What About VoIP Land Lines?
Traditionally, a "landline"
is the telephone line that runs from your house, often underground,
to the local telephone company office. It consists of 2 or 4
thin copper wire strands coated in plastic. This could also be
called an analog phone line or analog landline because it carries
an analog current that has the voice, dial tones, ringing signals,
and so on. Some landlines are well over 100 years old.
VoIP is the New Technology
VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a newer
digital telephony standard. VoIP is also called broadband phone.
What VoIP technology does is let you use your broadband Internet
connection for both telephone service and computer Internet service.
The Internet line, either DSL or Cable,
that you use for your broadband phone service might be called
a "VoIP landline". That distinguishes it from the analog
landline still used for home phone service and wireless service
that is used by cell phones.
Why Would You Choose VoIP Phone
Service?
Why are so many people switching to VoIP phone service? Mostly
to save money on their monthly phone bills. With VoIP you have
a choice among many nationwide service providers. You also have
the choice of saving money by taking a bundle of calling minutes
or choosing unlimited local and long distance service. International
rates are generally much lower with VoIP than traditional telephone
company service.
What Do You Need For Broadband
Phone?
If you're still using dial-up Internet service, forget it. You
need a broadband Internet connection to have the bandwidth for
clear voice calls and reliable connections. You'll need to order
DSL or Cable broadband service. Satellite might work, but the
long delays, called latency, make your phone conversations more
like talking on a walkie-talkie. Find broadband Internet service providers in your
area here.
A Word About DSL
DSL or Digital Subscriber Line is a technology that shares your
analog landline for both conventional phone service and broadband
Internet. Most phone companies won't let you have DSL without
phone service in addition. In this case, Cable broadband might
be a better choice if you no longer want your analog phone service.
Some DSL users keep their landlines so they can have broadband,
but subscribe to VoIP phone service and still save money because
they have such high long distance bills.
What Equipment is Needed for
VoIP?
You need an adaptor box to connect your regular telephone to
the Internet. This may be called a "broadband phone adaptor"
or ATA. It is generally included with your service. This device
will let you share your broadband service with both your phone
and your computer.
How Reliable is VoIP phone service?
VoIP technology itself is highly reliable. Major corporations
are using it now. However, if your Internet service goes down
or you have a power failure your phone will also go dead. Most
people have a cell phone that can be used in this case. Slow
Internet service will cause phone calls to break up or drop.
Can You Keep Your Same Number
with VoIP?
In most cases, yes. It's called local number portability. You
can also choose to get a new phone number for your VoIP service,
especially if you are using it as a second line.
Where Do You Sign-Up for VoIP?
That's
the easy part. We have a special search tool available that lets
you access many competitive providers using a single search.
Would you like to find the best
deals on VoIP broadband phone service right now? It only
takes a few seconds and you'll see a list organized with the
best deal right at the top of the page. Go ahead and give it
a try. If you like what you see, you can place your order right
online whenever you are ready.
I already have a
telephone line