Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP service, is no longer a novelty. In fact, for many it’s getting harder and harder to tell the difference between VoIP and traditional phone service. For residential consumers, VoIP is often offered as a package deal with internet and video cable service – a convenient perk. For business owners, however VoIP is so much more.

When VoIP originally became available the differences between the new service and traditional telephony were vast and unmistakable. Early VoIP software implementation required both consumers to be on their computer, and supported by the same service provider – often using identical or near identical Brand Levitra equipment.

The earliest soft phone VoIP calls were made via a software program that ‘dialed’ the number, with audio managed by a plug in microphone and speakers. Now soft phones exist that hook into the network manually or even connect wirelessly, and mobile VoIP is becoming Cialis more popular by the month. Headsets are popular for deskwork or call centers, and provide hands free communication. Bluetooth is also an option for ‘on the go’ use.

One of the most successful early VoIP providers was Skype, which is still a major competitor in today’s market. Skype permits international calls to be made for free between Skype users, and offers calling plans to replace landline phones at a cost effective rate.

For business owners, however, Skype can be unwieldy. SIP based calling on a hosted PBX network is preferable for companies that need to make and recieve high volumes of calls and don’t want the massive overhead associated with traditional telephony.

The advantages of VoIP service include drastic reductions in costs for international calls, and the elimination for the need for workers to be tied to one location. Employees can be moved from one office to another and retain their personal phone extension. Telecommuting becomes easier and costs continue to drop for communications and data networks.

As VoIP continues to mature, more sophisticated applications and features are being added. VoIP calls can now be made to cell phones and traditional landlines, increasing compatibility and ease of use. Regular telephones and handsets are now capable of supporting VoIP routed calls, and modems have been developed that can plug into a wall jack and take over an entire business office or house’s phone wiring.

For business owners, IP PBX systems quickly came into fashion, with VoIP replacing standard business phone systems. The simplicity and reliability of VoIP has reached a level that reassures business managers, and the number of companies using VoIP for data and communication needs is expected to continue to grow.

Author Bio: Andrew is a VoIP and business software expert specializing in hosted VoIP PBX and mobile VoIP applications.

Category: Technology/VOIP
Keywords: business voip, mobile voip, hosted phone system, hosted VoIP pbx, hosted pbx, hosted voip, business phone service, mobile SIP