Advantages of VoIP Over Traditional Telephone Services

Before the technology improved with the Internet that allowed faster data speeds with broadband services, the idea of voice over the Internet was only a dream. Our only option was the regular Plain Old Phone Service (POTS) provided over expensive copper wire.

Regular phone service usually doesn't include many features. Even long distance requires a separate account with a long distance carrier at additional expense.

If you have Internet service from a cable company then you may be able to get phone service from them too. This is known as VoIP. It stands for Voice over Internet Protocol.

The VoIP phone service comes through your cable rather than the old copper wires. The cable company will supply you with a special telephony modem.

A telephony modem includes an Analog Telephony Adapter (ATA) built into it. This Internet modem has one or two phone jacks in addition to the usual Ethernet jack for your computer.

Features Included with VoIP

VoIP services usually include most of the technologically available features at no extra cost. Features such as the following are free with most VoIP services.

• Call-Waiting
• Caller-ID
• Three-Way-Calling
• Call Blocking
• Call Forwarding
• Distinctive Ring for VIP Callers
• Long Distance (Usually to all 50 States in the USA, plus Puerto Rico)
• One Important Disadvantage

If you have a power failure, your modem will not work and therefore your phone service will be knocked out.

You could connect your modem to an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) that provides power for an hour or two if you are in an area that is prone to losing electricity. In addition, your cable provider might even include a feature to forward calls to your cell phone in case of a power outage.

This can be enabled and controlled by you via a web login portal. The features listed above can also be controlled from your web portal.

Additional Line at Low Cost

If you only have one phone line, you use only one jack. However, you can have two numbers. The monthly cost for the additional line is very small compared to two-line service over copper lines.

There are two reasons why the cost is low. There is no need to run additional cables, and the central office support for an additional line does not take up any additional resources.

Internal Wiring

Connecting the phones throughout your home still requires copper wire. However, you probably already have this from your existing phone service. All you need to do is have the wires terminate at the location where your Internet Telephony Modem will reside.

You simply connect this wire to the telephony modem. The connection is made with the standard RJ-11 jack that you use with your phones.

If you have two lines running through one wire, it uses the same looking jack at the end, but this is known as an RJ-14. The inner two pins carry line 1 and the outset two pins carry line 2. In this case one of the jacks in the modem is used. You'll notice that one of the jacks is labeled L1/L2 and the other is labeled just L2.

Final Remarks

The technology has been improved in recent years with the advent of better data compression techniques. It even provides better quality sound due to the use of digital transmission.

Long Distance can be included free, and overseas at low-cost, because the service takes advantage of the Internet satellite infrastructure that's already in place around the world.

VoIP definitely is the wave of the future that is here now.

About the author: Glenn Stok is the founder of Stok Software, Inc., a New York business that designed and supported small business phone systems for over 35 years.

You can find a list of Mr. Stok's related articles under "Business Phone Systems" on his website.

Google Can Help You Find Your Lost Smartphone

Google Inc. has come out with an easily installable search feature. Using this feature, users just need to type in 'Find my phone' command to know the approximate site of the device. On receiving the command, this new search feature fetches the result and shows the place as the nearest point on the screen. The user has to make sure that he has installed latest Google Android application. Apart from this, he has to switch on the site tracker service of Google Android Manager. What else this feature is capable of doing for the benefit of its users? In this article, we would be looking at this new application in more detail for the benefit of the readers who may find it helpful.

Search Missing Phone Feature

If you have misplaced your Smartphone or left it somewhere in the house, you don't have to become panicky. The search engine developed by Google would find it for you within seconds. The users just need to type in the command 'Find my phone' on a search engine feature to know the approximate location of the device. The company talked about this feature in a blog post. Only catch is that new searching feature only works with Android phones. This means that mobiles using other operating system cannot be tracked at all. The feature also helps the user to lock and erase the data off if he or she feels that his or her device is missing. The feature does this job remotely. The user doesn't have to report to the customer care centre for locking the stolen device. Prepaid Phone Cards

How it Works?

Normally, the Android Device Manager allows the user to ring his device from anywhere. The users can use this functionality to find a missing device. They need to keep the ring option on. After that, the feature would make the phone ring for about five minutes and wait for the device to reply back. This period is long enough to help the people easily find the missing phone. Besides this, users have to make sure that the tracking service in their phones is switched on. In order to make use of this feature, the users have to install the latest version of the Google application on their registered device. The ringing functionality works well with the place tracker to find the device. If there is no response, the feature cautions the users to decide whether they should lock their device remotely. After getting the reply, the feature remotely removes data and locks the device.

Google has come out with a new search engine feature that tracks the missing phone by ringing it. This feature works in tandem with the location tracking services rendered by the company to find the device. Read the entire article to understand its other functionality. For more such information, the readers can visit the site http://tvmbala.blogspot.com.

The Benefits of Audio Conference Calls for Business Clients

With the improvements in technology, teleconference, or audio conference, calls are quickly being replaced with video conferencing and meeting with colleagues using internet applications. However, audio conferencing is still an important business tool for many companies and business professionals. Here are five reasons for businesses to use audio conferencing.

What is a Conference Call?

A conference call is a telephone call involving several people at the same time. In some cases, meeting participants may be in different locations around the world. During the call, those who are participating will dial a specific telephone number at a certain time and be connected to the virtual meeting. They can either listen or they may be able to talk with others during the call so they can ask questions or present information.

Reliability

One of the main advantages to an audio conference call is they are more reliable than using video conferencing or web meetings. Due to varying internet speeds, especially during times of peak usage, the video may buffer, which can cause some participants in the video conference to miss part of what is said.

Also, if you're trying to have a video conference between participants in different countries, the time differences and internet access can present their own challenges. Regular telephone service doesn't present the same problems and most audio conferences are easy to connect to, participate in and they are rarely disrupted.

