What is VoIP?
VoIP (Voice-Over-Internet Protocol) is internet protocol that allows anyone to make telephone calls over the internet or private network. The protocol converts the voice signal into packets of information. The packets then travel over the internet and are converted back at the other end so the voice can be heard.
How do I make a VoIP call?
You can make a VoIP call in a number of different ways. If you have a VoIP phone you can make calls from it as you would with a normal landline phone. You can also use your current landline phone with an adapter to connect it to the internet. Alternately you can make a VoIP call using a piece of software called a softphone. This acts as a phone interface on your computer desktop allowing you to dial numbers on your keyboard and speak and listen using a microphone headset.
What equipment do I need?
A high-speed broadband internet connection is needed to get good sound quality. This can be a cable modem or a high-speed service such as ADSL. With a dial-up connection sound quality will be poor. To call from your regular landline phone you will need an adapter that connects your phone to the internet. You could also purchase a VoIP phone that provides easy connection to the internet or you could purchase a microphone headset and make VoIP calls from your computer.
What are the advantages of VoIP?
Because VoIP calls are on a digital connection you may have features and services that are not available on an ordinary landline phone. If you already have a broadband internet connection you no longer have to pay for a line just to make telephone calls. You can talk for as long as you want with anywhere in the world as long as they have a high-speed internet connection. You can also talk to many people at the same time without any additional cost.
Does it save me money?
Yes. Making calls from one VoIP phone to another is completely free as the call travels purely over the internet. You will be charged for making calls from a VoIP phone to a landline phone. This is because although most of the call travels over the internet there still needs to be a connection to the regular phone network, however since most of the call travels over the internet you will be charged at a much lower rate then from a landline phone.
Can I use the internet during VoIP calls?
VoIP makes it possible for you to surf the internet simultaneously with making and receiving VoIP calls. It shares bandwidth with other computers on the network and prioritises voice quality.
What does it cost to call landline phones from my PC?
Rates vary but it should cost in between one and two pence a minute to call a UK landline.
What happens when the power or internet connection goes down?
The VoIP service requires you to be connected to the internet to work. Because of this if your internet goes down your VoIP will no longer work untill you are reconnected to the internet. If the electricity in the building goes down your VoIP connection will no longer work until power is restored. This is because the modem you use to connect to the internet requires electricity to work. Most business will have a lifeline POTS analogue or digital line as a backup in case of an outage.
If I call emergency services, will my call get through?
It is not currently possible to make Emergency 999 or 911 calls from VoIP phones. For now we suggest keeping a mobile phone to hand just for emergency calls.