Universal Broadband would encourage VoIP

There are lots of people out there who are being left out of the VoIP revolution. Yes, they’re tempted by the television commercials that bombard them with information about how they too, can make cheap phone calls. The ubiquitous Magic Jack commercials temp people with promises of “no more monthly phone bills!” And it’s true, this product and others like it make it cheap to call, and it works well.

But, not everyone can take advantage of these marvelous VoIP tools. You need broadband Internet access before you can use VoIP. And granted, a lot more people have broadband today than ever before, but we people who have it, tend to take it for granted and assume that everybody else also has it. But sadly, this is not the case.

The United States’ “National Broadband Plan” has as is ambitious goal to deliver broadband to everyone in the country, but the FCC reported this month that still, between 14 and 24 million Americans still do not have access to broadband. It’s not because they don’t want it—it’s because they live in areas that just don’t have it available. We people that live in cities tend to forget—but there are parts of the country with low population densities, and it’s expensive for carriers to bring broadband to these areas.

The statistic is particularly surprising, since the FCC had made a much rosier assessment in prior years, based mainly on an inaccurate definition of what broadband really is. Previously, the FCC had defined it as a laughable 200Kbps downstream—hardly enough to run any meaningful applications, VoIP or otherwise. Now, the latest FCC report defines broadband more realistically as 4Mbps downstream and 1Mbps upstream.

Broadband everywhere may not be as far off as we think, however. Some Western European countries already have national plans to deliver broadband everywhere, and an additional $800 million in broadband grants and loans were released as part of the stimulus plan this month. In announcing the funding, the President said, “Once we emerge from the immediate crisis, the long-term economic gains to communities that have been left behind in the digital age will be immeasurable.” And on that point, the President is right on the money—whereas much of the stimulus spending has been controversial and the benefits questionable—there is no denying that spending on tech and broadband will have a positive economic impact.

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SIP Trunking Gains Momentum

According to a recent “Heavy Reading” report, SIP trunking is gaining a lot of momentum in the enterprise space as a viable alternative to legacy telecom services. According to the research, growth is expected to go from 8.5 million SIP trunks deployed in 2009, to 24.3 million SIP trunks in 2013.

Much of the new uptake will be from small to midsize businesses. According to the Heavy Reading report, SIP trunks provide 50 to 70 percent cost savings per trunk compared to TDM (time division multiplexing) circuits—a savings that can’t be ignored, especially in an increasingly competitive environment and a struggling economy. The SIP trunk growth will make up a major portion of overall VoIP growth.

The report points out that some enterprises use VoIP only for communicating within the enterprise—that is, for interoffice calls or for connecting branch offices. And while this is certainly a good and appropriate use for VoIP, it’s not the only use, by any means. The increasing adoption of SIP trunking means that enterprises are more accepting of the idea of using VoIP not just for inter-branch communications, but also for all calls—and as a full replacement for the traditional PSTN.

Smaller businesses especially can benefit from SIP trunking because of the immediate cost advantages. There’s no need for gateways and additional line cards, and no need to invest in costly PRI subscriptions—allowing small business users to make more size-appropriate buys without having to purchase lines they won’t need.

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MagicJack plans to deliver mobile VoIP

You’ve all seen those commercials for MagicJack, and wondered whether it’s too good to be true. But this is one instance where the incredible claims are justified—it’s cheap, it works, and the voice quality is good. But what’s even more interesting is what MagicJack has in store for the very near future.

The company, after its recent merger with VocalTec, is getting ready to launch a femtocell product, which can be attached to any mobile phone. We still don’t know much about how it will be sold, but it’s likely it will be marketed in conjunction with a low-cost prepaid carrier. Tracfone comes to mind, just as a wild guess and a likely candidate.

There are still some in the industry who don’t want products like this to exist, and there is a substantial contingent who claim that it is “illegal” and have filed claims with the FCC. We can’t imagine how the FCC could block it—and in fact, it’s inevitable. VoIP over mobile phones and smartphones is just a no-brainer. It’s going to happen, and soon.

The benefit to such a product, especially over a prepaid network, is cost-savings. Of course, if you have one of those expensive unlimited calling plans, you’ll get very little incremental benefit from running VoIP on your mobile. But, if you’re like me, and buy “buckets” of prepaid minutes, you watch your calls—and VoIP could come in handy for keeping those costs down.

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VoIP on your iPhone

You’ve bought a shiny new iPhone, wouldn’t it be cool to have VoIP running on it? For quite a while, Apple didn’t allow VoIP apps on their smartphones, which wasn’t surprising given Apple’s proclivity towards keeping a tight lid on everything Apple. But earlier this year, Apple lifted the restriction and the new version of the iPhone SDK allows it to happen. That’s not to say it’s not an “open” phone—it’s not. Your choices for providers are still limited to AT&T, AT&T, or AT&T. That said, this new direction is very meaningful for consumers, as well as for the VoIP industry.

Just last week, Skype released an update to its own app that allows background VoIP calling on the iPhone. The new feature allows you to multi-task while you’re chatting on Skype at the same time. What it also means is that Skype can run as a background app. This is critically important, since the lack of that ability has been a limiting factor until now. If VoIP is not running as a background app on your smartphone, then you have to leave the app open at all times in order to receive or make calls, which is of course, impractical.

