WhichVoIP Blog

Came across a good blog today from Tom at TMCNet. 

There are a couple of good reasons for moving to T1 for your broadband data and voice needs.  The first of course is the Quality of Service (QoS) you get from T1 service providers.  The second is symmetrical uplink and downlink speeds of 1.544Mb/s.

Tom recently moved to T1 and had some fun getting full bandwidth on his uplink.  Turned out his Linksys router had QoS turned on and even when he did not have his VoIP ATA connected the router was still throttling his high speed data path.

For a full report check tom’s blog out at http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/voip/covad-t1-speed-and-latency-test-plus-overview.asp

Interested in leasing a T1 line?  Read all about it on our site and request a free T1 quote.

http://www.whichvoip.com/index_business.html

Andy

Hi folks.

Just a quick note to let you know we have gone over the 1000 mark for our VoIP Review postings.

If you are searching for a VoIP service provider I really recommend taking a look at our VoIP review section on our site to get a feel for a provider before signing up.

Some of our smaller providers only have a few postings but we have many providers with more than 20 and some in the hundreds.  Definitely a good enough sample size to aid your decision making process.

As a reminder you can reach our VoIP review section at this URL:

http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/voip_reviews.htm

Andy

The whichvoip.com blog has been providing the highest rated user submitted VoIP review for over 6 months now. I think its time to take a look at which VoIP Service Providers have been ‘voted’ by the consumer as providing top quality all around VoIP phone service.

The following provides a list of all the VoIP providers that made the “VoIP Review of the Week”, and how many times, in the previous 6 months.

• SunRocket is the leader of the pack with 9 appearances in VoIP Review of the Week.
• ViaTalk is second with 6 appearances.
• VoIPYourLife takes bronze with 4 appearances.
• VoicePulse and Vonage are tied for fifth with 2 appearances in VoIP Review of the Week.
• Last but not least, VoIPgo has appeared once.

We’ll see how this list changes over the next 6 months.

Technorati Tags: VoIP Review, SunRocket Review, ViaTalk Review, VoIPYourLife Review, VoicePulse Review, Vonage Review, VoIPgo Review

Lingo have just announced their own PC Softphone. A softphone is simply a software application that can be downloaded to your PC and it gives you the freedom to make and receive phone calls from your desktop or laptop. Softphones genarlly give you the same features you would get with a VoIP or Broadband phone like caller ID and call waiting.

I had an interesting experience just this last week. My wife had a baby girl at the hospital. OK, whats that got to do with VoIP I hear you ask! Well, the interesting thing (other than my beautiful new born) was that I took my VoIP phone service ATA (analog phone adaptor) along with me and plugged it into the broadband connection at the hospital (they allowed me which was cool).

This was great as we could phone my relatives in the UK and my wifes family in California by plugging the phone in our hospital room into our VoIP ATA device. Thanks to my VoIP phone service for saving my bacon again as I had forgot to go and buy some calling cards. The wife would have killed me!

Add your own comments to this blog with any cool ways you have used your VoIP ATA or your VoIP phone service.

Technorati Tags: VoIP, VoIP ATA, VoIP portability

There has been some debate recently on the state of Vonage. Will Vonage survive? Will Verizon put Vonage out of business? A little bit of recent history will let you know where these questions come from.

Shortly after Vonage went public in mid 2006, Verizon sued Vonage for infringement on seven patents Verizon own, technology for completing phone calls between VoIP users and people using phones on the traditional public switched network, authenticating VoIP callers, validating VoIP callers’ accounts, fraud protection, providing enhanced features, using Wi-Fi handsets with VoIP services and monitoring VoIP caller usage. Vonage obviously denies this and has defended it vigorously, however so far the courts have swayed towards Verizon. Vonage publically state they have workaounds in development or developed in the event Verizon win.

So what does this mean for you as a customer or a potential customer. The worst that could happen is that Verizon win and Vonage have to spend millions of dollars implementing workarounds they have developed. Alternatively Vonage could go out of business and file for bankruptcy then immediately come back into the VoIP market or Vonage could win and continue to be the largest VoIP service provider out there. If you are a current Vonage customer and you are happy with the service they are providing then there is no real reason to move, however for new customers this law suit is no doubt causing concern for Vonage. It is difficult to market with the specter of patent infringements hanging over you.

