Psychiatr News September 16, 2005
Volume 40, Number 18, page 12
© 2005 American Psychiatric Association
Internet Phones Save Money, Extend Your Connectivity
Robert S. Kennedy
Robert S. Kennedy is the executive director of the American Association
for Technology in Psychiatry.
Just as the World Wide Web has become an online tool for graphics and
video, it was an inevitable evolution that the telephone would merge with the
computer through the ubiquitous network called the Internet. A phenomenon
called voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) has been changing the way we think
about using the phone, particularly long-distance calls.
The basic premise of the Internet is that geographic boundaries are
virtually eliminated and that individuals or groups can connect seamlessly at
any time. VoIP is a method for taking analog audio signals and turning them
into digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet. This process is
similar to turning an audio CD into an mp3 music file. VoIP converts the voice
signal, for example, from your telephone into a digital signal that travels
over the Internet, then converts it back at the other end so you can speak to
anyone with a regular phone number.
To use VoIP, a broadband or high-speed Internet connection is required.
This can be a cable modem or other high-speed service such as DSL or a local
area network. There is a number of ways to make a call: you can connect an
inexpensive microphone to your computer, connect a phone to an adaptor called
an analog telephone adaptor (ATA), or get a specialized IP (Internet protocol)
phone, which connects directly to a router. The next generation of VoIP phones
will be WiFi, which will allow subscribers to make wireless calls from any
WiFi network.
Software that converts the analog signals to digital information is
generally provided with the hardware or can be downloaded from the Internet.
Installation is generally uncomplicated. In VoIP phones, the software is built
into the circuitry. When placing a VoIP call using a phone with an adapter,
you hear a dial tone and dial just as you always have.
Existing phone systems utilize a very reliable but somewhat inefficient
method for connecting calls called circuit switching. Circuit switching has
been the standard for more than 100 years. In the case of a call involving two
parties, the two points are connected for the duration of the call in both
directions, and the connection is called a circuit. This is the foundation of
the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
Data networks do not use circuit switching. Internet connections do not
maintain a constant connection to the Web page being viewed. Instead, data
networks send and retrieve data as needed, and instead of the data's being
routed over a dedicated line, the data packets flow through the Internet along
thousands of possible paths. This is called packet switching. So while circuit
switching keeps the connection open and constant, packet switching opens a
brief connection—just long enough to send a small chunk of data, called
a packet, from one system to another.
As its name implies, a VoIP phone has not only a telephone number but also
an IP address, just as any Internet-connected device does. Why is this
important? It allows for flexibility previously unknown in traditional
landline phones. With VoIP, you can make a call from anywhere you have
broadband connectivity. Since the IP phones or ATAs broadcast their
information over the Internet, they can be used anywhere there is a
connection. Essentially, it allows you to take your home phone with you
wherever you go.
Another alternative is the softphone. A softphone is client software that
loads the VoIP service onto your desktop or laptop. The Vonage softphone has
an interface on your screen that looks like a traditional telephone. As long
as you have a headset/microphone, you can place calls from your laptop
anywhere in the broadband-connected world.
The cheapest and easiest way to use VoIP is through computer-to-computer
calls. These can be entirely free, and the software necessary can be
downloaded free from the Internet. Only a headset with a microphone or a
microphone and set of speakers and a good Internet connection are
required.
Most VoIP companies are offering minute-rate plans structured like
mobilephone plans for as little as $30 a month. On the higher end, some offer
unlimited plans for $79. With the elimination of unregulated charges and the
addition of a suite of free features included with these plans, the savings
can be substantial.
Most VoIP companies provide the features for which phone companies charge
extra when added to your service plan. VoIP generally includes these features:
caller ID, call waiting, call transfer, repeat dial, return call, and
three-way calling.
Some carriers offer advanced call-filtering options. These features use
caller ID information to allow you to make a choice about how calls from a
particular number are handled. For example, you can forward the call to a
particular number, send the call directly to voicemail, give the caller a busy
signal, play a "not-in-service" message, or send the caller to a
funny rejection hotline.
With many VoIP services, you can also check voicemail via the Web or attach
messages to an e-mail that is sent to your computer or handheld device. Prices
and services vary, so if you're interested, it's best to do a little
shopping.
A testament to the potential of this technology can be seen in the fact
that most of the major telephone carriers are establishing VoIP calling plans
for businesses as well as for consumers. The Forrester Research Group predicts
that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end
of 2006. Perhaps the biggest draws to switch to VoIP are price and
flexibility.
More information on VoIP is posted at the Web site of Wikipedia at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voip>.
Get information about faster international access.
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2005
American Psychiatric Association.
All rights reserved.
Home
| Search
| Current Issue
| Past Issues
| Subscribe
| All APPI Journals
| Help
| Contact Us
| 
