My blog is about VOIP, in other words making phone call over your Internet connection.  I came into interest about this topic after using programs like Skype.  I first started using Skype around 2003 when I was about 16 years old.  What I found so interesting about using Skype was that I was able to make phone calls from computer to computer and to landlines.  The program Skype at the time when I started to use it was only for computers.  Now in 2013 Skype can be used on smart phones, computers, and phone devices for phone built in with Skype program.  In about 11 years Skype has transformed itself to become a user friendly product for people at home.

I started to research how it was possible to make phone calls over the Internet.  The more I researched the more I was interested in Internet based phone calls.  Internet based calling works of a high speed Internet connection which can be found almost at any location now days.  As long as you have the device for Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) or application on a computer or smartphone you are able to make calls.  Right way I seen the future of VOIP.

VOIP was going to work great in a business environment which wanted to cut cost of phone services and making a phone call into an automated system rather than have someone always direct phone calls as they are received at any business.  VOIP offered a lot of digital options which anyone can implement and configure by doing some playing around with the VOIP system.  The current world we live we are seeing everything become web based.  VOIP allows a person to have almost all devices and equipment virtual and require only on piece of device to make calls over the Internet.

My first break in using VOIP services in a business environment came from a client I had who wanted to change phone providers and switch to VOIP services.  After doing research about the VOIP providers and cost I decided to go with OnSip.  OnSip offered the best in pricing and support in making the switch.  The customer service from OnSip explained the whole process of switching phone services and what is required to setup the phones to work as VOIP.  After talking with OnSip and setting up the new service for my vendor I was happy with the service.  I have decided to advocate VOIP services to my other existing clients to possibly consider for their phone services to cut cost and increase efficiency.

About a year ago one of my clients whom I provide technical support reached out to me about changing their current phone and Internet provider.  The client stated they were paying $900 between the Internet and phone services.  They have 10 phone users.  The phone system was costing them $500 a month.  On average the customer was doing no more than 1600 a minutes of incoming and outgoing call a month.  So I set out to find a new phone vendor who can offer a cheaper phone system with excellent service.  After researching and calling up new phone vendors I stumbled upon the vendor Onsip.  What I liked about Onsip, the vendor customer service was excellent.  Whether I had a sales or technical question they were able to answer without hesitation.  Onsip was able to keep the old equipment such as the phone sets and routers already in place at my client’s site.  After figuring out the technical logistics I calculated the phone bill to be on average with the information known from the client whom I was working for.  After calculating I assumed the client will pay an average of $120 a month for phone bill with this new vendor Onsip compared to their old vendor which they were paying $500 a month a price difference of $380 that totals to a saving of $4, 560 a year.

After my researching and satisfied with the vendor Onsip I bought up the suggestion to my client whom agreed to change vendors.  The whole process of porting the numbers from the old vendor to the new vendor took about 20 business days and the new phone system was configured and operational within few hours after the porting of numbers was completed.

It has been two years since being with OnSip.  My client has been very satisfied with the phone service quality and reduction of the bill to about $100 a month compared to the $500 a month they were paying for before.

Where is the saving by having VOIP as your phone service provider?  Traditional phone lines whether for home or business charge a flat fee before the features are added on at additional cost.  The flat fee can range between $30 to $50 a month.  With VOIP, a vendor might charge a flat fee little as $30 a month for all the phones on the account and the minutes of incoming and outgoing calls.  Minutes fees can be low as $0.029 a minute.  The other option is to pay a flat fee per line starting at $30.

From my experience I find it cheaper to pay a flat fee for the whole account and pay for the minutes used during the billing month.  Lets take look over a example, your company ABC has 20 phone lines for the business.  If you were to pay per line at the cost of $30 a month, your monthly telephone bill would be $600.  Now another scenario, your company ABC decides to pay a flat fee for all the phones on the account plus the minutes.  Let’s say on average your company does about 4000 minutes for outgoing and incoming calls on a monthly average.  Your monthly cost would be $40 flat fee, plus the cost of minutes (4000 x $0.029 = $116), your final total is $156.  In this two scenario we see that paying by minutes is cheaper for the company.  Remember not every user of the phone system is always making or receiving a calls.  There are employees who work on field or on vacation who do not utilize the phone system.  Why pay for a phone user who does not use a phone when working on field, or on vacation, or does not really use the phone for work period.

 Click here to past blogs I have posted about VOIP calling features.

How VOIP works?

VOIP phone services is able to offer tons of different features available electronically.

Here are some of the features of VOIP phone systems…

1. Voicemail to email transcription

Voicemail to email transcription transcribes your voicemail messages to text and sends them to a preferred email. You don’t have to worry about furiously scribbling names, numbers, and addresses. Take your time and read them in your email at your leisure. This also allows you to file, organize, delete, and search all your voicemails in a way that would otherwise be impossible.

2. Music or Announcement on hold

When a caller is on hold they can hear music or hear recorded announcements. This feature comes handy any company who are advertising customers of new products.

3. Auto attendant

An auto attendant is one of the hidden gems of premium VoIP services. This feature allows callers to interact with a menu to choose an appropriate extension. Your business will suddenly seem more professional and impressive. It’s like having an electronic receptionist!

