VOIP services have been around for some time, but it is only in the last few years we have seen a boom in usage. This is because of increased internet speeds and availability. Here is a look at the pros and cons of VOIP.
Today, we see a boom in business phone systems that integrate VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol and Video Over Internet Protocol) because of the radical cost savings and the ability to provide high-quality video calls and conferencing video and calling functions they provide. The main reason why businesses use the phone systems is because they can integrate normal calls into their phone systems. The system can decide whether a call should go through the normal phone network, or it is cheaper to use VOIP services. In most cases, except for local or free calls, VOIP calls are cheaper. Here is a look at the pros and cons of using VOIP and related calling services.
- Pros
- Cost. The installation of VOIP services is normally extremely cheap. For a single user, downloading an application from the internet is about all it takes. Most of these applications are free. In the case of a business phone system, you need the equipment, although many providers are providing the equipment with no initial fee and include that in the monthly fee. If there is a monthly fee, that is because the service includes a phone number and allows for calls to standard and mobile phones. These are services beyond just VOIP to VOIP calling.
- Video. Video calling comes standard with most VOIP services today, whether that be a paid service, or just a simple VOIP to VOIP application downloaded from the internet for free. Video and conference calling has become very popular for the regular consumer and not just for business users.
- Business Phone Systems. Business phone systems integrate the best of VOIP services and normal calling services for business. In some cases, a normal phone call will be cheaper than a VOIP call, and in that case, your business system will automatically select the normal telephone line for your call.
- Cons
- Internet Fees. If you are using broadband internet, and you are on a monthly plan, the cost of each call will be negligible. On the other hand, if you use VOIP services through your mobile phone, and you are using the data connection, you will find the cost of the call extremely high. VOIP services only make sense if you have a broadband connection that is on a plan and does not charge for the data being used. At the same time, VOIP calls use much less data than they once used to. The sound and video data that is being sent through the internet connection is compressed with algorithms. Improvements in this technology has meant a lot less data is being sent today compared with the amount sent in the past. Skype, the most famous of VOIP services, which is expected to be integrated into the new Windows 8 operating system, has been very good at providing high-quality video for some time.
- Quality. As broadband speeds and computer speeds have increased, we have seen a great improvement in VOIP call and video call quality. VOIP to VOIP is definitely at a standard good enough to replicate anything else we have seen. We see a deterioration is quality when we use VOIP to normal calling services. The sound quality deteriorates because the sound was compressed, and when it is uncompressed there is a loss of definition.
In most cases, it is very worthwhile to be using VOIP. The cons listed here in this article are becoming less of an issue.
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