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The Best VoIP Internet Phone Service Providers for the Money

How VoIP Broadband Phone Service Works

VoIP is a technology for transmitting ordinary telephone calls over the Internet using packet linked routes (voice signals are converted to digital data packets). An Internet connection is used to pass voice data using IP (internet protocol) instead of using the standard public switched telephone network (PSTN). This can avoid long distance telephone charges, as the only connection is through the Internet.

Voice over internet protocol technology converts an analog sound (your voice) into digital (data) packets and transmits these packets over the internet. At the destination, data packets are converted back into analog sound. Because everything having to do with broadband phone service is digital, VoIP is the ideal solution for video conferencing as well.  Most of the top VoIP providers offer the option to use a video phone so users can take full advantage of this technology. 

A small box called a VoIP adapter takes care of the conversion from digital to analog and vice versa. The VoIP adapter is normally provided by the VoIP service provider. Most internet phone service providers give you the VoIP adapter for free when subscribing. 

Some VoIP providers like Packet8 and Vonage give you a choice of getting free basic adapter or purchasing a full-featured router that has a built in adapter and even a telephone.  Packet8 offers an optional whole-house VoIP phone system that allows up to 10 cordless handsets and requires absolutely no telephone wiring.  We recommend a unit like this for it's ease of use and for the great versatility and portability it gives you.  With the Uniden 1868P whole house VoIP phone system (available from Packet8), you have a total VoIP solution set up in an instant!

With internet phone service, you can call anyone that has a phone number - The person you are calling doesn’t need to be using VOIP phone service. VOIP service providers normally offer different levels of service packages, and you usually pay a flat monthly fee for the amount of local and long distance minutes you require. All of the best VoIP providers offer an unlimited local and long distance calling plan, which is normally their best seller because of the low cost and flat monthly fee no matter how many long distance calls you make.  Because the technology is efficient and uses the internet instead of the expensive public switched telephone network, internet phone service is MUCH CHEAPER than traditional land line phone service.

VoIP internet phone service is quickly becoming the most used type of telecommunications service in the world.  With millions of new subscribers each year, traditional phone lines are quickly becoming a thing of the past. 

Regular telephone companies have lost a lot of subscribers since VoIP started really taking off in 2005, and now they are also offering cheap unlimited long distance calling plans in the hopes of keeping customers.  Due to the expensive "old technology" equipment the phone companies must maintain and the employee overhead associated with this, land line phone companies cannot lower prices much more without suffering huge losses.  Many telephone companies are starting to integrate VoIP technology into their phone service offerings now, in an effort to maintain efficient pricing.

Cable television companies are also jumping onto the VoIP bandwagon now, as they try to raise revenues by offering telephone service.  The phone service cable companies offer is usually referred to as "digital phone service", which is just their fancy marketing term for VoIP.  Cable companies actually buy VoIP service from true VoIP providers at a wholesale price, then re-brand it and re-sell it (at inflated prices) as their own.  Don't be fooled into thinking your cable company is now a phone company - they're not.  They are simply reselling VoIP service that they bought from someone else.

For the best pricing and highest quality on VoIP service, we advise consumers to purchase VoIP from a true VoIP provider like VoIP.com,  Packet8, Vonage, or Lingo.  These are the companies who participated in the development of VoIP technology as we know it today, and their sole purpose and expertise is internet phone service.  Not only do these VoIP providers offer high quality, they offer the best price on broadband phone service.

Best VoIP Providers for Home and Business