If VoIP means nothing to you prepare to be amazed, it will change the way to talk to one another, whether it be on the other side of the world or your friend two doors down.

VOIP is a way of taking our current method of talking (Analog Audio Signals) and adapting them to become Digital Data that can be transmitted over the internet.

With broadband becoming cheaper and more powerful than ever, VOIP is going to be the answer to high phone bills, say hello to free phone calls.
To start calling all you need is some of the free VOIP software, a phone or even a microphone and speaker.

With such a great threat to the current phone company’s future most providers like NTL are already setting up VoIP.

This technology has the power to change how the world will talk forever; VoIP companies such as Skype have already had the ball rolling for quite a while and are growing more rapidly than ever.
There is more ways fast growing to place a VoIP call, the methods currently in place are.

• Computer-to-computer – The most recognized simplest way to make a call all that’s required is an internet connection, speakers, microphone and a sound card, there is no long distance call cost, so every call placed to another PC is 100% free apart from the cost of your normal internet connection

• ATA (Analog telephone adaptor), this device is pretty much self explanatory it simply plugs into your existing home phone, your computer and the internet connection. This acts as an analog-to-digital converter, the phone is then ready to make calls using VoIP technology.

• IP Phones – Look identical to a normal phone but instead of connecting to your normal phone box on the wall, they connect into a router using an RJ-45 Ethernet connector, this then becomes a fully operational phone with all software onboard.

Bluetooth also plays a big part in the VoIP phone world, You can buy yourself a bluetooth headset which you can plug into your laptop put in the case, then anywhere you can get wireless from your laptop if you get a call it will go through to your headset or even a bluetooth voip phone.

So if that has to convinced you try this, contact a friend and get them to download Skype, you also download Skype and begin testing between each other to get an idea of how it works.

The Forrester Research Group predicts that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006.

Anywhere you have a broadband connection you have potential for VoIP, you can bring your phone to the other side of the world plug it into a PC with internet and you have bought your home telephone number 10,000 miles. So you can still be contacted no matter where you are as long as you have the essentials needed for VoIP.

Wireless VoIP however does not require a Computer, it works in basically the same way with the exception of the computer, every time you go in McDonalds do you see this

WIFI HOTSPOT

With this free WiFi you can connect to VoIP, opening opportunity for a VOIP Mobile Phone or as some put it VoFi mobile.

Most of the VoIP companies are providing features that normal phone companies charge extra for. VoIP Providers include:

• Call transfer
• Caller ID
• Three-way calling
• Repeat dial
• Return call
• Call waiting

With the Caller ID function you can also set certain callers preferences like:

• Forward the call to a particular number
• Send the call directly to voicemail
• Give the caller a busy signal
• Play a "not-in-service" message
• Send the caller to a funny rejection hotline