Vonage are by far the largest VoIP provider with 2.5 million subscribers, in terms of experience in the VoIP market no other provider can match it. Vonage have a both residential plans and business plans boasting a vast array of features from call waiting to Enhanced 911, from Fax to toll free numbers and many more. Vonage certainly have enough features to keep the average phone user happy regardless of whether it’s for a small business or for a residential phone.

If you are in doubt read the Vonage reviews from current customers or click here to see providers that have at least the same features as Vonage. As you will see there are not many providers competing with Vonage in terms of features however their reviews are not the best.

Technorati Tags: Vonage, Verizon, Voicewing, Vonage patent, Broadband Phone, VoIP,  Digital Voice

SKYPE have just announced a special promotion allowing users to have free VoIP calls to anywhere and to any phone worldwide.  It is for only one day unfortunately, mothers day the 13th of May. It does exclude satellite phones and premium numbers if you read the fine print. However it is a perfect opportunity for you to try a VoIP service and besides free calls to just about anywhere in the world can’t be all bad.

Calum

One of the great things about VoIP phone service is the vast amount of cool phone service features that comes FREE with your plan. If you don’t have a VoIP phone service yet then you can learn more about the most common VoIP features (well, 36 of them!) on our VoIP Features page.

Everyone has a favorite VoIP feature. To be honest I have two favorites. The first one is the portability of my phone number (my VoIP provider boasts the travel globally feature). I love the fact that I can take my ATA with me when we go and visit family in a different state. One benefit, no need to go through the jam-packed answering machine when we get home. I’ve not taken it out of the country yet but next time I go I want to give it a try (have you?). My other on par favorite is the Virtual Numbers feature. This is a great VoIP phone service feature. You can add extra phone numbers to your primary line, with any area code of your selection (as long as your VoIP provider has it available). So, you live in one state but some of your family and friends live in a different state. No problem, you get a virtual number added to your phone service with the area code of where they live. Now your family and friends are only a local call away, saving them money (and no more excuses about long distance fees!).

Well, that’s just two of my personal favorite VoIP phone service features. Please post a comment to this blog and let us know your favorite VoIP feature and why. Dont be shy now! If you let us know we can make a list of the favorite favorites!

Oh, and by the way, if you are looking for a broadband phone service with certain features (for example virtual numbers) then you can use our FREE advanced search engine. This allows you to select the VoIP features you really want (the must-haves) with your VoIP phone service and searches our comprehensive database for all the VoIP provider plans that meet your search criteria.

Technorati Tags: VoIP, VoIP Features, VoIP Phone Service, Virtual Numbers, Travel with VoIP, Broadband phone service, Digital Phone Service, Internet Phone Service

Following on from the earlier blog on the problems that Vonage is having with the Verizon patent dispute, it appears that the situation may get much worse before it gets better. Since we posted, the Vonage CEO has stepped down and it is becoming apparent that Vonage does not have a work-around for the Verizon Patents.

One of these stories is here….

All we can say is continue to do your due diligence at WhichVoip

Technorati Tags: Sunrocket, Viatalk, Broadband Phone, VoIP, Vonage, Digital Voice

  Viatalk have just re-introduced their 1 Year free again.Sign up for their yearly unlimited calling VoIP plan, currently $199 for the year and receive one whole year FREE.  This deal has been on twice before and was for a limited time only, this will be the same.

We try not to introduce blatant advertising on this blog but we’re seeing huge interest on our website for this VoIP provider right now.  The Viatalk VoIP review section on our website, written by users, also gives Viatalk a high score.

http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/visit_site.php?id=vt_500

Calum

Technorati Tags: Viatalk, VoIP, VoIP Special, VoIP Review, Viatalk Review

So you are thinking about switching to a VoIP phone service to save money on your phone bill and to enjoy the vast feature set that comes with a VoIP phone service. But you are wondering about all the VoIP providers out there and the fact you have probably only heard of one or maybe two of them. Is this a case of sticking with a brand name to be safe?

Well, everyone has heard of Vonage, right? They advertise their “broadband phone service” on the television, in major newspapers, fliers in your mailbox and even ads on your local buses. They have been the face of the VoIP phone service market revolution. They are certainly one of the biggest and one of the most well known VoIP providers today. Vonage were founded in 2001 and could well be considered as the “brand name” in the VoIP phone service market.

