| Internet telephony or VOIP uses your phone - | | | | There are some other cool features available for |
| the interface we're all familiar with, but instead of | | | | extra $ like the soft phone which lets you use |
| connecting your phone to the wall, you connect it | | | | your computer as a phone w/o the modem - this |
| to a box either the VOIP company provides or | | | | means you can take your laptop with you |
| you buy on your own. This is the modem. You | | | | wherever and you have your phone with the |
| need high-speed/broadband internet for this. Your | | | | same phone number everywhere too (you can |
| modem plugs into your cable/dsl modem and now | | | | do this w/o the soft phone, but you have to take |
| it can 'talk' without your phone and the internet. | | | | your VOIP modem around with you - not bad if |
| Your phone lines already do pretty much what | | | | you're going somewhere for a longer trip). |
| VOIP does, just with different/older technology | | | | Another really cool thing is the virtual phone |
| (well, some of it's new with optics and such, but...). | | | | numbers. You can get extra numbers that ring |
| How hard is it to setup? | | | | the same phone, but they are local numbers to |
| It's actually very easy. Assuming you have the | | | | any area code you want. So if I live in Dallas and |
| company send you a modem or you buy a kit at | | | | have family in New York, I can get a local phone |
| the store, you simply plug the modem without | | | | number here and there. That way my family in |
| your current cable/dsl modem and your computer | | | | New York can call a local number (free) and talk |
| (e.g., the out from your cable modem now goes | | | | to me! |
| to the new box and the out from that to your | | | | SunRocket charges $16.58 /month for that. I'm |
| computer). It also has a phone jack for your | | | | not sure about the others. |
| regular phone. | | | | And the biggest benefit - IT'S CHEAP! I pay |
| Once it is on, it will boot up and configure itself. | | | | $14.99 plus some tax and such, but not the |
| What are the benefits? | | | | ump-teen taxes, charges, fees, etc. like the phone |
| There are many benefits depending on the | | | | company charges. |
| company you go w/, but here are a few I have | | | | Also, if you do a little research/reading, you can |
| (all of these are free with the monthly fee- | | | | set it up to where every phone jack in your |
| $14.99 for my setup): | | | | house is wired for VOIP. It's little more than |
| 1. Features like caller id, call waiting, call waiting | | | | plugging the output of your VOIP modem into the |
| caller id, call forwarding, etc. | | | | wall jack you already have. Very little more. |
| 2. Voicemail | | | | Bottom Line |
| 3. Email alerts for new voicemail. | | | | You get lots of good, free features and options |
| 4. Web access to voicemail - you can play your | | | | for doing/managing a lot more including a lot over |
| messages on your computer. | | | | the web and it's SO much cheaper (at least it is |
| 5. Auto-forward - if the phone is ever down or | | | | for me!). Being the 'average guy' I am, I don't |
| isn't answered, it's auto-routed to another number | | | | really use all the features. Fortunately, it's pretty |
| 6. Online management of all features, settings, | | | | much a 'set it up and forget about it' type thing |
| account, etc. | | | | except that I save $40+/month with it! |
| 7. Computer dialing - highlight any number on your | | | | I use SunRocket because that's what I was told |
| computer, hit F6 and it sets up the call from your | | | | about first and it was one of the first. There are |
| phone to theirs - very convenient! | | | | others and I'm sure they have their strengths, |
| 8. Keep your regular phone (you don't need a | | | | but SunRocket has the cheapest base option at |
| Voip phone) | | | | the time I did my research. |