Hello, Voice-over IP (VOIP) please.
Hmmm. It seems like Ray can make a free long-distance phone call to his Australian pen pal, Kylie, from his personal home computer. Let's eavesdrop on his phone conversation to find out how that's possible, shall we?
Kylie: Hello. This is Kylie speaking.
Ray: Surprise, Kylie! It's Ray.
Kylie: Ray! How are you? Hey, wait a minute. You're calling from Singapore. This phone call is going to be very expensive for you!
Ray: Oh, don't worry about it. This phone call is free of charge.
Kylie: How's that possible? Don't mess with my head, Ray!
Ray: I'm not kidding. I'm using this technology called VOIP to call you from my computer. VOIP means Voice Over Internet Protocol, and the process of transmitting my voice to you is similar to that of sending an email. You don't have to pay to send an email, do you?
Kylie: No, I don't. Ray, this is so cool! But, nothing comes free in this world. Surely you have to pay for something…?
Ray: Okay, okay. I should have said that a long-distance call via the VOIP is almost free of charge because I still have to pay for my monthly Internet and VOIP subscriptions, the Integrated Access Device (IAD), as well as the installation and activation service charges. Nevertheless, I can still reap a lot of savings with VOIP.
Kylie: I don't believe you. Let's calculate and compare the prices of this long-distance call via the traditional home phone and the VOIP. Let's see. If you had used your home phone to call me, this phone call will cost $36 for an hour. Man, that is expensive!
Ray: With VOIP, I have to pay about $60 for my Internet subscription, about $15 for my VOIP subscription, about $160 for the IAD and about $60 for the service charges. That makes it $295 for a month of unlimited long-distance calls. There's about 720 hours in a month. That means that a one-hour long-distance call via VOIP will cost only about $0.40! Sometimes the International Direct Dialing (IDD) charges also apply, but…
Kylie: That is almost $35.60 worth of savings! Quick! Tell me how the VOIP works.
Ray: It's really simple. Firstly, my computer is connected to a broadband Internet connection, installed with the VOIP software and plugged to the IAD. The IAD is a device which converts my voice into digital signals that travel over the Internet. These digital signals are then transported to the telephone network, which connects the digital signals to your phone. Right now, I am using a special headset instead of a regular telephone to talk to you. So, in a way, I am calling you directly from my computer.
Kylie: Wow! It's amazing how technology can improve the way we do things. Does the technology have something to do with this unusually clear voices?
Ray: Yes! Most people who have used VOIP claimed that the quality of a long-distance call is better and the voices are clearer when they call someone from overseas. So, we won't be having anymore bad connections and distorted voices from now on!
Kylie: I have to persuade Daddy to get me a VOIP as well! I'll talk to you again later.
Ray: Haha! Well, do call me once you've gotten your own VOIP! Bye, Kylie.
Kylie: Haha. Bye, Ray.
So now we know how Ray manages to call Kylie in Australia for almost free. Are you thinking of getting a VOIP as well? If you are, just bear in mind that there is more than one standard way in which the VOIP works. As there are many software and hardware involved in the VOIP technology, do consult your service provider to help you to choose a VOIP system that is most suitable for you.