But what about the other VoIP providers out there providing broadband phone service, internet phone service, and digital voice service, to name but a few of the marketing names for VoIP phone service these days. Are they just small fry or do they really compete with the likes of Vonage?

Well, actually, some of them have been around longer than Vonage and yes, there are plenty of alternate VoIP providers snapping at the heels of the Vonage marketing machine. Here is a list of just some of Vonage’s main competitors, listed in order of their founding dates. Use the links for more detailed information on the providers and some of their history.

• Packet8 was founded in 1987 and started their VoIP internet phone service in 2002. They started offering videophone service in 2004.
• Lingo is a subsidiary of Primus Telecommunications Group, joining the VoIP phone service market in 1999.
• ViaTalk is a subsidiary of HostRocket which was founded in 1999. HostRocket launched their ViaTalk internet phone service in 2005 and now offer their phone service in all 50 states.
• VoicePulse launched their award winning broadband phone service in 2003 and have grown steadily.
• SunRocket launched their internet phone service in 2004 and are one of the fastest growing and well-known providers in the VoIP industry.
• Other VoIP providers that have become well known and have started to provide some stiff competition in the VoIP market over the last 2 years are VoIPYourLife VoIP phone service, ITP (Internet Telephone Provider), Zingotel broadband phone service, ECR Voice internet phone service, and more recently VoIP.com phone service and VoIPgo phone service.

These are just a handful of the VoIP providers in the market today. The VoIP provider market is a fast growing one, with new VoIP providers appearing monthly. Some of the larger well-known phone companies and ISPs (Internet Service Providers) now have a VoIP offering, such as AT&T CallVantage, Verizon VoiceWing, Charter Telephone service, Comcast digital voice service, and Earthlink trueVoice internet phone services.

With this much choice you are going to find a VoIP provider that suits your phone needs. The good thing is that if the one you choose does not work out for you then there are plenty of other choices out there. Read our guide on “How to select a VoIP Service Provider” to help you with choosing the right VoIP provider for your needs or browse through the information on our home page.

Technorati Tags: Vonage, Sunrocket, Packet8, Viatalk, Voicepulse, Lingo, VoIPYourLife, VoIP Providers, VoIP Provider Comparisons, VoIP Options

Viatalk has an amazing deal going right now. For 1 week only they are not only offering a 1 year unlimited plan for $179, but they are also giving away a free iPod every day of that week. Each new customer is automatically entered into a draw. The $179 for a years service is $50 off the regular rate and as such is one of the best digital voice deals around right now.

Click here to go straight to the Viatalk Web-site or you can compare it to other voip providers at our main residential voip page.

Technorati Tags: Sunrocket, Viatalk, Broadband Phone, VoIP, Vonage, Digital Voice

Right now Sunrocket is offering an exceptionally good deal to tempt potential VoIP customers to choose its voip service. It is offering a free launch kit and a free phone if you sign up for its $199/year unlimited calling plan. This works out at less than $17/month and with Sunrocket’s normal 31 day money back guarantee, it is hard to ignore this offer, if you are even the slightest bit interested in Digital Voice.

Check it out at Sunrocket’s Web-Site

or compare more VoIP options on the WhichVoIP Home Page

Technorati Tags: Sunrocket, Viatalk, Broadband Phone, VoIP, Vonage, Digital Voice

Vonage was granted a stay of execution after it appealed a judge’s ruling on Friday which resulted in Vonage not being able to sign up any new digital phone voip customers. The appeal has temporarily allowed Vonage to continue business as normal, but this problem is not likely to be resolved any time soon.

Vonage currently has the largest customer base of all the internet phone providers but growth has slown in recent months. At the end of last year it was estimated that Vonage had around 2.2 million digital phone subscribers and although revenue had doubled, it still had not turned a profit. We at Whichvoip don’t expect current or new Vonage subscribers to be affected by this lawsuit as these things typically play out resulting in a large settlement and on-going royality payments for using the patent. Our biggest concern with a result like this would be that it would push Vonage even further away from becoming a profitable company, and at the same time add a large royality hurdle for it to overcome.

So the question we would ask ourselves if we were a current Vonage digital voice customer or a potential one, is how long will the cost of this service remain at its current price. After all, the money for any settlement or roylaties will have to come from somewhere, and with Vonage under huge pressure to increase shareholder value, there is a high chance that Vonage may push this down to its subscribers and make them pay more for the same service.

