Many people have digital VoIP phone in their home, and that means that many of them can call anywhere in the US for free. You might be surprised to know that many of them will not call your toll free number because they know it costs you money. They may not worry about it for larger companies, but if you have a small business, they may offer you that consideration. This doesn’t mean the end of toll free numbers, however, as there are a lot of people out there that do not live in an area where digital phone is not available yet and may not be for a long time.

Most companies have a toll free number that you can use when you need assistance with a product or if you have a complaint or a compliment you would like to share. Though these numbers are still around, many people find that they don’t even need to use them anymore. Though this is the case for some people, if you have a business, you have to keep everyone in mind. This means you still need to have a toll free line when you want your customers to reach you.

When you have a toll free number, you pay for all of the phone calls. This is why it is good to make sure you never leave people on hold for any longer than you need to. If you find that you can’t keep up, you had better find someone to answer your phones for you, or you had better get good at asking them if you can return their call. Make sure you do this as soon as you can to keep them happy. A toll free number should be a way for customers to reach you when they need to, but don’t make it an overwhelming expense for your business.

When you are signing up for a toll free number for your small business, make sure you ask for a number that is easy to remember or might even spell out your business name. Though you may not always be able to find exactly what you want, you might find something close. A good toll free number is something that everyone should have, and make sure you explain to the phone company why you need it and what your needs might be. They may have a business account that will save you a little money on your incoming toll free calls.

Skype Store USA

The Internet Phone Revolution. (An Article describing the free VoIP Service Skype.)
by: Roger Overanout

The world is on the brink of a phone revolution, with a growing number of people cutting their telecom bills by making free calls via the World Wide Web.

A recent sign of this is that EBay, the online auction website, is so sure the idea will catch on, that it has paid $4.1 billion for the Internet Phone firm Skype Technologies.

Shortly all the millions of people who buy and sell goods on eBay will be able to use Skype’s software, to talk to each other free and also make cut price calls to other landlines and cell phones.

Internet Phone services such as Skype are specially valuable for people who make a great deal of international telephone calls, as even these are free as long as both caller and receiver use the Skype software. The service works best over a broadband World Wide Web link but it can be used over dial up. Also a microphone headset is required to improve sound quality, nonetheless you can also use the external speakers and microphone that are supplied with most personal computers these days.

Its terribly convenient to make an Internet Phone call, just determine which Skype user or phone number you want to call, press dial and a few seconds later you will hear the phone ring at the other end. Skype claims that the sound quality for an Internet Phone call is at least as good as a normal phone call, particularly if you use a headset. Nevertheless, some users complain about echoes and some delays between speaking and hearing the feedback.

There are also more drawbacks, most Internet phone services don’t permit calls to emergency services, also you may not hear incoming telephone calls whilst you are away from your computer, and if you go offline or switch off your computer you will not be able to receive calls at all. On the plus side you can use the Internet Phone services to make conference calls and if you have a Web Cam you could also set up a videoconference.

Skype is not the only provider of free Internet Phone calls; they are also available with Vontage, BT Google Talk and several others.

Vontage is one of the most popular. The service uses a router and your normal telephone so you just make calls in the usual way, but they are carried over the Internet rather than you telephone company’s landline. Telephone calls to other Vontage users are free, and you get extra services such as voice mail and call waiting included in the monthly charge cost.

With the on going take up of Broad Band services around the world one has to wonder what is the longer term future for traditional land line based telephone services?

Roger Overanout.

About the author:
For all the latest news and information about Internet Phones and VoIP check with www.internetphonecenter.info

For more Information or to sign up, download, or use Skype today check out: Skype Store USA

You can have your very own cordless home phone become your voip internet phone! If you purchase a normal home cordless phone, it would go perfectly integrate with a ATA (analog telephone adapter) router. All the features such should work perfectly fine. What I did was buy a phone that had a button to amplify the treble of the sound out the earpiece. The cordless phone was made for the elderly, but it helps with VoIP calls since lower frequencies are better heard then higher frequencies in the digitizing sequence the phone or adapter does. Or maybe it was just me; It sure made the phone conversations alot louder and clearer sounding though added some amplified background white sound.

When it comes time to buy a new phone for your home, you have a lot more options than you may realize. I hadn’t bought a new phone in a long time, but I had decided that the one I had was not worth the cost of replacing the battery. I wanted a whole new phone. I do phone interviews, and I need something that had a speakerphone as well as a hands free plug so I could write or type as I talked. What I found when I went into the store is that there is a whole new type of cordless phone system out there and it had everything I wanted and more.

In my experience, a cordless phone system was just two phones that could be used interchangeably. If one phone started to die, you could simple pick up the other one. What I found was a cordless phone system that would transfer calls from one of the units to the other. This is great if I am on one end of the house and someone calls my husband, I can transfer the call to the other phone, which will then ring a special ring to let him know it’s a transferred phone call. The problem is that I haven’t figured out how to do that yet without cutting off the call.

