Gadget

In days past, owning a business meant paying for a phone system with a variety of calling features-each of which included an additional fee. So, to save money, many fledgling business owners had to either make do with what they had, spend large amounts of money on communication, or look for other ways to save money. But, thanks to today's technology, inexpensive, yet efficient phone service is available with internet phone service.

How Internet Phone Service Works

Simply put, when one makes a phone call using internet phone service, the call is connected to the other party via the internet. Internet phone service, also called IP Telepathy or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) works in 3 ways: 
By computer to computer communication
Phone to computer communication 
Phone to phone communication

Basic internet phone services require an existing internet connection (preferably broadband), a computer, and, in some cases, a VoIP telephone. Because it works with an existing system, it does not add much, if anything, to one's regular monthly expenses. Of course, nothing is perfect and VoIP is no exception. To determine if internet phone service is right for one's business needs, consider these advantages and disadvantages of VoIP.

Advantages Internet Phone Service 
VoIP offers features like voice mail, call forwarding, caller ID, last number redial and call waiting as part of the standard package; POTS (plain old telephone service) charges extra. In addition, one can get reasonable rates on toll free numbers or have multiple area codes for the same line.

One can set or change the phone's features online, so there is no need to spend valuable time dealing with customer service representatives or "talking to a computer" at the phone company.

The phone number is portable, allowing for phone calls to one's specific number whether one is at home, work, or even to a vacation home or hotel room. All one needs is high speed internet access, the connecting and the VoIP box.

Perhaps the greatest advantage is the cost. While POTS seems to constantly increase in cost, VoIP remains low. Start up cost for internet phone service range from $25 to $40 (Verizon VoiceWing is free) and a monthly charge of 19.95 to Clearwire or VoiceWing's $34.95. Of course, additional features like extra phone lines, or a personal 800 number cost more, but are still cheaper than POTS.

Disadvantages of Internet Phone Service 
911 service is not automatically included.

A VoIP phone will not work in a power outage, so one may want to have a cell phone or landline back up for this (and the preceding) situation.
Reliability is not always everything one would like--recent studies by Keynote Systems have shown VoIP reliably to be as low as 87% to as high as 98%. On occasion, there is no dial tone, the other party can't hear, and a call may not go through.
Due to new tax laws, VoIP customers now pay taxes for internet phone service

However, even with the sporadic problems and despite the new tax laws, VoIP is still a practical and cost effective way to have extra money for the advertising and marketing of one's business. It offers a variety of feature, that in spite of the occasional problem, provide one with everything needed to keep one's business phone a money saving necessity. By taking some time to secure internet phone service, one can be on the road toward extra money for other business expenses.