If you have no idea of the latest technology, this article will give you a great introduction of computer telephony.
Broadband phone service allows you to have phone service over the internet instead of using traditional phone lines. Broadband phone service is also known as VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol. Broadband phones are also called internet phones.
This technology takes your voice and converts it into a digital signal that is transmitted over the internet. Before the signal reaches the person you are calling, the digital signal is converted back into an analog signal that is heard on the receiving phone.
Once setup, a broadband phone works just like a normal phone. In fact, if you convert to a broadband phone, you can use all your existing phones in the house. Normal phones and normal phone jacks work with broadband phone service.
If you want to make a broadband phone call, you pick up the phone, hear the dial tone, dial the number, and wait for the person receiving the call to answer. Just like traditional phone service, broadband phone service offers caller id, call waiting, call forwarding, voicemail and much more.
Many people choose broadband phone service for the price savings on long distance calls. Most broadband phone service providers offer a flat monthly rate for unlimited calls to anywhere in the United States and Canada. Some even offer plans that include other international destinations.
There are many broadband phone service providers. Even many local cable companies are beginning to offer digital phone service as part of their cable and internet offerings.
To use a broadband phone service, you must have a high speed internet connection such as DSL or cable. You need to keep in mind that if your internet goes down due to power or server issues, your broadband service will also not work. Therefore, do not rely on broadband phone for emergencies – have a backup communication plan available.
911 access is still being developed for broadband phone users. You will need to check with your service provider to determine if your broadband phone will have 911 emergency access.
If you are interested in broadband phone service, shop around for the plan and pricing that meets your need. Cable companies are offering discounts on digital phone if you use their other services. Other companies are offering great stand alone phone service deals.
Digital or broadband phone service is a growing new industry. Expect the process to drop and the technology to improve as the months go by. In addition, new services may well be added to phone packages as the internet technology improves.
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