Internet telephony: pros and cons

If you are thinking of using VoIP for the first time, a short list of pros and cons can help you decide if VoIP would be right for you.

Pros

• The financial savings of using VoIP is undoubtedly the biggest benefit.
• If the receiver is also connected to a VoIP service, you can usually make the call for free.
• There are a wide variety of services and providers available.
• The basic packages offered by many providers often include features that would be charged extra on a traditional phone. The sound quality is also usually much better.
• Consider the emergency number that used to be a problem for VoIP lines, this is no longer the case – some providers offer 911 service itself, others E911 (enhanced 911)
• Often times, you can make more than one call per line.

Cons

• A conventional phone will continue to work even during a power outage (excluding cordless phones), while your Internet connection will do so unless you have backup power.
• The quality of service will depend on the quality of your Internet connection, so in some cases, you may need to upgrade your Internet access. You must take into account both downstream and upstream capacity. Not an easy assessment for low capacity connections (like 125 kbps or less)
• You may need specific hardware or software that is not always free, or that some providers offer at no cost but that comes with a fixed-term contract.
• If you lose your Internet connection, even temporarily, the VoIP line will not work.
• The time lag of phone lines is most noticeable when using VoIP. If you plan to call landlines, you must make sure that you will not hear too much echo or delay in sound reproduction.
• If you use a fax machine, you need to make sure it works well with your VoIP line.

Now that all the main factors have been illustrated, here is one last tip: If you are planning to get a second phone line, try a VoIP service and compare one to the other, while enjoying the best of both worlds.