P.C. phone home.QA What is Internet telephony Another term for IP telephony and VoIP. In the late 1990s, some people made a distinction between Internet Telephony and VoIP: Internet telephony referred to voice over the public Internet, while VoIP referred to voice over private IP networks. and what does it mean for me? Won't it leave me tied to the office. --Wayne Marcil Miami In a nutshell, Internet telephony (also known as VoIP, Voice over IP, and IP telephony The two-way transmission of voice over a packet-switched IP network, which is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite. The terms "IP telephony" and "voice over IP" (VoIP) are synonymous. ) allows you to make local and long-distance phone calls over your Internet connection; some companies also let you make video calls. Providers such as Verizon (www.verizon .com), Vonage (www.vonage.com), SunRocket (www.sunrocket.com), ViaTalk (www.viatalk.com), and Skype (www.skype.com) offer a variety of competitive services for consumers and entrepreneurs. The best part? You don't have to be tethered Attached to a data or power source by wire or fiber. Contrast with untethered. to your office to enjoy VoIP. When you sign up with Vonage, for example, the company provides a phone adapter See analog telephone adapter. that you simply connect to any computer with a broadband connection See broadband and wireless broadband. . Part of the appeal is the cost. Although most charge a setup fee (typically between $25 and $30), some, such as VoIP Your Life (www.voip yourlife.com), and Skype don't. Further, plans tend to be inexpensive compared with those of traditional phone companies. The companies also offer international plans that provide low per-minute rates. And although you will need to purchase a VoIP-enabled phone with some of the plans, you do enjoy all the benefits of a land fine: caller ID, call waiting, etc. Plus, you can keep your phone number. Mail your technology questions to Cyberwise, BLACK ENTERPRISE 130 Fifth Ave., New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10011 or send an e-mail to donaldsons@blackenterprise.com. |
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