Confused over VOIP? Join the crowd. It is not as difficult as it sounds, and we will make VOIP simple for the average person.
VOIP simply means Voice Over Internet Protocol. Now you do not need to know anything about the protocol so basically it is using the Internet to make phone calls.
All you need is a high-speed Internet to make a VOIP call. There are many companies that offer VOIP service and offer telephone with it. Many will even set it up for you. Even local cable companies offer to set you up. When set up, you need not worry about anything. You can only make phone calls like normal. Now you will be making calls via an internet company and not your phone company.
Why should we use VOIP and are there any disadvantages?
Benefits 
The main reason most would like to use it to lower their phone bills. You will usually pay a flat fee and you will get a long distance to
You can keep your phone number you have now.
Wherever you move, you can take your number with you even if you move to another area code.
When you move, and the phone moves with you, there is no additional setup fees involved in your local telephone
If you travel, you can set it to use your laptop or wireless connection, so long as it is high speed. Most hotels these days take it.
No longer will you have to pay for extra features. With VOIP service providers these usually come as standard. Features such as:
1. Caller ID
2. Banke
3. Diversion
4. Repeat Dialing
5. Return Call
6. Three-way calling
Advanced call filtering features. These features allow you to decide how calls to a specific number are handled by using caller ID information. They allow you to:
1. Forward the call to a specified number
2. Send the call directly to voicemail
3. Give the caller a busy tone
4. Play "not-in service" message
Disadvantages
Sometimes the quality is not as good as phone lines. It is convenient and will continue to improve. I suspect that within a year you will not be able to see the difference.
Settings can be very challenging. If you're not a techie, there's always someone you can hire to do it for you. With the financial savings you get from it, it is worth paying someone if you are at all squimish about it.
It does not work well with fax machines and alarm systems. It works and in a short time will also improve.
If your Internet connection goes down then the phone will also go down. For most with high speed access this rarely happens.
If the power is switched off the phone will not work. For most of us, this is also a rare event. You can get backup batteries to solve this problem if you're in a rural area and it happens often.
Currently the government is not applicable charges for the service. If it changes VOIP may not be cost effective anymore.
VOIP is the future, and more and more people come online with it every day. This can also make a lowering of the cost in time.
It is in a nutshell. It is not nearly as scary as you thought.
