Choosing A VOIP Provider

There are 2 basic VOIP provider options:

• any 1 of the numerous free services (such as Skype or SIPphone) or
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• sign up with a provider that charges a monthly fee.

Choosing which is best depends on how you plan to use VOIP.

If you're simply going to reach friends and family over the Internet, a free service may be adequate. If you're looking for a valid alternative to PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) phone service, however, consider signing up with a VOIP service provider that offers monthly fee package deals. 

Choices

The dilemma is, there are so many choices. How do you determine which will provide the best service for your money? For the answer, you must decide which level of services you need, and also whether you want to quit your existing PSTN service completely.

Most VOIP providers offer package plans that include free calls to a designated geographical area. As an example, as of August 2005 iConnectHere offered 800 minutes calling time within the USA and Canada for only $15.99 a month. Nearly all VOIP providers offer free call waiting; call display and conference call services.

So, if the basic package for a similar monthly fee is the same with most providers, does it really make any difference? The answer is, absolutely. There is genuine rivalry between VOIP service providers, with each striving to offer services that set them apart from their competitors. To make the right choice, you'll just have to wade through the many packages offered to find the 1 most suitable for your needs.

For example, do you make a lot of overseas calls? You might need a package that includes calls in the basic monthly fee. Do you receive most of your calls from a specific geographic area or city? You might, instead, need a provider that offers a PSTN phone number for that location to allow people to call you at local rates.

Here's how it works. If you live in California, but you have a lot of friends and relatives living in Paris, look for a VOIP provider that will give you an alternate number based in France. People can then dial your Paris phone number and reach you in California for the cost of a local call.

Service and reliability are other critical factors when selecting a VOIP provider. It's quite hard to determine this independently. This information is available by reading reviews on the Internet or by discussing which providers others are using. It's a red flag if you hear lots of complaints or read bad reviews, but remember to weigh the good with the bad. Not everybody is satisfied all the time. One suggestion is to look for a company offering a money-back guarantee -- that way if you're dissatisfied, you'll get a refund.

Try to find out how much bandwidth is required for a particular VOIP service. The information, however, may not be available from the company's web site. If necessary, send an e-mail request to verify that your broadband connection is suitable to their VOIP service. Usually, if you have 128 kbps on the upload side, it should be sufficient.

Emergency Calls

Emergency 911 calls are one of the most complicated technical drawbacks with VOIP, mostly because it's hard to determine your physical location when making VOIP phone calls. 911 calls may not be routed to the correct call center, and if they are, operators can't establish your location, if you are unable to communicate.

The Federal Communications Commission, in the United States, is demanding that VOIP service providers find a solution that allows emergency calls to be accurately situated. VOIP service providers are actively searching for a way to meet this demand. Some have found solutions to this limitation, including registering your address with the provider, having a notification system for calling friends and relatives, as well as built in hardware solutions to VOIP equipment.

Power Outages

Providing phone service during a power outage is another technical problem VOIP providers have yet to resolve. PSTN phone systems maintain connections during a power outage by providing electrical current through the phone line. Since VOIP is dependent on electrical current for operating modems, whenever there is a power outage, the VOIP phone line goes dead.

One solution to blackouts is to use a computer with a battery backup. This could provide you with up to 24 hours of emergency power, depending on the strength of the battery and how much the VOIP equipment uses. An electrical generator that provides emergency household electricity is an alternative solution.

Finally, when signing up for VOIP service, you may want to retain your existing phone service, as well. This is only possible if the VOIP provider offers local phone numbers in your city. Not all providers offer this service. If it's important to keep your number, be sure to find a provider that can accommodate this need.