01.12.09
Cheap as chIPs telephony for the Domestic User
Businesses have been reaping the benefits of IP telephony for some time.as VoIP technolgy becomes more commonplace and the networks faster and more established, LANs can handle virtually any kind of data. And the same is true for the modern residential household.Perhaps without realising it, more of us are alreday creating our our own converged networks at home. We’re expanding Internet access with high speed Broadband that delivers the bandwidth required to use voice communications over the Internet.
So it’s possible, but what’s the reason for doing it? Look at how much you are spending on your phone now compared with the services and pricing you get from VoIP providers. The motivation will be obvious!taling over the Internet rather than PSTN lines will save pots of money – at least 60% off curret bills.Long distance calls, although initially routed on the Internet, will be switched to landlines at the destination switching station. So, this looks like a local call only, and is charged accordingly.Rates may vary when connecting with a mobile network, but they’ll still be remarkably cheap.
IP telephony packages from providers such as Callagenix for example are free to set up and allow users to talk to other Callagenix IP Telephone numbers at no cost.Calls from and to non IP numbers from callagenix are chared out at only 30p per day.Usually all calls (expect those to non Ip users) are completely free and International calls are charged at local rates.Indeed, with Callagenix, they pay you 3 pence a minute if you get an inciomong call from one of their 0871 numbers!
Of course you do need to invest in some type of VoIP Telephony equipment.You can get voIP or SIP handsets nowadays from supermarkets that look just like a regular’phone but plug into a router or LAN hub.You can use a softphone application if it’s already on your computer or get an Analogue Telephone Adaptor (ATA) that will make your regular phone function as an IP phopne.
To make all this work, you should have a broadband connection faster than 128 kpbs to allow clarity of calls without using compression codecs and provide enough spare bandwidth for ‘regular’ internet functions like emails, web browsing and file downloads.Usually always ‘on’, a broadband connection allows you to make and receive calls at any time of day.
Setting the whole thing up with Callagenix is a simple process requiring online registration and confirmation or by calling on +44(0)870 6260626