Another great feature of my new cordless phone system is the ability to assign different rings to different callers. This is much like you can do on a cell phone. You can choose a number and pick a different ring. When that person calls you through your cordless phone system, you know who it is by hearing the ring. I wouldn’t advise you to do this with too many numbers, however, because if you have too many different rings you are going to start to forget which is which and you’ll be back to square one.

The best part about a newer cordless phone system is that they don’t cost an arm and a leg to buy. These companies know that many people are abandoning their landlines all together and using their mobile phones for all of their calls. They know that consumers don’t want to pay a lot for a quality cordless phone system, and they have done what they can to keep the prices reasonable. We pay a lot of attention to the upgrades in cell phones but forget to keep an eye on the landline models. There are some great phones out there, and some are even perfect for a small home business.

ViaTalk - Broadband Phone Service

The “VT_500 Plan”

“The VT_500 plan includes 500 anytime minutes good for calls to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. Starting as low as $12.95 a month, the VT_500 plan offers a great value as an inexpensive primary or secondary phone line in any home. Should you pass your initial 500 minute allotment, continue talking at the great rate of only 3.5 cents per minute!”

Pricing for the “VT_500 Plan”:

• 1 month @ $14.95/mo.
• 3 months @ $13.95/mo.
• 6 months @ $12.95/mo.
• 12 months @ $11.95/mo.
• 24 months @ $9.95/mo.
  

The “VT_Unlimited Plan”

“The VT_Unlimited plan includes unlimited minutes good for calls to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. Starting as low as $22.95 a month, the VT_Unlimited plan offers a great value as an inexpensive primary or secondary phone line in any home.”

Pricing for the “VT_Unlimited Plan”:

• 1 month @ $22.95/mo.
• 12 months @ $199.95/yr.

ViaTalk is a top-notch VoIP provider. If the occasional problem happens, ViaTalk offers great customer service. All prices and descriptions were directly taken off their site. You can visit their site for more information below.

ViaTalk - Broadband Phone Service

Equipment Options For VOIP Communication
by: Ron King

The marriage of computer and telephone technology goes by the funny name of VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). But the cost savings are no laughing matter.

The Simplest Solution — Headphones

Attach a headset to your computer’s sound card and you can try VOIP for free!

Download any one of the many VOIP software packages — Skype, Gizmo, Free World Dialup, and Net2Phone are some of the big names. Install and invite your buddies to install the same software. It’s that easy to set up. Special features like call display, call forwarding, voicemail, and conference calls are also 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 and receive calls at no charge to and from anywhere in the world, so long as you are not connecting to cellular or landline phones.

Internet Phones

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

Because you still need VOIP software installed on your computer to make and receive calls, these phones are also considered soft phones. But they seem more like “real” telephones because they ring, have regular number pads and are used like conventional phones.

Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA)

Progressing up the VOIP ladder, ATA is next. It allows you to connect a regular analog telephone to a broadband modem. It is usually free when you sign up with a provider, similar to signing up with a telephone company. There is a monthly charge for this service, and you may have to sign a contract committing you to that provider for a specified period.

Using an ATA for Internet phone calls is straightforward. You pick up the phone and dial a number. Anyone calling you won’t even know that you are using VOIP.

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

You can even take your ATA with you when you’re traveling and receive phone calls from anywhere by connecting it to any broadband modem. Calls to your home phone number will be routed to your ATA (which has a unique identification) at the same cost as the call to your residence.

IP Phone

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

An IP phone is a handset that has all the hardware and software built into it. You connect an IP phone to a broadband modem, then make or receive calls the same way that you would with an ATA.
The advantage of an IP phone over an ATA is that it is a completely integrated unit. You don’t need an extra telephone to plug into it. Another IP phone advantage is that your phone numbers are all stored and the display screen provides information about incoming calls.

There you have it: 4 choices that will all add up to substantial telephone 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 this subject.

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

You can check out more information or even buy this top rated service (one of the most popular VoIP Services, if not the most) here:

Vonage VoIP

They have 4 main VoIP packages. Plus, you get 1 MONTH FREE if you decide to sign up.

Their Features are as follows:

Residential Premium Unlimited Plan

• “Unlimited local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. NEW! FREE calls to select European countries!”
• $24.99/month

Residential Basic 500 Minutes Plan

• “500 minutes of local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. Only 3.9¢ per minute after the first 500 monthly minutes.”
• $14.99/month

Small Business Premium Unlimited Plan

• “Unlimited local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico for business customers. NEW! FREE calls to select European countries!”-” Plus get a free, dedicated fax line.”
• $49.99/month

Small Business Basic 1500 Minutes Plan

• “1500 minutes of local and long distance calling anywhere in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico for business customers. Only 3.9¢ per minutes after the first 1500 monthly minutes. Plus get a free, dedicated fax line.”
• $39.99/month

The standard features included in each of the packages include:

