Q.What is VoIP?

 

A:VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, not very illuminating really. What this means in practice is that VoIP is the transmission of voice communication through IP packets and, therefore, through the Internet. VoIP services come in many forms but all of them aim to save you money on phone calls by using your internet connection rather that your land line to make them. In many ways it really is as simple as that.

 

Q.What are the price differences between VoIP and a normal landline?

 

A: There often vast differences in prices between a VoIP service provider and a standard landline. These differences are especially clear when you consider international calls which with VoIP providers are often just a few pence per minute compared to tens of pence with normal providers. Furthermore lots of VoIP services offer free VoIP calls to other VoIP users and even free calls to domestic and international landlines.

 

Q. If VoIP is so great then why isn't everybody using it?

 

A:Generally speaking there has been a certain problem of lack of awareness about what VoIP has to offer. With increasing media exposure and constantly improving services this problem is rapidly diminishing. There is also a pervasive myth that you cannot call or receive calls from ‘normal phones’ using a VoIP service. This is both possible and frequently very cheap; it all depends on the service provider that you choose to use. See our service providers section for more details.

 

As of the time of writing, most commercial VoIP service providers do not allow their users to call those who use other service providers for free. This is understandable given the fact that commercial providers have to spend money to provide a better service.This minor problem is also diminished by the fact that signing up fro the basic service with manyservice providers is free anyway!

 

Q. Do I need a Broadband internet connection to use VoIP services?

 

A. The minimum requirement to take advantage of VoIP is a 21k connection but a broadband connection is recommended.

 

Q. What is the difference between a USB phone and a soft phone

A. A soft phone is the actual software application that runs on a PC or Mac allowing you to make lots of lovely VoIP calls. A USB phone is a piece of hardware. In order to make calls using a soft phone you need some hardware to connect to the PC to talk through. A VoIP USB phone is ideal for this purpose.

 

Q. Where can I get a soft phone from?

 

A.Soft phones are part of the package that service providers offer. Go to the service providers section of this site, choose one you like the sound of and follow their instructions to start using their service.

 

Q. Can I receive calls from a domestic land line to my USB phone?

 

A. Yes, provided that you have the right service enabled from your service provider. Some service providers can supply the ability to receive calls, using VoIP, through your computer and USB handset. See our service providerssection for more details.

 

Q. What happens if somebody tries to call my VoIP number when my computer is switched off?

 

A. That all depends on what service provider you are using. Some service providers offer voicemail services which can record messages for you, some can also divert calls to a normal land line phone or mobile when you are unavailable. See individual service providers for details.

 

Q. Can I make conference calls to multiple people using VoIP?

 

A. Many service providers offer the ability to make conference calls both to other VoIP users and normal phones. See the instructions available from individual service providers for details of how to talk to many different people at the same time!

 

Q. How do you choose the service providers that you feature in your guide?

A.Our service providers guide is intended to provide a snapshot of the best service providers around. However, as with any guide it is based on our opinions and you may find that a service provider that you use, or that your friends use is not included in our guide. Don't panic because that doesn't mean that the service providerin question is bad.

 

There are so many providers out there that we couldn't possibly feature them all. Our selection represents what we believe to be some of the most competitive and usable service providers around but you may find that there is a better option for you elsewhere.

 

Q. How can I buy a USB VoIP phone using your site?

 

A. Well since our site is a price comparison site you will not be buying the phone from us. However we have selected from the best, cheapest and most reliable providers out there to bring you people who will be happy to sell you your ideal VoIP Phone, USB handset or headset . Simply select and view the description of the item you wish to buy and click compare prices. This will give you a list of the cheapest versions of that item we could find through scouring the internet. Simply select the cheapest one (or your prefered merchant) and click BUY. This will take you from our site to the merchant's site to purchase the item.

 

Q. How can I tell if one of your products will work with my Apple Mac?

 

A. As a general rule all our phones are P. C. compatible. Those that are compatible with other operating systems will explain this in their descriptions.

 

Q. I am interested in one of your products but I need more information. How can I find out more?

 

A. Space is limited on our main catalog pages so we cannot include complete details of all our products there. However beneath each product there is a link to view the full specifications for that product.