, your VOIP experience from any VOIP provider on the planet is
not going to be good. The VOIP provider does not include the high-speed
Internet connection with their service, but rather they assume you already have
it and it is stable and reliable and truly high-speed.
This is the first mistake. Not all residential Internet service falls into the category
of being able to be termed stable and reliable without hiccups. In fact, especially
with DSL, if you are located a long ways (more than 15,000 feet) from the DSL
distribution center, chances are good that your DSL speed is not a whole lot
better than dial-up speeds, and you are not going to have a pleasant
experience if you venture into the VOIP world.
If the only high-speed Internet connection available to you is satellite, you are
also not going to be happy with your VOIP solution. Satellite Internet service
was not designed for that, and especially with the high latency times that are
inherent with a satellite Internet connection, satellite is not going to work well for
you with VOIP.
Business VOIP is very much the same, since the same core technology is used.
A business that wants to use a VOIP solution with their DSL circuit, even a
"business class DSL" circuit, is asking for problems. One of the problems is that
the VOIP solution provider, when you call to complain, is going to be able to fix
the problem, because DSL was just not designed for this purpose and is
inadequate for all but the most modest VOIP requirements.
For business VOIP, a fractional or full T1 line is required for your high-speed
Internet access. A T1 provides guaranteed bandwidth and guaranteed
availability of that bandwidth, which interestingly enough, is also a requirement
for VOIP. Do you see the connection between those requirements? You say a
T1 line is too expensive? That is a whole topic unto itself, but from a Tier 1
carrier that can guarantee the service, a T1 that can handle VOIP in most parts
of the country can be had for under $400 per month, and in more than 90% of
the country, for under $550 per month.
But do you really NEED a VOIP solution, or are you really implementing
technology for the sake of technology? Some say, even for home or business,
that one automatically saves money. Let me tell you that there is nothing
automatic about it, and I recommend that you create a small spreadsheet and
compute the real costs. Yes, VOIP usually includes unlimited long distance, but
how much long distance do you use, really? Would you really use that feature,
or is it only for bragging rights? Yes, a good VOIP solution usually includes
features like voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, and others, but would you USE
those features?
Make no mistake about it, a good VOIP solution can save you a ton of money,
but it will require that you understand your own calling habits and how you will
use the service. It also requires a solid high-speed Internet connection so that
people you call won't think you are phoning them from the bottom of your
bathtub. You need to evaluate the costs and then make a financially smart
decision based on your individual and unique needs, whether you are seeking a
VOIP solution for home or for business.
To get more insights and more information about your options for a good
VOIP Solution please visit our web site at http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
By Jon Arnold
A lot has been said and written about the virtues of the mountains of possible
VOIP solutions and how VOIP technology is one of the best inventions since
sliced bread and canned beer. All the advertisements and marketing hype would
have you believe that all VOIP solutions are good ones but none of them talk
about what is right for you, and when a VOIP solution from ANY VOIP service
provider may not make sense. VOIP is not a "one size fits all" solution.
First of all, please realize that VOIP is not a cure-all for anything. It does not get
whites whiter or colors brighter. It is a technology that allows you to make and
receive phone calls using your high-speed Internet connection. That's it.
Granted, it is cheaper than the phone company in most (but not all) cases, but
when is it not a good idea?
One of the things that VOIP providers do not emphasize (and should) is that
the quality of the VOIP conversation on the phone is highly dependent on the
quality of your high-speed Internet connection. For home VOIP, that is usually
DSL or cable Internet, and if your connection is not stable, reliable, and good
without hiccups, your VOIP experience from any VOIP provider on the planet is
not going to be good. The VOIP provider does not include the high-speed
Internet connection with their service, but rather they assume you already have
it and it is stable and reliable and truly high-speed.
This is the first mistake. Not all residential Internet service falls into the category
of being able to be termed stable and reliable without hiccups. In fact, especially
with DSL, if you are located a long ways (more than 15,000 feet) from the DSL
distribution center, chances are good that your DSL speed is not a whole lot
better than dial-up speeds, and you are not going to have a pleasant
experience if you venture into the VOIP world.
If the only high-speed Internet connection available to you is satellite, you are
also not going to be happy with your VOIP solution. Satellite Internet service
was not designed for that, and especially with the high latency times that are
inherent with a satellite Internet connection, satellite is not going to work well for
you with VOIP.
Business VOIP is very much the same, since the same core technology is used.
A business that wants to use a VOIP solution with their DSL circuit, even a
"business class DSL" circuit, is asking for problems. One of the problems is that
the VOIP solution provider, when you call to complain, is going to be able to fix
the problem, because DSL was just not designed for this purpose and is
inadequate for all but the most modest VOIP requirements.
For business VOIP, a fractional or full T1 line is required for your high-speed
Internet access. A T1 provides guaranteed bandwidth and guaranteed
availability of that bandwidth, which interestingly enough, is also a requirement
for VOIP. Do you see the connection between those requirements? You say a
T1 line is too expensive? That is a whole topic unto itself, but from a Tier 1
carrier that can guarantee the service, a T1 that can handle VOIP in most parts
of the country can be had for under $400 per month, and in more than 90% of
the country, for under $550 per month.
But do you really NEED a VOIP solution, or are you really implementing
technology for the sake of technology? Some say, even for home or business,
that one automatically saves money. Let me tell you that there is nothing
automatic about it, and I recommend that you create a small spreadsheet and
compute the real costs. Yes, VOIP usually includes unlimited long distance, but
how much long distance do you use, really? Would you really use that feature,
or is it only for bragging rights? Yes, a good VOIP solution usually includes
features like voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, and others, but would you USE
those features?
Make no mistake about it, a good VOIP solution can save you a ton of money,
but it will require that you understand your own calling habits and how you will
use the service. It also requires a solid high-speed Internet connection so that
people you call won't think you are phoning them from the bottom of your
bathtub. You need to evaluate the costs and then make a financially smart
decision based on your individual and unique needs, whether you are seeking a
VOIP solution for home or for business.
To get more insights and more information about your options for a good
VOIP Solution please visit our web site at http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
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