Internet Telephone Systems

VoIP Explained 

So you've heard about VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) ... and you want to know what it’s all about?

Quite simply, VoIP enables you to make and receive phone calls over the Internet. You use your existing phone just as you do today. When you make a phone call, the adaptor attached to your phone line converts your voice into data and sends it through the Internet.

Networks send the call to the destination and translate it back into voice at the other end. The person you're calling doesn't have to be a VoIP customer, and when they answer their phone as normal, it sounds just as it always did. When someone calls you, they dial your number, your phone rings and you answer it as if nothing has changed.

So, how can you start to use VoIP to save money on your phone calls, especially if you make a lot of national or international calls. Simple, all you need is -
 
 A Broadband Internet Connection
 A Hardware or Software based VoIP phone
 An Australian VoIP Provider

Reduce Your Telephone Expenses by up to 60%

How will buying all this save you money? Your broadband connection costs money, as does the equipment and the VoIP provider will also have fees.

The savings come with the significant price difference in phone calls. For example, a call from North Adelaide to Marion is 25 - 40 cents depending on your carrier, but is closer to 10 cents (on average) with VoIP.

That's just a local call, now if the same person in North Adelaide calls a land line in Cairns, the cost is still only about 10 cents, but could be several dollars with a regular phone network.

In addition to the massive savings on local, national and international call rates there’s a huge range of must-have telephone and call forwarding features.

Combined, these incredible savings have the potential to reduce your overall telephone expenses by up to 60%.

Getting Started with VoIP

A Broadband Internet Connection - VoIP will work on a 64 or 128k ISDN connection, however for good quality service a 256k connection is recommended as a minimum. These kinds of speeds can be achieved with DSL, Cable, Satellite and Wireless connections.

A Hardware or Software based VoIP Phone - VoIP Handsets can look just like regular phones except they can plug into your broadband router, hub or your computer instead of the regular phone line. Like most things they vary in price from the simple and cheap to the elaborate and costly. A popular solution is the Analog Phone Adapter or ATA which allows you to use your normal phone which is also connected to your broadband router or hub and will route calls accordingly.

A VoIP Provider - To start using the VoIP service, you need to subscribe to a VoIP plan, much the same way you select an internet plan based on your usage.

VoIP  -  Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What are the main advantages of using VoIP?
Apart from the significant cost reductions there are other very positive advantages in using VoIP such as feature-rich services, local presence in remote sites, getting "closer" to clients and family, and integrating applications to the phone.

2.  What do I need to have a VoIP Line?
You need a Broadband Connection (Cable / DSL), a VoIP adaptor or a Soft Phone and the service from a VSP (Voice Service Provider).

3.  I have two or more offices in different locations. Can I link them using VOIP?
Yes, you can do more than that. You can do a simple setup with a point to point Line or you can go further and setup a PBX with Extensions at every end, an IVR forwarding calls depending on conditional clauses, have extensions at home, voice mail and much more at a minimum cost. You can even have incoming lines in different cities pointing to your PBX.

4.  I don't spend much on the phone; can I still take advantage of this service?
Yes, you can add extra lines, have phone numbers overseas, use the phone more without increasing your bills, enjoy VoIP service features like Voicemail forwarded to your email. In terms of saving money it is closely related to your usage patterns but anyone spending over $80 a month should consider adding a VoIP Line.

5.  What is the Quality of the calls like?
The sound quality of VoIP calls is now very good, with most VoIP users and VoIP call recipients finding the quality of calls to be indistinguishable from their standard PSTN phone service. The factors that impact on the quality of VoIP calls include:

•  The quality of the hardware used; 
•  Local network traffic, (see QOS); and
•  Broadband Internet Service Provider quality (network speeds and congestion etc).

If all of the above factors are working effectively then your VoIP experience is likely to be excellent. If you are having problems with the quality of the calls it is a good idea to upgrade the speed on your connection or to set up "Quality of Service" in your network to prioritise Voice traffic.

6.  What is the difference between a SoftPhone, an ATA, and an IP Phone?
A SoftPhone, is a program that runs in your computer that allows you to use a VSP service using your speakers and a microphone.

An ATA (Analogue Telephone Adaptor) is a box that connects to your router and, therefore, to your internet connection into which you can plug any standard phone to make the calls

An IP Phone looks like a telephone but instead of plugging to the PSTN (regular phone network) it is connected to your router.

7.  What is a PBX and what is the difference with a VoIP PBX?
A PBX is commonly known as a Commander System and allows you to share telephone lines among phone users by having extensions.

A VoIP PBX does the same but it also takes advantage of the VoIP technology allowing you to have many advanced, efficient and professional features as well as the ability to connect to extensions in any place around the globe!

In summary, it lets you have all the benefits of a PBX that only an international corporation could afford, but on a Small Business Budget and, at the same time, it can significantly reduce your communication costs.

8.  What is QOS (Quality of Service) and is it important? 
QOS is feature contained within many modern broadband modems/routers. QOS works by giving priority access to the network's bandwidth to certain types of data or to a certain IP address.

This feature maintains the quality of VoIP calls when the network/internet is being used for other purposes.  If your network is not likely to be used while you are on the phone or you are connected to a fast cable or ADSL2 connection the importance of this feature is reduced. 

9.  Should I get rid of my existing phone line? 
When using VoIP the temptation to cancel your existing PSTN line and save $30 a month on line rental is an appealing proposition. However, in Australia the only option for cancelling a PSTN phone service and replacing it entirely with VoIP is restricted to those households and businesses serviced by fibre optic cable or a quality wireless ISP. This is due to the fact that broadband provisioning via ADSL or ISDN, and in many cases Satellite, requires the use of an active phone line.

Also, other important issues that should be considered before canceling a phone service include:

• How will you be able to make or receive calls in the event of a power outage, ISP outage or problems with your VoIP Hardware or VoIP provider?
• Does the VoIP provider support 000 calls?

We strongly advise that your PSTN line service should not be cancelled unless you have adequate answers to these questions.

Talk to Digital First Solutions today and we’ll show you how VoIP can reduce your telephone bills while helping you perform your daily tasks more efficiently!