VOIP: The Good and The Bad
Source: asteriskblog.com
In the recent months, VOIP services have gotten more and more attention – both for individual and business purposes. Sometimes, though, we get all caught up in the hype that we may not really see the details. Is VOIP really all that it is made out to be? Does it really bring about advantages? If so, what are they? On the other hand, does VOIP have disadvantages? And if so, what are they?
Let’s look at the positive side first. What are the benefits that VOIP offers? Of course, the benefits vary depending on the specific VOIP service provider. More so, these will depend on the specific features of the VOIP provider.
Unlimited calls for a very low price.
This benefit is actually quite dependent on the plan that you take on. For certain plans, VOIP users can make unlimited phone calls for a very low fee. This could mean that a flat fee is charged for a certain period of time, with no limits as to how many calls can be made. For other plans, it could be that the charges are made per call – for a very low fee still. In any case, the bottom line is that more calls can be made – long distance especially – for much cheaper.
Charging is done per second.
Again, this depends on the VOIP provider and the specific plan. For some VOIP plans that charge per call, however, the calls are charged per second and not by the minute. This makes for a lot of savings as you only really pay what you use.
Mobility and flexibility.
There are many VOIP platforms today which can be used anywhere in the world – as long as the user has a computer and a fast Internet connection. This makes for a lot of convenience as we all know that almost anywhere you go, you can connect to the Internet. This is particulary efficient and cost effective for business people who travel all the time.
Now how about the downside? VOIP surely has some disadvantages as well.
Security.
Like it or not, there are some security threats to VOIP. Generally, though, service providers are handling these issues the best way they can. This is not to say that security threats will not come up in the future, though.
Dependency on Internet speed.
The main thing that makes VOIP great can also be its downfall. Call quality is highly dependent on the speed of the Internet connection. If the Internet speed is not enough, then VOIP calls just might not be possible.
