With all the VoIP providers out there, how do you choose one? Look at the pros and cons of
each, then make your decision based on features and price, as this article discusses for the
leading providers.
VoIP Providers - How To Choose One
By Jon Arnold
When you've made the decision to move to VoIP phone, you'll need to select a VoIP provider.
The most well-known is Vonage, largely because of their aggressive advertising campaign.
There are, however, several other VoIP providers that you should consider. A large marketing
campaign does not guarantee good service.
Vonage is your basic VoIP phone service, with the emphasis on the phone. For a monthly
charge, they send you a device to hook up to your phone that does two things. First, it digitizes
your analog voice, a must for VoIP usage. Second, it initiates an internet link that runs through
your DSL or cable broadband hookup. VoIP-specific phones are perfect to use on Vonage
service, and you can use them wirelessly.
You get your local and long-distance phone service for the monthly flat rate, and also a
number of services like three-way calling and call forwarding, which few people use. In some
plans, you do pay for outgoing calls after a point, but the number of minutes you get before
reaching that break point is pretty generous.
Skype is a very different sort of VoIP provider. It started as primarily a computer-based, not
phone-based VoIP, and most people originally used headphones with their ordinary computer
to access a Skype account. You can get Skype phones today that run through your computer,
but most of Skype's services are more web-friendly.
In addition to phone service, Skype has robust online and computer-based communications
technology like chat and user lookups. But the outstanding feature of Skype is the price. If
you're using it to call directly to another Skype user, anywhere in the world, it's free. It's also
the easiest VoIP service to take with you; if you have a Skype account, you can access it from
your computer or any Skype-enabled computer, anywhere in the world.
Lingo is a new entry to the VoIP world, and is ascendant primarily because while it offers
Vonage-style services, it also offers dirt-cheap rates. Vonage focuses primarily on the United
States, Canada, and Mexico; Lingo's area of expertise appears to be Asia and Western
Europe, where it offers either unlimited calling or a robust calling plan. Unfortunately, they
don't seem to have worked out all their bugs, and Lingo does not have a stable calling platform
yet.
AT&T CallVantage is another new entry, though it's from an old company. They, too, are
based on similar technology to that Vonage uses, with devices that hook up to your phone et
al. Unlike Lingo, AT&T offers excellent quality service, as one might expect. At one point, AT&T
had overly-complicated technology for hooking up your VoIP service, but they have improved
and now aren't much worse than Vonage.
No matter how good your VoIP provider is, your telephone stability and reliability when using
this service is limited by your high-speed internet connection. If the power goes out, no phone.
If your internet service is interrupted for any reason, no phone. If you are confident in your
cellular service and aren't worried about this, that shouldn't be a problem, but it is something
you must consider when you choose your VoIP service.
The bottom line is not to choose VoIP service based on price alone. Look at the features and
determine how important that is to you and how often you will use it. Our web site features our
Editor's Choice Best Pick for the best VoIP service available based on a wide range of criteria.
For more insights and additional information about VOIP Service as well as getting details
on our Editor's Choice and Best Pick, please visit our web site at
http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
each, then make your decision based on features and price, as this article discusses for the
leading providers.
VoIP Providers - How To Choose One
By Jon Arnold
When you've made the decision to move to VoIP phone, you'll need to select a VoIP provider.
The most well-known is Vonage, largely because of their aggressive advertising campaign.
There are, however, several other VoIP providers that you should consider. A large marketing
campaign does not guarantee good service.
Vonage is your basic VoIP phone service, with the emphasis on the phone. For a monthly
charge, they send you a device to hook up to your phone that does two things. First, it digitizes
your analog voice, a must for VoIP usage. Second, it initiates an internet link that runs through
your DSL or cable broadband hookup. VoIP-specific phones are perfect to use on Vonage
service, and you can use them wirelessly.
You get your local and long-distance phone service for the monthly flat rate, and also a
number of services like three-way calling and call forwarding, which few people use. In some
plans, you do pay for outgoing calls after a point, but the number of minutes you get before
reaching that break point is pretty generous.
Skype is a very different sort of VoIP provider. It started as primarily a computer-based, not
phone-based VoIP, and most people originally used headphones with their ordinary computer
to access a Skype account. You can get Skype phones today that run through your computer,
but most of Skype's services are more web-friendly.
In addition to phone service, Skype has robust online and computer-based communications
technology like chat and user lookups. But the outstanding feature of Skype is the price. If
you're using it to call directly to another Skype user, anywhere in the world, it's free. It's also
the easiest VoIP service to take with you; if you have a Skype account, you can access it from
your computer or any Skype-enabled computer, anywhere in the world.
Lingo is a new entry to the VoIP world, and is ascendant primarily because while it offers
Vonage-style services, it also offers dirt-cheap rates. Vonage focuses primarily on the United
States, Canada, and Mexico; Lingo's area of expertise appears to be Asia and Western
Europe, where it offers either unlimited calling or a robust calling plan. Unfortunately, they
don't seem to have worked out all their bugs, and Lingo does not have a stable calling platform
yet.
AT&T CallVantage is another new entry, though it's from an old company. They, too, are
based on similar technology to that Vonage uses, with devices that hook up to your phone et
al. Unlike Lingo, AT&T offers excellent quality service, as one might expect. At one point, AT&T
had overly-complicated technology for hooking up your VoIP service, but they have improved
and now aren't much worse than Vonage.
No matter how good your VoIP provider is, your telephone stability and reliability when using
this service is limited by your high-speed internet connection. If the power goes out, no phone.
If your internet service is interrupted for any reason, no phone. If you are confident in your
cellular service and aren't worried about this, that shouldn't be a problem, but it is something
you must consider when you choose your VoIP service.
The bottom line is not to choose VoIP service based on price alone. Look at the features and
determine how important that is to you and how often you will use it. Our web site features our
Editor's Choice Best Pick for the best VoIP service available based on a wide range of criteria.
For more insights and additional information about VOIP Service as well as getting details
on our Editor's Choice and Best Pick, please visit our web site at
http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
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