In summary, just be sure that you research your VoIP options before finalizing your digital voice purchase decision.

Here is one of the articles that is bouncing around the web..(MORE)

Technorati Tags: Broadband Phone, VoIP, Vonage, Digital Voice

Although problems with VoIP and digital internet phones are not as common as the likes of Verizon would have you believe, they do exist. One such problem that I have the unfortunate pleasure of encountering is intermittent or choppy audio when using my VoIP Phone. 

If you have read any of the blogs in our Techie corner you will have a good understanding of how VoIP works. With a VoIP phone call your voice is digitally sampled and divided into small sections. Each section is sequentially sent out over the internet embedded within an IP (Internet Protocol) Packet. The choppy or intermittent voice comes from one or more of these packets being lost, not sent or delayed in the network somewhere.

So what can you do if you have this problem with your own VoIP phone?

There are a few simple things that you can do before you phone your providers customer service line.

Try and characterize the intermittent voice. Is it in one direction only? Is it when you and your family are using the internet? Typically if you are on your VoIP phone it will be the person on the other end who can’t hear you properly and you will not experience the intermittent audio. A common cause of this is a lack of bandwidth in the uplink direction. Residential broadband internet such as DSL and cable are asymmetrical in nature. Comcast may promise 6Mbits, and they do deliver on their promise, however that is in the download direction i.e. to your PC or Internet phone. In the upload direction you won’t see more than 384Kbits. Try running a speed test when you are on the phone and experiencing problems and take a note of the bandwidth you are getting in the uplink and downlink directions. Compare it to when you are not on the phone.

Another simple test you can do is a ping test. Open a DOS command prompt on your PC and type the following command “ping -n 100 yahoo.com” (don’t type the “”). Below is a screen shot of what you would expect to see.

What you are doing with this test is sending IP packets to yahoo.com. The servers that host the yahoo website are sending a response back to your PC. The 66.94.234.13 is the IP address of the server on the yahoo side. The bytes are how many bytes in the IP packet and the time is the round trip time for the message to be sent from your PC to Yahoo and then sent back again. Once the test has completed you get a summary of the results, the important one is the “lost” statistic, ideally this would be 0%. Any more than about 3% and the dropped packets will result in intermittent voice over your broadband phone. Try this test a few times and see if there is any correlation between using the phone, time of day or kids home from school and downloading music!!

It’s also important to check your setup and make sure you have followed the instructions your VoIP service provider sent with the ATA. This is particularly crucial if you have a router. Your ATA is effectively a VoIP router, it will give your voice packets priority over the data packets from your PC. This means that your voice packets will be sent out on time and will not be delayed even if you are downloading or uploading large files. The most common set up is is to have your modem, then your ATA and then your router.

Try the speed test and the ping tests with the ATA removed and again try and see any correlation.

If you see a slight drop in bandwidth or one or two more dropped packets while you are on the phone then this is actually a good sign. This means that your ATA is giving priority to your broadband phone at the expense of a few dropped packets of data. Data can be resent without a loss of content unfortunately voice can not.  

These are all fairly simple test to run and you don’t necessarily have to take any actions based on the results however it will give the customer service technician you eventually call a lot of valuable information and it will save you running these tests while he’s on the phone as he’s “scripted” to ask you. Very often the technician can change your ATA settings to use a CODEC with higher voice compression thus using less bandwidth and resulting in less lost packets. They may also get you to call your broadband provider and have them check your connection. The above tests are also valuable as your broadband provider customer representative will no doubt ask you run them.

The one thing that I find somewhat ironic in the residential VoIP market is the fact that the likes of Verizon push their POTS telophony on reliability and suggest that VoIP is not so reliable. Probably half the problems associated with VoIP are problems with a users DSL or Broadband connection and not the actual VoIP application.

There are many triple play deals out there, VoIP, Broadband and TV all from the same provider like Comcast, these are decent deals, but you could find a cheaper service if you shop around for individual services. However having one company to contact when you have problems and eliminating the excuse “call the other guy it’s his problem” could be worth the extra cost.

Calum

 http://www.whichvoip.com

Technorati Tags: Broadband Phone, VoIP, Choppy Audio, Intermittent Audio, Broadband bandwidth