How VOip Works...

[Squintz]

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/ip-telephony.htm

I have not had time to read it yet but i stumbled across this on the front page of howstuffworks.com as i was about to try and find out how Component Video works. I will read it later and give my opinion

 

[Joe W]

Thanks Sqintz, that was a pretty good explaination of VoIP, also why phone companies want it. I've been using AT&T's VoIP service called Callvantage for a few months now. Cheap, easy and crystal clear voice.

JoeW

 

[Squintz]

I just read the article.. They did do a good job explaining it. BUT!!! I am missing the point of VOip if you let the big players get into it. I thought the point of it was to make phone bills cheaper. How is making us choose from rate plans like a cell phone going to make things cheaper. I know its going to make things cheaper for the phone companies but not for the consumer. This has actually got me a little pissed off. Im already paying for my internet access. I should not have to pay per minute to talk to someone else when its a local call. If you use the internet to transmit the call half way around the world and then convert it to a analog signal at the closest routing station to the destination phone then your usually only talking about a few miles. Why should i have to pay just as much when its costing the phone company less. Especially when there are free software application and services available. I think we need to do our part and let as many people know that the big companies such as At&t and many more are trying to take advantage of us once again.

FREE FREE FREE....

I think i should be as simple as this.

Tell you friends to download free software.
For Christmas you buy them a VOip phone that they can connect to their PC
and WAAALLAAAHHH..... There you have it. You get the buddy system going and in no time everyone with broadband internet will no longer have to pay for analog telephone service.

Now if i only knew what phone to buy and what software to download

 

[Joe W]

Easy Squintz, you're gonna blow a gasket.

Musings in no particular order...

For the cell-like plans, I have a flat rate of $29 for unlimited calling in the US. No minutes, a flat rate. I think you get the same thing with all the other carriers.

The biggest bang for me besides the price is that it is plug and play. No extra wires to run, no special phones, I don't have to leave my PC on, nor be anywhere near it. Put the TA in and you're good to go.

The other nice thing is that the Feds havent figured out how to tax it. So I am not getting hammered with all the miscellaneous charges on my phone bill. My phone bill was well over $100 per month - local. long distance, taxes and features. It is now a quarter of that. Almost feels like it's free.

I agree with you on the last point, that it should be free and we should all be taking advantage of what's there but in my case I'm sometimes just lazy, like right now. I think however, that as this stuff takes off for the masses, our Internet Providers are going to jack up their rates to handle the additional traffic. Or they'll use other excuses to jack up the rates.