• Voicemail Plus
• 311 Dialing
• Call Forwarding
• Call Transfer
• Call Hunt
• Area Code Selection
• Vonage V-Forecast
• 511 Traveler Information
• Vonage Moves With You
• Caller ID Block
• 3-Way Calling
• In-Network Calls
• 811 Dialing
• Keep Your Phone Number
• Caller ID with Name
• Call Waiting
• Call Return
• Repeat Dialing
• International Call Block
• V-Access
• Ring Lists
• Click-2-Call

Some Services that may need clarification as to what they are:

• In-Network (as well As V-Access)calls allow you to call any Vonage service user at no extra costs for either party- including 800 and toll free numbers.
• Call-Return allows you to dial *69 to call back the last number dialed to you.
• V-Forecast allows you to check weather conditions and 5 day forecasts in local areas.
• Call hunt is rather hard to explain… Quote from site says “deal for small businesses with multiple Vonage lines, Vonage Call Hunt rings up to 10 Vonage lines in sequence when the main line is busy. The call continues through a list of lines until somebody picks up live. You decide which lines ring, in which order. If the incoming call rings through the last line in your sequence and it’s still unanswered, it’s routed to the Voicemail Plus mailbox for whichever line you designated.”
• Click-2 Call is for computer calling with just a click, broadband connection, and some software.

Plus, you get 1 MONTH FREE if you decide to sign up.
You can check out more information or even buy this top rated service (one of the most popular VoIP Services, if not the most) here:

Vonage VoIP

Most of this information was found on their main site.

A guide to VoIP

by: James Rogers
What is VoIP? Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the ability to transmit voice over the Internet to either a receiving computer, telephone or even a mobile phone. VoIP phone is becoming the popular worldwide telephone service for both consumer and the business communities. VoIP works by using a network technology known as Packet Switching Network whereas landline telephones use the Circuit Switching Network. This is referred to as the Public Switched Telephone Network.

What’s the difference between VoIP normal phones?

The main difference between Packet Switching and Circuit Switching, is that Packet Switching uses (data) or Packets and sends them over the Internet while Circuit Switching is accomplished by using electrical circuits to make a telephone connection. Circuit Switching is like the old switchboard operators, frantically trying to connect the right caller with the receiver. Packet Switching is used to transfer data all across the Internet including E-mail. Packet Switching converts audio formats into data packets and transmits them over the Internet, then reassembles them on the other person’s phone or computer in real time. By using a Broadband Internet Connection, microphone and speakers a conversation can take place similar to traditional telephone.

VoIP phones have been round for sometime, but increases in technology it is becoming increasingly popular. Several years ago many applications were available offering some form of free VoIP phone service. Majority of these have gone or now charge a fee for the use of their service as VoIP phone provider. Moreover, VoIP is developing higher standards of quality every day, and it has proved that it is a viable force for telecommunication for the future.

Who is providing VoIP phone service?

Telephone and Internet service provider companies are expanding to allow for monthly VoIP phone services. Companies such as AOL, Verizon and Sprint have VoIP phone offerings. Recently eBay has joined the ranks of VoIP phone service providers by purchasing skype VoIP software, with its vast membership base the VoIP message will soon reach the man on the street.

What’s special about VoIP?

Instant messaging programs such as MSN massager have been using VoIP technology for years. Now, most of these messaging programs come with voice enabled features which allow you to call a member of your buddy list. By using a microphone and speakers, you will be able to converse anywhere in the world, by VoIP and your Instant Messaging program.

With instant messaging VoIP incorporates different areas into one program. With your voice enabled programs, you can hook up a digital camera,web cam and use video, while you are speaking on your microphone and listening to on your speakers, and you can type back and forth with your chat program. You could even write an email at the same time. The potential for VoIP phones use is nearly limitless.

VoIP has this unique ability to integrate many forms of telecommunication applications into one package can handle data, audio, video, E-Mail, and web based applications simultaneously. This makes VoIP an incredible boost to business world and provides a cost effective choice of telephone service.

VoIP phone service providers are increasing in popularity with many people discovering all of the benefits available to them by switching from using their land line telephones to VoIP service. First, VoIP phone services costs significantly less than standard phone service, and this is a great attraction for bringing in new customers. Many VoIP phone plans will let you make unlimited long distance calls or provide you with a plan for very inexpensive rates. Many of the features that are often included for a fee with traditional phone service are often included for free with VoIP services. Features such as Call Waiting, Call Block, Call Forwarding, Conference Calling, Voice Mail are usually charged as extras by the traditional phone companies but these are usually free with the VoIP phone packages.Another benefit to VoIP services is that you can usually keep your existing phone number, or allow you to select a new area code. The means if you select an area where most of your friends and family live, a call to you will be treated as local call. For a remote business VoIP service can give the perception of having multiple office locations.

What’s the future for VoIP

Make no mistake about it VoIP phone services is a the emerging contender in the telecommunication world.It is a proven technology, can seamlessly integrate into many existing applications, does not require special equipment anyone with a PC with a microphone and speakers can use the service and it is very cost effective. Talk will be cheap!

About the author:
James Rogers makes it easy to understand and take full advantage of VoIP which is the future of cheap worldwide communications. To learn more visit: http://www.voip-phone-services.net