So you have decided to join the VOIP bandwagon since that is all anybody has been talking about lately. Good for you! You have done the math and it's even better than what you had thought, even though you were skeptical of this VOIP technology and advantages of VOIP service. You found that:
Telephone from your local phone company:
- $30 per month just for dial tone.
- Unlimited local calls (maybe measured, depending where you live).
- No long distance included.
- No voice mail, caller ID or other services.
- After long distance calls to your parents in Tampa, your brother in Denver, your sister in Seattle, and your wife's college pal in New York, add $50-$60 per month.
Then you looked at your options for VOIP services and found that:
- $20-25 per month (even less with some VOIP providers).
- Unlimited local calling (even if you have measured now).
- Unlimited long distance in the US, or depending on the VOIP provider, also throughout Canada and Puerto Rico.
- Caller ID, voice mail, call waiting services.
- All those long distance calls: already included.
Talk about a no-brainer! So you are ready to make the switch, but which carrier has the best offerings? That question really depends on what you need and what VOIP services you are willing to pay for. Almost all of them offer the same thing, which is unlimited local calling, unlimited calling in the continental US, voice mail, call waiting, caller ID. So what else do you need to consider?
Not all VOIP services are created equally. There is an article at our web site that talks about the most common problem with VOIP, where it is not really your VOIP provider but it is your high-speed Internet provider, but for now, let's assume that is not going to be an issue, or if it is, you can switch high-speed Internet providers to get one that provides reliable service.
Determine how sold you are on VOIP services. For example, if you are really sold, you can use SunRocket services, where if you pay for a year up front, the monthly cost works out to be about $16.75 per month. But what else do you need? Consider where you are calling. For example, if you find that you are making a lot of calls to Canada or Puerto Rico, make sure that the VOIP provider you are considering includes those countries as part of their unlimited calling plan.
Would a virtual number help? You have your local number and some carriers also provide another number, which could be at the other end of the country. For example, you live in Atlanta and of course have an Atlanta phone number on your VOIP phone. Your parents live in Dallas, so with a virtual number, you can get a Dallas phone number also, so your parents can call you (on their non-VOIP phone) as a local call, and when they call, your VOIP phone at your home in Atlanta will ring!
There are many considerations to look at when choosing a VOIP provider, and since everyone is different, consider your needs and then choose a VOIP provider that can meet those needs.
Need help in choosing the right provider for VOIP Services? Find out who offers what and where NOT to get VOIP service at our web site at http://www.voipinsideinfo.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Arnold
http://EzineArticles.com/?Not-All-VOIP-Services-Are-Created-Equally&id=552242
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