The days of local calling are long gone as a majority of us now converse with people who are located in different places around the globe. In order to reduce the cost of international calling, people are turning to VoIP and making calls through their computers. With the VoIP market growing bigger each day, the options have expanded considerably for people who use the service. This can make VoIP confusing to people who are just starting to realize the benefits of this type of calling. A thorough understanding of what VoIP is and what options are available when selecting a VoIP provider can make the process of transitioning over to VoIP an easier one to complete.

What VoIP Is and Why You Want It

VoIP, the acronym for Voice over Internet Protocol, is a method of making phone calls through your computer. The phone and computer systems are linked together so that you can pick up your landline and talk on the phone in the same manner that you always do. However, the call is connected through the computer which reduces calling costs and allows you to take advantage of the potential for integrating the call with the data and video features that exist on your computer.

Common reasons that people have turned to VoIP include:

- Low cost long-distance and international calling. This is the main feature of VoIP that makes it appealing to the average user. Rather than paying a long-distance fee to your landline provider or racking up charges making international calls on a mobile phone, you can pay a low fee to a VoIP provider which connects the call through the Internet at a much cheaper rate.
- Integration of voice, data and video. You can integrate VoIP with your Outlook address book to keep all of your contacts in one place. You can hold teleconferences from remote locations using VoIP technology. And you can easily convert from an IM or email conversation to a voice conversation using VoIP.
- People want one phone number. With VoIP, you can use one phone number for all locations. This means that calls placed to your VoIP number can go to your landline, your office or your mobile phone. This is a great feature for many people who move around different locations a lot and want to stay in touch with those who call them.
- Bundled services. Many people want all of their services to be provided by the same companies. VoIP can sometimes be bundled with your Internet and cable bills in order to simplify your finances.

Choosing your VoIP System

The first decision that you’re going to make when choosing a new VoIP system is whether you want a premise-based or hosted VoIP system. These days, almost everyone is going with a hosted VoIP system. However, there are benefits and drawbacks to each so you should know about them when making your choices.

- Premise-based system. This requires you to install and maintain the basic VoIP system in your home using hardware that controls it. This was the old method of using VoIP in your home which people are moving away from. However, if you run a big business, you might find that you prefer the way this allows you to control calls.
- Hosted VoIP system. This system lets your VoIP provider complete the management of calls through the Internet without requiring you to get hardware. This is a cheaper way to set up VoIP and is cheaper monthly. It’s also easier for most people because it means that you don’t have to deal with routing calls yourself. For residences, this is almost always the way to go.

Selecting VoIP Features

Once you have selected the type of VoIP system that you want to use, you have to determine which features you’ll want. Most people choose the same basic features that they would choose with any phone (such as voice mail messaging). However, there are many different features that can be used with VoIP as your calling platform.

Some of the VoIP Features that you’ll want to consider include:

- Click-to-call widgets. Some VoIP providers will provide you with a widget that you can add to your social networking profile so that your online friends can click the button and your phone will be dialed.
- Call Forwarding. If you want to be able to use the same VoIP number at different locations, you should get call forwarding to make this easy.
- Call Blocking. It’s a good idea to consider getting call blocking if you think there’s a chance that you’re going to become a victim of incessant calls.
- Area Code Selection. Some VoIP companies let you pick your area code which can further help reduce calls depending on where you’re calling to and from.
- Toll Free Number. If for some reason you want to get a toll free number, VoIP can let you do it.

VoIP Concerns to Consider

Before forging ahead and purchasing a VoIP system, you should be aware that there are some concerns that people have when using VoIP. These concerns are limited but it’s important to know them in advance. Common VoIP concerns include:

- Sound quality. In the past, VoIP calls have been said to lack good voice quality. However, this has been changing in recent months and shouldn’t be a significant problem, especially for people who are used to dealing with mobile phone sound.
- Outages. VoIP calls are routed through your computer so if your electricity goes out, your ability to make calls is going to go out as well.
- Security. There are many concerns that hackers are starting to get interested in VoIP technology and may use it as a way to get into your computer data. Making sure that you have a secure Internet connection reduces these risks.
- Spam. In the world of VoIP, this is actually called SPIT. It results in people getting a hold of your VoIP number and calling you with sales promotions and other annoying pitches.

What to Watch with VoIP

VoIP is increasingly the preferred calling choice for people who want to make calls easily and at a low cost while using just one phone number. As that happens, we’re going to see changing trends in the use of VoIP. Keep an eye out for the deals that are appearing to promote VoIP, the security concerns that are being dealt with and the improvements that are being made to the call quality and features offered by VoIP.