What is Voice-over-IP, and is this something I can make use of?

Question: What is Voice-over-IP, and is this something I can make use of?

Answer: Voice-over-IP or VoIP converts standard analog phone signal into a digital signal that can be carried over the internet. The advantage to this is that you can use your internet connection to make phone calls bypassing phone companies and the charges that they assess. VoIP can be used in several different ways. The easiest way is to communicate computer-to-computer. That is, you use your computers soundcard, a microphone and the software (which you can get free) to make calls. This is the cheapest way to make use of VoIP. Another way is to get a VoIP phone which connects right into your router. These will have the hardware and software already bundled as well as the service to start making calls. Finally, there are VoIP adapters that make it possible for your analog phone to make VoIP calls. Service like Vonage and AT&T’s CallVantage are examples of these. There are many ways to use VoIP and it is an ideal solution to large long distance bills.

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