Choosing the Best VoIP Provider
VoIP (voice over internet protocol) internet phone service
provides a money saving alternative to the traditional land line phone,
providing an annual savings of up to 80% on telephone expenses. All
that is required for VoIP is a broadband internet connection and an
internet phone service plan.
With so many VoIP service providers to choose from these days, the
biggest problem most people have is deciding which internet phone company
to get service with. Having high quality, reliable telephone service is
extremely important, so you need a company that is established and
reputable. Another very important issue is price and features - you want
to get the most for your money, as long as the quality of service is
excellent . Since broadband phone providers all use the same basic
technology, selecting the best VoIP provider comes down to looking at some
basic information about the internet phone company itself.
Factors to consider when choosing the best VoIP provider:
- The history and reputation of the company.
Is the
company financially sound? Have they been in the internet phone
business for a long time, or are they new at this? Are they on the
"up and up", or are they entangled in lawsuits? The best VoIP
providers are profitable, well managed, and highly experienced with the
technology.
- The quality of support. Is the company
committed to delivering the best possible service? Is their
customer service and technical support staff always available, and quick
to respond? The best VoIP providers will have
24X7 support and always respond to your issues very quickly.
- The quality of VoIP service. Is sound
quality as good as a regular land line phone? Is the "uptime" of
service 100% or near this? Does the VoIP provider offer call
forwarding when your power goes out or internet connection goes down?
Do they offer enhanced 911 (E911) service, which routes 911 calls to a
local dispatch office and provides emergency operators with your
location when calling? The best VoIP providers are always striving
to provide top quality service, and are always proactive when it comes
to delivering the latest technologies and service enhancements.
- What you get for your money. For most
people, the main benefit of VoIP is getting unlimited local and long
distance calling for a low, flat monthly fee. All internet phone
service providers offer an "unlimited calling" plan, but the price
usually varies from provider to provider.
Vonage charges
$24.99/month*, Opex costs $44.95
per month for unlimited home business service, Packet 8 charges $24.99/month,
FonVantage charges $29.95
to $39.95 per month for business-class service, Lingo charges around
$22/month, and comes with free international calling to some locations.
VoIP.com charges $16.58
a month (with prepaid annual service) and cable companies
charge an average of $39.99/month for the same unlimited calling
service.
* With the exception of Vonage and Lingo, who both include free international calls to some destinations in their unlimited calling
plan - most VoIP provider's unlimited calling plan typically includes
only the U.S. and Canada.
- VoIP Service Features. Standard features
like caller ID, call transfer, call waiting, call forwarding, call
blocking, voicemail to email, voicemail, three-way conference calling,
etc... are usually included with every VoIP provider's plan. The
type of feature and number of features varies with each provider, but
most of the best VoIP providers give you every feature you would ever
want for free. Unlike land line phone service (where you have to
pay for these "extras"), features are usually free with the best VoIP
providers.
Our Picks for the "Best VoIP Provider for the Money"
For really cheap unlimited residential local and long distance calling
within the U.S. and Canada, we highly recommend
Voip.com internet phone service.
VoIP.com and offers the best value for the money for those interested in basic
broadband phone service.
VoIP.com unlimited local and long distance is only $199 a year (paid
annually), which works out to a measly $16.58 per month.
Packet8 also has an annual unlimited plan for the same price. Both Voip.com and Packet8 have free softphone service, which makes it really convenient when you travel. With a softphone, you can literally take your broadband phone service with you on your laptop and never miss a call.
For
those who want to make cheap international calls,
Voip.com has the
absolute lowest international long distance rates around.
For unlimited residential, and small business VoIP service,
consider Packet8
due to it's reasonable cost, company stability and longevity, and reputation for
excellent "business class" phone service. Packet8
was the first VoIP provider to develop and offer video phone service to
consumers, and
Packet8 Virtual Office is one of the few VoIP service offerings
specifically geared toward small businesses.
For a portable PC to PC or PC to Phone VoIP solution, we
recommend voip.com or Net2Phone, depending on your individual needs. PC-based
phone service, also known as soft phone or SIP phone service, requires a
computer connected to the internet as well as speakers a microphone and a
headset. It is possible to purchase a USB phone for use with PC
based VoIP service, which makes it a little less inconvenient to use.
The big advantage of using a soft phone VoIP service is the portability
and extremely low cost. PC phones are not intended to replace land
line phones. You should only use this type of internet phone service
as a supplement to a traditional phone or cell phone.
VoIP.com offers some of the lowest rates for PC to Phone calls within
the U.S., and international calls are super-cheap.
Before you decide on the best voip provider for you, we encourage you
to first learn all you can about the providers and plans available to you.
Each internet phone service provider offers slightly different plans,
options and features, so it's important to compare VoIP providers against
what you need and expect out of your phone service. We only review
the best VoIP providers, so you can be assured that the internet phone
companies presented on this site all offer excellent service and value for
the money.
|
|
Best VoIP Providers for Home and Business |
