VoIP, an acronym for Voice over Internet Protocol, has entered the mainstream in many parts of the world. As most VoIP service providers offer an "all you can eat" long distance service, most people do not have to worry about the telephone bill varying from month to month. Several VoIP companies also offer international calling to many countries either included as part of their premium packages or at extremely low per-minute rates
Adoption Rates
Vonage is perhaps the best-known provider of VoIP with roughly 2.5 million customers as of mid-2009 but is eclipsed by Comcast who boasts a VoIP subscriber base of more than 7 million. In fact, Comcast became the third largest provider of voice service in the United States in 2009.
Portability
Among the many advantages of VOIP is the ability to pick up your ATA adapter (telephone connection) and bring it with you, allowing your telephone number to go anywhere you travel that has a suitable broadband connection. T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling plan combines the ability of its dual mode cell/Wi-Fi phone to make VoIP calls wherever an open Wi-Fi hot spot is available.
International Calling
Most of the U.S.- and Canadian-based VoIP providers bundle unlimited calling in all North America into their premium packages. Many, Vonage included, also provide free calling to a select group of European countries at no additional cost with the excluded countries available at greatly reduced rates.
Cost
Most of the popular VoIP providers have centered their unlimited calling plans for residential customers in the $25 per month range in 2009. Among the least expensive of the cut-rate companies is MagicJack which provides unlimited calling for about $40 for the first year, including the cost of its hardware. A second year of service is available for about $20. Customer service and tech support are what you might expect from a low price, but the VoIP service does work and the sound clarity is equal to many other telephone services, certainly surpassing the quality of cellular.
The Future
With the dramatic drop in the cost of telephone service plummeting as much as it has in the last decade, the race to provide free service has begun. Google now provides Google Voice, previously known as Grand Central. With a little ingenuity and some technical prowess, it is now possible to make and receive calls almost anywhere at zero cost. Within the next several years, it is entirely within the scope of technology to provide voice service as an expected part of a broadband service package.
Tags: unlimited calling, premium packages, provide free, their premium, their premium packages, voice service