VoIP
VoIP is one of those things which you have probably been using but just haven’t realized. As a result, you might be a bit surprised to discover that the popular free chat service Skype is a prime example of VoIP today.
In geek speak, VoIP stands for Voice Over IP, which in turn refers to the family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice applications such as voice instant messaging, teleconferencing and telephony over IP Networks such as the Internet.
In plain English, VoIP is a way for communication using protocols on the Internet.
What is IP?
IP stands for Internet Protocol and out of all the network protocols in the world, it is probably the most used one. Hence, this is one of the main reasons why IP Technologies such as VoIP Phones have gained immense popularity recently.
In fact, voice over IP has been in existence since 1995 and was seen to be the future of the long-distance communication. However, the broadband revolution hadn’t yet started and without it, Voice-over-IP Technologies were not very useful. It was only until the mid-2000s, when faster broadband became available that it made a comeback, with Skype leading its rise in popularity and making it mainstream.
Why Use VoIP?
The number one reason why people use VoIP are the low costs associated. This has made expensive long-distance communication a thing of the past which has benefited both people and businesses.
Another common reason cited for choosing Voice Over Internet Protocol is the ease with which it can be setup and used in any area with an Internet connection, especially a very fast one. Services such as Skype make the setup even easier.
With the advent of faster Internet connections, VoIP technology is certainly not some fad that will go away anytime soon. It is clearly here to stay. However, we tend to forget that Skype is just one of the many VoIP services available today.
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