VoIP
Voice over the net
Edit
VoIP is commonly and boringly known as 'voice over internet protocol', to normal people that means it is one of many technologies that make up the services/products allowing you and me to place phone calls using the internet, instead of traditional phone lines or mobile phones.
Skype is probably the best known service, but companies such as BT is also offering VoIP, primarily for their business clients. VoIP is actually nothing new and has basically existed as long as we have had computer networks. Early adopters of VoIP was multiplayer games allowing gamers to talk to each other during active games.
Edit
A technology that uses IP networks, like the internet, to carry voice quality audio in real time. Products like Skype allow a consumer to become their own telephone exchange or existing telecoms companies can use VoIP for cheaper, less reliable calls. For this reason the phone companies are not allowed to sell a main service that uses VoIP as there is for one thing, no guaranteed access to the emergency services. Instead, they will offer a cheaper line as a second home connection or integrate a VoIP connection with their mobile offerings to enable cheaper calls when using a mobile phone within the customers' home.
VoIP can also be used within an organisation as an internal digital phone exchange. As the bandwidth can be guaranteed in this case it is offers quality comparable to traditional methods with the advantages of manageability and number of lines for the same cost.
When VoIP is used over public networks without a guaranteed bandwidth there are often problems with latency (the voice signal is delayed) and quality but many people use such systems due to their lower cost.
This was last modified by Johan on 29th November 2008
