Do You Want to Make Unlimited International And Long Distance Phone Calls For Free?

VoIP services' rapid expansion, with companies like Skype and Vonage leading the way early on, and their potential to reshape the telecom industry in the years ahead, have made VoIP one of the most hotly debated, but least understood, topics in the telecom industry.

Voice-over-IP services have grown more rapidly in Europe recently. A comparison of the European and U.S. VoIP markets reveals distinctly different growth patterns. Both markets experienced similar growth patterns over the first few years of development, but Europe has began to grow much faster since 2006, due to lower pricing packages, regulatory advantages, and more aggressive incumbent telecom service providers.

There are basically three different "flavors" of VoIP service, divided into two broad categories in common use today:

The first category is called Computer Based VOIP:

1) The simplest and cheapest way to use VoIP is through computer-to-computer calls. This pc to pc calling is entirely free, meaning no calling plan whatsoever.

The only thing you need, is the software which can be found for free on the internet, a good internet connection, a headset or a microphone/speakers, and a sound card which most new personal computers come with. Except for your monthly internet service fee, there is literally no cost for making these calls, no matter how many you make. Additionally you can make PC to phone calls,with many new subscrption plans, at substantial cost savings to many international countries

These services are usually provided by companies like Skype, and Yahoo.

The second category is called Handset Based VOIP:

2) ATA or Analog Telephone Adaptor, is the most common way of using VoIP. The adaptor actually allows you to hook up the phone that is already in your house, to your computer, and then your Internet connection.

Setting up this system is quite simple. It simply requires that you order an ATA, plug the cable from your phone which would normally go into the wall socket into the ATA, and then the ATA gets plugged into your computer, which is connected to the internet. Then you are ready to make calls.

This service is usually provided by cable TV operators, or competitive DSL service providers, or your incumbent telephone company.

3) The third type of VoIP utilizes special internet phones(IP Phones) instead of your home phone. The IP Phone looks just like a normal phone, with all the same buttons and cradle, the only difference is that instead of having a normal wall jack connector, it has an ethernet connector.

This means, that instead of plugging in your IP phone to the wall jack like you would with a regular analog phone, it gets plugged directly into your router.

This option allows you to bypass your personal computer, and it also means that you will not have to install any software, because its all built in to the handset.

This service is usually provided by network independent service providers like Vonage , or Lingo in the USA

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Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP or Broadband phone service as it is often referred to, is changing the telephony world. Traditional phone lines are slowly being phased out as businesses and households around the world embrace the benefits and features that VoIP technology has to offer. As this evolution accelerates, it is worthwhile to stop and take a look at the history of VoIP. You will find that as interesting as the history of VoIP may be, the future of VoIP is even more intriguing and exciting.

Read the rest of the history of voip article here now