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Pros
One advantage of using VoIP is the cost of the service. Phone service using VoIP costs less than
similar service offered from traditional phone services, especially in regards
to long distance telephone calls. Long
distance calls through VoIP are offered at flat rates, which will ultimately
benefit the consumer. Also, VoIP allows
the consumer to share its voice and data equipment, which means that the costs
are also shared. In other words, if you
have an Internet connection already in place, VoIP can be used at almost no
extra cost, and any network capacity that you are not currently using can be
used for making calls.
Another key benefit of using VoIP is the fact that incoming
calls can be automatically routed to your VoIP phone regardless of where you
are connected to the Internet. This is
especially important for those who go on business trips.
VoIP phones can also be integrated with other Internet
services, such as videoconferences and file transfers. A user can send or receive messages or data
while on their VoIP phone.
Cons
One cause for concern with VoIP is emergency 911
service. Before the government stepped
in, 911 was not an optional feature for VoIP service providers, and 911 calls
made after-hours were not guaranteed to be routed to the local area’s emergency
call centers of the caller. However, the
U.S.
government required that all VoIP service providers make 911 service standard
and functional by September 2005. Some
VoIP service providers have appealed this deadline, so it would be wise for
consumers to be sure of what their service provider’s policy on 911 is.
Another disadvantage of the VoIP service is the lack of
encryption, which means that it is relatively easy for someone to eavesdrop on
a VoIP call and even change the content of the call. There are a few solutions to this problem,
but they do not guarantee full security of any calls. Airtight security would require the user to
utilize encryption and cryptographic authentication, which are not yet readily
available to consumers.
A third drawback is the inconsistent sound quality of the
calls made with VoIP. The sound quality
is oftentimes fickle and calls often have delays and echoes as well. This means that some calls made with VoIP
might not be as smooth and natural as calls made over landline phones.
VoIP
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