VoIP : What You Need to Know

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) may seem like a frightening topic beyond your grasp, but it is really not that complicated. Here are some small things that you need to know about VoIP if you’re considering it for your home or office.

VoIP does just what the name suggests. It transmits voice data via IP packets over the Internet. This is done either through the computer alone (with special software and a microphone and earphones), or with a computer and extra hardware or web conferencing software.

The extra VoIP hardware usually consists of a network adapter (that allows you to plug any phone into it to use over the VoIP network) or an entire phone built to make the most of VoIP technology. Price depends on the hardware, and web conferencing system that comes with the complete phones typically costing more than the simple adapters.

The whole process is rather simple when broken down. Your voice (through software on your computer or in the phone or network adapter) is translated into small digital packets. These packets containing small bits of your conversation and they traverse the Internet to their destination. There, they are decoded and turned back into your voice.

And all of this happens in real time, just like a normal dedicated voice line. Granted, Quality of Service (QoS) is still a worry with some providers, but as the technology matures and more and more people make the switch, these problems are becoming few and far between.

This is a simple web conferencing technology, but it’s caused changes to a lot of businesses, saving them money by consolidating their voice and data networks into one system. It’s also brought down the price (considerably) of long distance calls for home consumers.

Old Vs. New

To better understand VoIP, you have to know a little bit about PSTN (the Public Switched Telephone Network.) With this method of phone communication (that has been around since the telephone was invented on a large scale), when someone calls another person, one continuous route is made between the two phones. Traditionally, the longer the route, the more expensive the cost of the call.

VoIP and web video conference is different in that it sends out small packets of information rather than one long continuous string of information. Because of this, the Internet (also a packet based network) can be used to transmit phone calls. It doesn’t sound like a big thing when you break it down like that, but it’s actually quite a breakthrough in the 100 or so year history of the telephone. Internet telephony is still a relatively new thing. As such, we can expect a lot more innovation in the VoIP space over the next ten to twenty years. Hopefully this small peek at VoIP has whet your appetite for more information.

The New Face of Meetings- Web Video Conferencing

One of the most inevitable part for all types of businesses is Meeting. Despite the increased efficiency of email, instant messaging and mobile phones, a meeting of the minds and resources is often essential to get to the next step. Before the days of the Internet and web conference software, meetings were much more difficult to coordinate.To schedule personal meetings involved making countless telephone calls, sending confirmation letters and coordinating travel arrangements for all parties. One meeting could cost clerical staff and executives hours of valuable time. Even if businesses had an advanced telephone system to conduct conference calls, often it was confusing to use. Connecting parties was a challenge and often someone was disconnected along the way. Only three decades ago, the only options businesses had were physical meetings or telephone conference calls. Physical meetings were the norm since most offices did not have the advanced telephone technology to initiate or support conference calls.

Instant text messaging and web conference calls are quite effective, many people prefer to handle business face-to-face. Sharing physical documents, creating drawings and having a face to go with a voice are all possible web video conferencing and nobody has to leave their offices. When parties from around the globe meet through web video conferencing, it makes the interaction more personal. Everyone is face-to-face and interactive by simply using the web video conferencing software.

Putting together a web conference call is much simpler than using traditional telephone lines. With a few keystrokes, everyone is ready talk. Instead of reading manuals, pressing hold buttons and remembering secret formulas, parties can effortlessly coordinate web conference calls from anywhere in the world. Impromptu meetings are a cinch because everyone has ready access to web conferencing software from any browser.

Without major hardware changes or spending hours to learn new systems, SaaS users are able to make web conference calls and conduct web video conferences in moments. The convenience of SaaS solutions is unsurpassed. For a set fee per month, businesses have access to hosted solutions to boost efficiency. Because of its scalability, multiple users can take advantage of SaaS solutions. Upgrades are instantly made over the Internet so everyone has access to the latest services. Users can participate in conferences from any Web browser, anywhere in the world to achieve their goals instantly.

Sophisticated applications are desirable but many businesses are unable to bear the cost. Taking time away from daily operations, updating hardware and making other necessary updates is not always feasible. For this reason, many small, mid-size and large businesses are taking advantage of software as a service (SaaS). With SaaS applications and services, businesses gain instance access to the latest advances without losing time and money to remain competitive in the modern business environment.

Internet And Business Online – The Act Of Interdependence

The best role of business online is that of interdependency. We’ve all heard the old saying, “No man is an island.” When it comes to online business this is especially true.

If a business owner who takes their business into the online world determines they will be self reliant and never accept the help of anyone then that individual will not be in business long enough to change their minds.

It is accepted fact that the greatest tool for long-term exposure to your business is  through web conferencing system. Without it potential customers can’t find you. It is unreasonable to expect that you can adequately develop a web conferencing program and optimizing your website for the best possible search engine ranking.

Search engines also place a high value on sites that have links placed on existing sites. These ‘backlinks’ demonstrate to search engines that others trust your site. By placing your link on their website these other businesses indicate a trust and recommendation for your site.

In effect the two strategies listed above rely exclusively on what others can do for you when it comes to your online business.

Shirley Temple once proclaimed in her movie Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, “I’m very self-reliant.” American westerns are filled with lines dealing with pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and holding down the fort. Many of us have grown up to believe if we want something done right we have to do it ourselves.

This thinking is in opposition to the rules associated with an online business.

The online world can only exist because people share. Individuals share technology, but the also share links, reviews, blogs, forums and a wide range of other marketing strategies that find a commingling of interdependency.

In online video conferencing reviews you are as dependent on others as they may be on you. Unlike the word ‘dependent’, the term interdependent indicates a mutual dependency. In other words you are depending on others to help provide links back to your site while they are equally dependent on you (or others) for the success of their communication business.

Have you really taken a proactive approach to networking? It’s possible you are reading this today and you’ve never considered asking someone else to place a link to your site on his or her online business site.

It can feel awkward depending on others to achieve online success especially if you’ve been lead to believe reliance on others is also a sign of imposing on their otherwise brilliant generosity.

I suppose it could be a deep-seated sense of pride that makes it hard to consider the need to ask others for help. However, the truth is depending on others is really what has made the Internet possible. The growth of this online world is comprised of a link of computers, networks and servers that are connected in a way that provides the maximum benefit for all.

Building an online business can feel a bit like trying to build a house of cards. Without the ability to rely on the other ‘cards’ around you it is virtually impossible to build.

Interdependence. This is the essence of online business.

By: Scott Lindsay