FAQs - IP Telephony.
1. How does VoIP work?
2. I’ve heard that VoIP offers free phone calls – is this true?
3. What do I need to get a VoIP service?
4. Is VoIP secure?
5. I don’t like the idea of talking into my computer – can I use a handset?
6. I’m happy with my home phone service - is VoIP really worth the hassle?
7. Do the speed and capping of my broadband package matter?
8. How do you pay for VoIP calls?
9. Do I get to pick my own phone number?
10. If I don’t have a proper handset, how will I know if someone’s calling me?
11. What if I have a problem with my VoIP service?
How does VoIP work?
Your voice is carried over an internet connection, usually broadband. Your speech is digitised and carried over the internet as blocks of digital data (the same way that something like an email would be carried), before being decoded back into speech at the other end. This is different from a traditional phone call over the public switched telephone network (PSTN), where an analogue signal is carried directly over a private connection between you and the person you’re calling.Technically it’s possible to use VoIP over a Dial-Up, or narrowband service – but the quality of the service is likely to be poor and it would tie up your normal phone line in the same way that surfing the web on a dial up service would.
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I’ve heard that VoIP offers free phone calls – is this true?
Yes and no. Most VoIP services offer free calls to people who have signed up to the same service as you (even if they live abroad), but charge to make calls to traditional landlines (either a fixed monthly fee or pay as you go (PAYG)). You may have to pay a fee to set up your VoIP service to receive calls too. Call costs are often lower though than using a traditional landline service to make calls because the type of connection is much more cost-effective.The reason that calls to other computers are free but you have to pay for calls to and from landlines is that with PC to PC calls you’re only involving the broadband network, so it costs no more than sending an email (subject to download limits). When the PSTN network is involved the service provider has to make the connection by opening a gateway between the two networks, which incurs a greater cost.
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What do I need to get a VoIP service?
The main thing you need is a broadband internet connection, the faster the better. A dial-up internet connection will work with some VoIP services but the quality is much worse. You’ll also need some sort of equipment, whether a headset or an adapter, to make calls. It’s also possible to use your computer’s in built microphone, but the sound quality is likely to be poor.Not all VoIP services are Mac compatible, and some may require you to have a more recent version of Windows (2000 or XP).
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Is VoIP secure?
As long as you’ve got good security on your broadband service, the risks are very low. There’s a very small chance that someone could eavesdrop on your conversation – if you’re worried, make sure you go for a VoIP service that offers secure encryption.
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I don’t like the idea of talking into my computer – can I use a handset?
Yes you can. You can either buy a special handset which plugs directly into your computer’s USB socket and can be used for PC to PC or PC to phone calls (your computer will need to be on to use the handset), or alternatively you can go for a phone to phone service where you plug an adapter into your computer’s broadband modem, and connect a normal handset into the adapter. The second option operates in a very similar way to traditional phones, and will work even if your computer is turned off, but you’ll probably have to pay for the adapter up front. A few services, such as Vonage, offer a free adapter in exchange for signing up to a monthly call package.
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I’m happy with my home phone service - is VoIP really worth the hassle?
If you use the internet a lot and already have broadband, then VoIP is likely to save you money, so it depends what you regard as a hassle. If you just want a PC based service all you really need to do is download the (often free) software (and buy a headset if you want one) and you can start chatting straight away. If you just make calls to other users of the same service it won’t cost you a thing.In terms of paid for calls, if you’re a low home phone user, then VoIP may not save you all that much. But if you use your phone a lot, especially for making international or mobile calls, then it’s worth trying VoIP out to see if you can bring your phone costs down.
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Do the speed and capping of my broadband package matter?
The speed certainly matters when it comes to the quality of your calls – the faster your broadband service, the better the quality is likely to be. This is because on a faster service your VoIP calls will have less competition from other internet traffic, such as downloading music tracks or playing games.The download limit will be important if you plan to spend a lot of time chatting on VoIP. Voice calls are transmitted as data, so each call will count towards your download/upload limit in the same way that sending emails does.
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How do you pay for VoIP calls?
It depends on the service. If you opt for a service with no monthly fee, it’s likely to operate much like PAYG mobile phones – you purchase a certain amount of credit (easy to do online) and can make as many calls as your credit allows (ie pay per minute). You won’t receive a bill but can usually check on the status of your account online to see how much your calls have cost and how much credit you have left.Some services with a monthly fee also operate on a PAYG basis, other services, like Vonage, operate a bit more like traditional home phone services. You pay the fixed monthly fee up front, but are billed for any extra call costs retrospectively (Vonage take the costs directly from your credit card, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on things online. BT VoIP services are billed on a quarterly basis in the same way (but not on the same bill) as their home phone services.Bear in mind with all VoIP services that you may not receive a paper bill, so make sure you keep an eye on your usage and costs online.
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Do I get to pick my own phone number?
Probably, but the selection may be limited. Some services only offer non-geographic numbers (0845, 0870 or 05); some allow you to select from a range of geographic numbers. Skype allows you to purchase up to ten geographic numbers attached to one account. Some, such as Vonage, even allow you to select a virtual international number (although the choice of country may be limited); ideal if you conduct a lot of business abroad.
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If I don’t have a proper handset, how will I know if someone’s calling me?
Your computer will make a noise to alert you that someone is trying to contact you. Make sure you keep the volume at a level where you’ll be able to hear the alert.
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What if I have a problem with my VoIP service?
It depends on what the problem is. Connection issues could be related to problems with broadband, so before getting in touch with your VoIP provider it’s probably worth checking that everything is running smoothly with your broadband service. If you’re confident that broadband isn’t to blame for technical problems, contact your VoIP provider.Your VoIP provider should also be your first point of call for any problems relating to billing or charges.
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