At the present time, iPhone owners are still able to use Skype to make free phone calls over 3G, although this is only good until the end of the year—expect a monthly subscription fee next year for everything outside of Skype-to-Skype calls.

But of course, when you’re using your smartphone, you still have a phone bill to pay, so VoIP isn’t going to eliminate those monthly charges—although you may be able to opt for a cheaper plan. What’s coming up over the next couple years? Big changes are afoot—look for more VoIP capabilities on smartphones, and for traditional carriers to get competitive with lower rates.

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VoIP Service Providers

We are constantly updating our database with new providers and most recently added a few new providers to our business VoIP database. As more and more providers enter the market and compete for your business, it is becoming more and more confusing as to which VoIP service provider can best meet either your family needs or the needs of your business. Most services have similar features and pricing but customer service and voice quality can often vary dramatically, so it is important to research the options in detail before committing. WhichVoIP has taken most of the effort out of this process and we hope that you find the information that you are looking for.

Thanks

John

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WhichVoIP.com Broadband Speed and VoIP Jitter Test

Hi folks.

We have updated our Broadband and VoIP test on our site.

This is a great tool if you wish to evaluate your Broadband speed and more importantly the Quality of your high speed connection. The quality of your broadband connection is very important when considering VoIP phone service. We measure numerous parts of your broadband quality such as latency and jitter to determine a quality score. This score is useful in preparing you for VoIP phone service.

Hope you find it useful.

WhichVoIP Broadband Speed and Quality Test

Andy

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Business VoIP – Great for Current Economy

We are seeing a lot of interest in Business VoIP services right now because of the current state of our economy. Business are trying to save money anywhere they can and are finding that they can save up to 80% on their phone bills with a Business VoIP service.

If interested in Business VoIP you can learn more by checking out our Business VoIP section.

Alternatively, complete the form below and receive FREE quotes based on your location and telephone needs.

Request your FREE Business VoIP Quote Today!

Andy
WhichVoIP.com

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Make Money with VoIP Affiliate Programs

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the latest telephony technology to hit the masses. VoIP uses your broadband Internet connection to provide telephone service. Internet telephone service is a hot new area that is brimming with possibilities. One way to get in on this new wave is to join our new free VoIP affiliate program. Few VoIP affiliate programs are available that offer you payment for leads whether the customer eventually signs up with a VoIP provider or not.

VoIP is the latest and fastest growing telephony technology there is. It is quickly becoming the standard for both home and business communication connections. Because of its advanced technology along with its inexpensive prices many consumers are interested in switching to VoIP for their telephone needs. Some reports have found that Internet phone service is the fastest growing segment of the telecom industry and is predicted to continue growing at a fast pace.

Our VoIP affiliate program is tops for giving you great earnings potential.  WhichVoIP.com has relationships with many of the main VoIP service providers of the industry. These telecommunication leaders are certain to attract many potential customers who are looking to make a technological advancement in their phone communications.

The affiliate program at WhichVoIP.com is easy to use. Once you join the affiliate program it’s simple to set it up on your website. You’ll simply copy several lines of HTML code and paste it directly onto your site. This provides people with access to the VoIP quote form.  You are paid for every user that requests a quote through your website.  The commission is $15 per requested quote making it a high earnings potential especially if you have lots of visitors who may be interested in VoIP for their business.  Payouts are done on a monthly basis when your earnings reach at least $100.  This is one great way to get some additional passive income to your business site.

Our Free VoIP affiliate program also offer tracking and reports. This allows you to review the activity that has been occurring on your site and gives you a chance to view your balance on a 24-hour basis.  Tracking lets you make adjustments to the banners to give them maximum visibility. The affiliate site tracks activity so there is nothing that you need to do but wait for earnings.  VoIP affiliate programs let you assist consumers in getting access to the latest technology and price savings available in the telecommunications industry.

VoIP affiliate programs are a win-win situation for both you and for us.  You’ll be helping to introduce users to new technology while gaining some passive income for your business.  Since the program is free there are no hidden costs that you need to worry about. The new VoIP technology is becoming the industry standard so most businesses are considering ways to implement VoIP.

So please join our affiliate team and start earning significant passive income.

Regards,

Calum

 

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WhichVoIP Move

Due to a significant increase in the number of visitors to whichvoip.com we have had to move to a faster, stronger, better server!! We hope the increased download speeds and the increased content will help you make a more informed decision. Please roam around our site and send us any feedback.

www.whichvoip.com team

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Business VoIP Review Live

Whichvoip has gone LIVE with its Business VoIP Review section.

Take a peek and post a review if you have business VoIP service.

http://www.whichvoip.com/voip/business-voip-reviews.htm

 

Andy

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Lingo Setup Issues

Just a quick note folks regarding Lingo setup, in particular for the Linksys SPA-2102.

I use Lingo for home phone service (have done for years) but recently had to get my VoIP box updated and received a new one in the mail free of charge from Lingo and this one was from Linksys (SPA2102).

