Broadband Telephony – Evaluating Broadband Phone Services
Oftentimes referred to as Internet phones, broadband phone services provide users with an online network to transmit and receive phone calls. Broadband phone services offer the same packages that standard phone services offer, including such things as caller id, call waiting, 3-way calling, voicemail, etc., with the added advantage of saving the user a great deal of money on long distance charges. Broadband phone service is a relatively new phenomenon and therefore still in the process of becoming popular. However, its popularity has been on the rise due to word-of-mouth advertising regarding the upside of utilizing a broadband phone service.
Benefits of Owning a Broadband Phone
The most obvious benefit is saving money. Those who would benefit the most are people who use the phone often over long distances. The product is perfect for families who are spread across the country or the world yet still seek to keep in constant contact. Due to the fact that the phone calls are being placed and transmitted across the Internet, you are able to avoid what are referred to as “Telco-tolls,” (Charges incurred for usage of the Public Switched Telephone Network – PSTN) and therefore save a great deal of money on phone bills.
It should be noted that long distance calling charges remain for the most part, (Although dependent on service package) however they pale in comparison to the more standard charges we have become all too accustomed to paying every month.
So how exactly do broadband phones work?
VoIP Technology
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Technology works to convert your voice waves into a series of digital signals that are transmitted across the Internet and converted back into analog signals to be heard by the user on the receiving end. Once your voice waves have been transferred into a data signal, it is transferred in very much the same manner as email. The beauty of the technology is that because of the high-speed broadband connection and the quality of the Internet phone product itself, it is impossible to discern a difference between someone calling you from a standard phone and someone calling you from a broadband phone.
Broadband Phone Providers And Costs
Due in part to its relatively new status, there are only a few major providers of broadband phone service, two of those being Primus and Vonage. (Because of the obvious upside to broadband phone usage, however, you can expect the other major telecom companies to be offering broadband phone service in the near future) The only requirement for installation of the VoIP technology is that you have a high-speed broadband Internet connection through which to operate the phone service.
The costs associated with a broadband phone service are extremely fair and will more than likely drop in price as the technology improves and competition grows. Basic plans for Primus and Vonage range from $20 / month to $35 / month with a one time activation fee of approximately $40.