VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, allows voice calls (telephone service) to be made over the Internet rather than through the regular telephone network. It is also called Internet Telephony or Broadband Telephony. The core idea is simple: instead of using the traditional phone line, your voice travels as data over a computer network.

To use VoIP, you need an Internet connection with reasonably good speed. The technology works by converting analogue voice signals into digital data, then transmitting that data over the broadband line. At the receiving end, the digital data is converted back into sound.

Two major advantages of VoIP

• Cost savings — These services are either free or very economical. People use them primarily to save money. This is why even international calls are now commonly made using VoIP.
• Portability and flexibility — VoIP calls can be made and received using IP phones from any place that has Internet access. This has increased the portability and functionality of voice calling. Incoming phone calls are automatically routed to the VoIP phone as soon as it connects to the Internet. …