The recommended setup in the users guide is as follows:

(Cable/DSL Modem) –> (VoIP Box) –> (Router if needed) –> (PCs)

as this allows the VoIP box to provide QoS (i.e. it can bandwidth limit the data from the router to ensure your voice is top priority when it comes to your broadband bandwidth).

However in the QUICK guide it shows the recommended setup as follows:

(Cable/DSL Modem) –> (Router) –>(VoIP ATA) –>and PCs hanging off router too if needed

This does NOT provide QoS so be careful if you are making calls at the same time as the internet is being used!!

One other note by the way (this took an hour or so to figure out so may save you some time)

The new Lingo VoIP box they are giving out is the Linksys SPA-2102. It is a VoIP ATA and router combo and is a decent piece of hardware.

HOWEVER, it lacks one thing that may be important for you folks that work from home. It does not allow VPN through the router! This is not ideal but there is a fix I stumbled across. Enable DMZ (De-militarized Zone). This essentially disables the router function in the SPA2102. This is fine for me as I have a router connected to the SPA-2102 that DOES allow VPN pass-through. This works for me but may not be good for all situations so up to you

Cheers.
Andy

P.S Reason I needed new box if you are interested. For some reason my old VoIP box would not allow me to join conference calls, I could phone in but it would not accept the passcode to enter the meeting.

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Hosted VoIP for Your Business Phone Service

Fed up paying a fortune for your business phone service? May be worth taking a look at a business hosted VoIP service:

Here is a summary of the important benefits and advantages of a hosted VoIP model. Think of these not just at face value, but how they are additive to what VoIP brings on its own. It is the combined set of benefits that leads us to conclude that hosted VoIP is an ideal solution for micro businesses looking to move beyond conventional telephony.

Benefits of Hosted VoIP
Only a one-time expense for IP-enabled telephones to support VoIP service and features. No capital expense is required and you are not locked into an asset with a long depreciation cycle.

Ideal For Multiple Locations
Hosted VoIP is very flexible for supporting branch offices, remote workers, and new sites as the business expands. All that’s needed is to add handsets as you go when setting up a new office or adding more locations to your network.

Business Continuity
Hosted supports the 24/7, mobile, on the road realities of today’s business world. Business continuity is a core element of hosted VoIP, as the network services are housed in rock solid data centers. This also includes disaster recovery, a capability that no premises based system can provide. In the event of a natural disaster or malicious network attacks, your messages and directories are never lost, and the business can carry on under all conditions.

Reliable Service
Regardless of how busy your phone lines get, hosted VoIP always works. Your customers and employees will always be able to get dial tone, and they’ll never get a busy signal, even during peak periods.

Future Proof
VoIP is still a new technology, and we are just beginning to see what is possible. With hosted VoIP, you will always have the latest features and services, and will never need to worry about implementing them with your telephone system. For the first time, micro businesses have a solution not only to match what bigger competitors can do today, but to keep pace as technology advances.

If this is of interest to you for your business phone service, submit a request for a free quote NOW!

Andy

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VoIP Reviews and VoIP Ratings of the Month – January 2008

This is a new monthly blog which will provide a quick glance table showing the VoIP provider which had the highest VoIP rating (along with its rating) from consumer submitted VoIP Reviews during each of the 4 weeks of the previous month. As always, you can CLICK HERE to view ALL VoIP Reviews and VoIP Ratings for ALL VoIP Providers.

Highest VoIP Ratings From Consumer Submitted VoIP Reviews During Last Month – JANUARY 2008

Week:

1st Week

2nd Week

3rd Week

4th Week

VoIP
Provider:

Avg Rating:

(4.6) (4.6) (5.0) (4.9)

[tags]VoIP Review, VoIP Ratings, ECR Voice Reviews, VoIPYourLife Reviews, Lingo Reviews, Viatalk Reviews[/tags]

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VoIP Review and VoIP Ratings of the Month – Dec 2007

This is a new monthly blog which will provide a quick glance table showing the VoIP provider which had the highest VoIP rating (along with its rating) from consumer submitted VoIP Reviews during each of the 4 weeks of the previous month. As always, you can CLICK HERE to view ALL VoIP Reviews and VoIP Ratings for ALL VoIP Providers. 

Highest VoIP Ratings From Consumer Submitted VoIP Reviews During Last Month – Dec 2007

Week:

1st Week

2nd Week

3rd Week

4th Week

VoIP
Provider:

Avg Rating:

(5.0) (5.0) (5.0) (4.6)

[tags]VoIP Review, VoIP Ratings, Lingo, VoIPGo, Clearwire, VoIPYourLife[/tags]

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Why you should get VoIP in 2008

So it’s 2008 and you’ve made your new years resolutions.  If one of them is to save money in 2008 then take a look at VoIP service, also referred to as Broadband phone service, digital voice, internet phone to name but a few….yes those marketing folk have made it very confusing!  All it is folks is telephone service over your broadband internet connection.

Not only will this phone technology save you a considerable amount of cash (can be as much as $500 per year) there are some great additional benefits.

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.

So act on that new year resolution now and get it over and done with :-)

Happy new year folks!

Andy

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