Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that enables telephone communication by using the Internet. Plenty of such service providers can be found, including VoIP Reno NV providers, if these are of particular interest to you. Actually, some carriers have already reached the point where they are currently offering VoIP calling plans almost all around the U.S.
Basically, VoIP (also IP telephony or VoI – Voice over the Internet) refers to hardware and software that permit people to make use of the Internet as the transmission medium for phone calls. Voice data is sent using the VoIP technology in packets using Internet Protocol (IP) rather than the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which is traditionally used for telephony.
The PSTN is the international phone system that relies on copper wires that carry analog voice data, while the Internet will carry digital voice data. Aside from VoIP, there are other telephone networks that are built on digital technologies as well, such as ISDN and FDDI. A major advantage of VoIP is that making phone calls over the Internet will not incur surcharges beyond what the user normally pays for Internet access, at least if VoIP is used for computer-to-computer calls. Even when making calls to phones instead of PCs using VoIP, the charges will be less than with traditional telephony.
Before looking for a provider, be it a VoIP Reno NV provider or one serving a different market in the U.S., you should better understand the service options. In order to connect to an IP telephony service, one will need a VoIP system. There are several systems on the market today:
1. VoIP phones – these are dedicated phones that make a direct connection to the IP network. They will generally look just like any other phone.
2. Analog phone adapter – this device enables users to connect a traditional phone to the Internet for use with VoI. It converts the analog signal from the standard phone into digital signal that can be easily transmitted over the Internet. Some adapters come with a piece of software that can be installed on a PC, so that configuration-related actions can be performed. If you are looking for VoIP Reno NV services, you should check if they offer such a signal converter for free for using their services.
3. Softphone – this piece of software is installed on a networked PC that is equipped with a sound card and a headset (or separate microphone and speaker). The application’s user interface will usually include a dial pad that can be operated by mouse clicks or keyboard typing.
Now that you know the basics about VoI, you can check the Internet for VoIP Reno NV carriers, or for software that enables free PC to PC calls.
