VOIPJames Downham

VOIP – What is it?

VOIP stands for - Voice over internet protocol

This basically means that you can talk to people over the internet.

It converts analog voice signals into data packets and supports real time and two way conversations.

Who uses VOIP

Anyone can use VOIP as long as they have the software and the hardware to use it.

Some of the VOIP software is free depending on the software, other will cost. But this all depends on what type of VOIP software your using.

What uses VOIP?

There are a lot of devices and hardware that use VOIP a lot of them you probably wouldn't’t even realise support it.

A lot of mobile devices now support VOIP, this works well with the program Skype as people can make calls over the internet using it.

Hand held devices such as tablets and games devices sometimes also support VOIP. The Sony PSP supports VOIP as it can use Skype, the same as tablets such as the iPad.

What uses VOIP?

All computers will support VOIP as long as they can connect to the internet.

All the latest games hardware will support VOIP. These would be Xbox Live, PSN network and the Nintendo Wii.

VOIP in private, corporate and public use

VOIP would be used for both commercial and public use.

It’s great for private use as it would cost less to contact many people using software that has VOIP incorporated into it. This is because it uses internet connection rather than phone line connection.

Corporates have made money from VOIP by incorporating into products such as Xbox live and using face time from a mac computer. When using Skype from a mobile or Skyping to a mobile it also costs.

For public use VOIP software would be useful as its becoming more cost effective to use software such as Skype to contact people around the world.

Main use of VOIP

Skype would probably be the most used type of VOIP.

It’s become a worldwide used program because it’s free as long as the person on the other side is also using Skype.

Skype can be used for both video calls and messaging

Free VOIP

There are a number of free VOIP software's:

Skype

Apple Face time

Windows messenger (there is a voice function)

Apple Face time

Apple face time is quickly becoming a new Skype. Face Time is a apple only application which allows users to contact other apple users in the same way Skype does. As a lot of people now have apple products and face time is slowly becoming available in all apple products for free, apart from when using a mac, it will soon become a rival for Skype.