4. Do not disturb

This feature does exactly what its name implies: leaves you undisturbed. You can turn it on to temporarily stop incoming calls to your phone. This becomes especially useful during conferences, lunches, and meetings. Best of all, you can program it so that it does not just ignore callers, but directs them toward voicemail or another destination of your choice.

5. Ring by Group

When an option is selected in the Auto attendant, anyone who is programmed to the group phone will ring off. Who over on the group picks up first will end the ringing on everyone else phone on the group list.

6. Call Forwarding

When a call is made to a number, the phone can be programmed to ring at another or multiple numbers at the same time. If someone who works between the office and field this feature will be handy to them.

7. Portable VOIP Device

The VOIP phone can be used anywhere in the world with a high speed Internet connection. The phone can be moved with the user. The phone will ring anywhere.

8. 3 Way Calling

With 3-Way Calling, you can get a taste of phone conferencing: you can speak to two other persons at the same time, making a three-person conversation.

9. Call Waiting

With this feature you can put a call on wait that you are on and take another incoming call.

10. E-911

You personal information such as name, address, and number is transmitted to the 911 operator. When your VOIP device location has been changed to different location you need to update the information to reflect current address or else emergency help will be routed to the wrong location.

If you want a clear understanding how VOIP services works click here.

VoIP refers to a way to carry phone calls over an IP data network, whether on the Internet or your own internal network. VoIP converts analog voice signals into digital data packets and supports real-time, two-way transmission of conversations.  Ethernet enabled phones must be used to use VOIP services.  VOIP can be used anywhere in the world with a high speed Internet connection.  Phones are configured and registered to the VOIP carrier.  VOIP allows telephone companies to send thousands of phone calls through a Internet Protocal network rather than the rational circuit switching where during the duration of the call the circuit is open for the entire phone call.  With traditional phone calls a circuit is dedicated to each call for the duration of the call which ties up others from place a  calls if there are no circuits open.  With digital VOIP the line is open up when someone speaks, when someone speaks packets are exchanged with data.  This is called packet switching.  Think about your sink how it works.  Sink snozzle is turned to open the flow of water, when you need more water you turn your snozzle to release more water to use.  in VOIP when someone speaks packet is exchanged based on demand.

Here is list of steps done when placing a VOIP call:

1. You pick up the receiver, which sends a signal to the Analog Phone Adapter (ATA).
2. The ATA receives the signal and sends a dial tone. This lets you know that you have a connection to the Internet.
3. You dial the phone number of the party you wish to talk to. The tones are converted by the ATA into digital data and temporarily stored.
4. The phone number data is sent in the form of a request to your VoIP company’s call processor. The call processor checks it to ensure that it’s in a valid format.
5. The call processor determines to whom to map the phone number. In mapping, the phone number is translated to an IP address (more on this later). The soft switch connects the two devices on either end of the call. On the other end, a signal is sent to your friend’s ATA, telling it to ask the connected phone to ring.
6. Once your friend picks up the phone, a session is established between your computer and your friend’s computer. This means that each system knows to expect packets of data from the other system. In the middle, the normal Internet infrastructure handles the call as if it were e-mail or a Web page. Each system must use the same protocol to communicate. The systems implement two channels, one for each direction, as part of the session.
7. You talk for a period of time. During the conversation, your system and your friend’s system transmit packets back and forth when there is data to be sent. The ATAs at each end translate these packets as they are received and convert them to the analog audio signal that you hear. Your ATA also keeps the circuit open between itself and your analog phone while it forwards packets to and from the IP host at the other end.
8. You finish talking and hang up the receiver.
9. When you hang up, the circuit is closed between your phone and the ATA.
10. The ATA sends a signal to the soft switch connecting the call, terminating the session.

Click here for a short video on how VOIP works

Facebook started out as any other social media website where one can share thoughts, pictures, and videos among friends now it’s a site where you can make friends from all over the world and share your personal information.  There are over 1 billion Facebook users around the world.  With that many why not be friends with everyone and learn about other places in the world such as food, culture, destination, music, and see what’s going on in another part of the world.  All I have to do is friend request someone from another country and once they accept me as their friend I will have access to their information such as their life style.

How I use Facebook?

I use Facebook to share my pictures, videos, ideas, and anything I find interesting in the world. With friends and families around the world.  My Facebook profile is restricted limited to friends and family.  I screen through anyone who friends me on Facebook for privacy reason.  I do not post something on Facebook that can be used against me later in life personally or professionally (not that I have crazy thoughts).  Most of my contents on Facebook is rated PG.  I share my pictures and videos with families who are not able to see me often or come over to an event I might host.  I am able to see my friends and families pictures are to how they are growing, and what they are up to in their daily life.  When a baby is born in my circle of Facebook users I am able to see pictures right away once they are posted.

I mostly use Facebook has a means of communication with others whom I am not able to see often due to scheduling problems or distance.  I also share places I have visited such as restaurants, parks, museums and offer my reviews so my Facebook circles can go visit if it interest them.

Low Cost Digital Phone Services for Consumers 2013