Easy Participation

Audio conference calls do not need to be major productions. While they can be used for departmental meetings for medium to large companies with multiple locations, they can be used on a much smaller scale as well.

If there is a delivery and production issue for a company, the manager in charge of logistics can contact the production floor and the warehouse manager using audio conferencing to try to figure out the problem. The participants in the meeting can be given a number to call into as needed to discuss the problem and come up with a solution.

Less Expense

Audio conferences are more cost efficient for smaller companies and business professionals than video conferencing or some web meeting applications. There isn't any special equipment needed to hold cheap audio conference calls like there is with video or web conferencing.

With video conferencing, a projector and screen is needed for participants to see each other. Web meetings are different because participants pull up a website and enter their scheduled meeting individually, which can increase the expense for companies who may need an entire department to participate in a web meeting.

With audio conferencing, there is a flat rate per minute charge for each participant. Most video conference and web meeting applications require a subscription fee, which is paid each month whether you use the service and there are usually different services available depending on which package you've selected.

Cheap audio conference calls can help your business keep in contact with other locations around the world or hold meetings with clients and other participants on an as needed basis.

IP Addresses: The Basics Everyone Should Know

We live in the IT era - the time, when people cannot imagine their lives without the global network. If you don't believe that, just recollect the things you did yesterday! How many of them were somehow connected with the Internet? Did you buy something online? Did you chat with your friends in the social networks? Or, maybe, you downloaded and watched your favorite movies? Having answered these questions, you will realize the role the Internet plays in our life today.

When browsing the web either for personal or business purposes, we don't even think about the importance of the IP address. And we don't have to, because this info is not generally needed every day. This, however, does not mean that you should not know anything about the term. And this is where the information provided below will come in handy to you.

The IP Address Basics

The "IP" is the abbreviation, which is deciphered as the "Internet Protocol". This term reflects the essence of the notion, because the IP address comes with each computer launched to the network to ensure high quality connection. If you have ever seen any IP address, you have, probably, noticed that it consists of a set of numbers. These numbers change from time to time, so the IP address of your computer is never the same. This depends upon the activity you demonstrate when surfing the web, the steps you undertake to find the information you need, the device you use for this purpose, the location you are in and other nuances. Regardless of these nuances, it is an IP address of your computer that is responsible for the data access and the availability of the Internet in general.

As you, probably, know, this address is assigned to any laptop or personal computer launched to the global network by the home Internet provider. This is true when it concerns the home-based online access, but what if you decide to travel somewhere or just need to have a coffee break and take your laptop along to use it in a café? Will the IP address remain the same or not? As mentioned above, Internet Protocol addresses occasionally change even if you use the web at home and don't go anywhere. As soon as you leave your house, the IP address is not assigned to your laptop or PC anymore. When you connect to another network, your computer will automatically get another Internet Protocol address. This will repeat over and over again unless you disconnect from the network.

Where to Look for Your IP Address

Do you have to find out your Internet Protocol address? Then you can use several options depending upon the amount of time you have and the objectives you pursue. Thus, you can get access to the settings of your router and check this info there. This is a nice option, if you browse the web at home, although, it may take some time for you to login and find the required info. A better and simpler choice is to go online and look for the info in the search engine. Just type in the search request and watch the results that will be provided in a few seconds.

If you are right about to look for your IP address or just need to make a thorough and reliable vpn test, then you are welcome to use the services offered by 2ip. The website will provide you with the required IP address info in the shortest time possible, which is very convenient and time saving.

Tips To Set Up A Gmail Account Fast And Easy

Email is one of the best communication solutions and it can help you reach your near and dear ones with just a click. Featuring powerful tools alongside full customization options, you can find all components required for efficient correspondence and effective organization. What's more, the process of setting up a new email account takes just a few minutes, and it is completely free!

With the decline of Yahoo!, AOL and Hotmail, more and more people are switching to Google's services. Not only it has gained popularity, but creating a Google account is quick and easy. It also provides easy access to other Google products such as YouTube, Google Drive, and Google+.

Creating a Gmail account for free:

1. Open the Gmail website

2. Click on the "Create an account" button and this will redirect you to the "Create your Google Account" page.

3. Fill the form with your details. Add your name, date of birth, gender and other information. Choose a username wisely. Your username will become your Gmail address. You need to share the name with everyone whom you want to connect with and thus a simple and sober username is advisable. However, if your username is not available, you will be given different options. You can choose from the options or come up with a new and unique one.

4. Create a password logically. Ensure your password is unique and is a combination of alphabets, numbers and symbols. Keep it simple, as you need to remember the password throughout. You also need to add an alternative Email ID for verification. If you are a new user, then ask your friend to provide you with their ID for email confirmation.

5. Completing the captcha is important. This verification tool ensures that a real person is creating the account. If you are finding the captcha difficult to read, you can click the refresh button and get a new one.

6. One of the most important steps is agreeing to the privacy policy. You cannot continue if you do not agree with the privacy policy. Take your time to read the entire privacy policy so that you are aware of what Google can and cannot do with the information you have provided. If you agree with the terms and conditions, check the box.

7. Click next. Whenever a new Gmail account is created, a Google+ account is also created. It is the social network site of Google. You can add a picture, share your thoughts, and add as many friends as you want, and even like others work.

8. Once done, you can click on the "Continue to Gmail" button. You can return back to the Gmail account and start sending emails or you can visit any other Google services. You will be automatically logged in YouTube, Google+, Google Drive or any other product of Google.

Steve Smith has been in writing industry since years. He has detailed knowledge about technical glitches such as email set up, computer running slow, virus removal, blue screen of death and so on. Read his articles to know more about resolving technical glitches.