The Internet Phone Revolution.

The Internet Phone Revolution.

by Roger Overanout

The world is on the brink of a phone revolution, with a growing
number of people cutting their telecom bills by making free
calls via the World Wide Web.

A recent sign of this is that EBay, the online auction website,
is so sure the idea will catch on, that it has paid $4.1 billion
for the Internet Phone firm Skype Technologies.

Shortly all the millions of people who buy and sell goods on
eBay will be able to use Skype's software, to talk to each other
free and also make cut price calls to other landlines and cell
phones.

Internet Phone services such as Skype are specially valuable for
people who make a great deal of international telephone calls,
as even these are free as long as both caller and receiver use
the Skype software. The service works best over a broadband
World Wide Web link but it can be used over dial up. Also a
microphone headset is required to improve sound quality,
nonetheless you can also use the external speakers and
microphone that are supplied with most personal computers these
days.

Its terribly convenient to make an Internet Phone call, just
determine which Skype user or phone number you want to call,
press dial and a few seconds later you will hear the phone ring
at the other end. Skype claims that the sound quality for an
Internet Phone call is at least as good as a normal phone call,
particularly if you use a headset. Nevertheless, some users
complain about echoes and some delays between speaking and
hearing the feedback.

There are also more drawbacks, most Internet phone services
don't permit calls to emergency services, also you may not hear
incoming telephone calls whilst you are away from your computer,
and if you go offline or switch off your computer you will not
be able to receive calls at all. On the plus side you can use
the Internet Phone services to make conference calls and if you
have a Web Cam you could also set up a videoconference.

Skype is not the only provider of free Internet Phone calls;
they are also available with Vontage, BT Google Talk and several
others.

Vontage is one of the most popular. The service uses a router
and your normal telephone so you just make calls in the usual
way, but they are carried over the Internet rather than you
telephone company's landline. Telephone calls to other Vontage
users are free, and you get extra services such as voice mail
and call waiting included in the monthly charge cost.

With the on going take up of Broad Band services around the
world one has to wonder what is the longer term future for
traditional land line based telephone services?

********************************************************
About the author:
For all the latest news and information about Internet Phones
and VoIP check with www.internetphonecenter.info

You may reproduce this article provided you maintain an active
link back to http://www.internetphonecenter.info

*******************************************************

You may use this article provided you leave the article unchanged, acknowledge the author and include the resource box with live links.
Ron Passfield

Ron Passfield, PhD, affiliate marketing coach, is developing his affiliate business through the step-by-step coaching provided by the Affiliate Classroom:
http://www.affiliate-marketing-coach.blogspot.com/