Specialized Computing Blog

VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. These are voice calls routed over internet networks using the internet protocol. IP serves as the base of the internet on which all internet applications like website pages, emails, instant messages etc. reside.

VoIP offers a great promise to communication. VoIP offers a low cost voice communication. Yet, there are hindrances to the wide scale adoption of VoIP.

This article discusses the disadvantages of VoIP, which many are familiar with. In addition, this article will also discuss how to improve the quality of VoIP phone service.

Disadvantages of VoIP

It is common knowledge that the many advantages of VoIP come with a few glaring disadvantages too. Here are the 4 major disadvantages of VoIP.

1. Maintaining Reliable Internet Connection for VoIP

During outages, there will be no internet connection and hence no telephone service, while a cellular phone can be used under such circumstances.

2. 911 Emergency

Normally when a call is made to 911, the operator is able to tell the address of the caller in order to send help to the correct location. With VoIP, that is not the case.

E911 can resolve this issue. The VoIP phone number registered online and whenever a 911 call is made using this VoIP phone, the location can be determined by the emergency personnel.

3. Large Number of Computers Connected to the Network.

If many computers are connected to the network and are using the internet at the same time, then the quality of VoIP audio will be poor, especially over a wireless connection. Ethernet (a cable connection) is highly recommended under such circumstances.

4. Poor Audio Quality of VoIP

This brings up the biggest issue – audio quality. No matter what bells and whistles are associated with a VoIP phone, the basic function of any phone is voice communication. If the audio quality is poor, then there is no point in using VoIP phone even though it has all the bells and whistles!

What good is VoIP phones that have additional video, music, caller ID and many advanced features but has a lot background noise and also dropped calls? This disadvantage is addressed in more detail in the next section.

Although there have been a lot enhancements to VoIP, the audio quality suffers at times. VoIP is entirely dependent on internet connection and so whatever affects the internet connection will affect VoIP phone service.

6 Tips to Improve the VoIP Quality

Many users complain about poor audio VoIP quality (which is the disadvantage #4), dropped calls etc. Here are 6 aspects of the VoIP setup that can affect the quality of VoIP phone service. Following these tips can greatly improve the VoIP quality.

1. Internet Connection

High speed internet connection is highly recommended. Some companies offer VoIP for dial up internet connection but this will result in poor audio and eventually you will begin to dislike VoIP but this is not the fault of the VoIP.

It is the internet connection. Even with the high speed internet connections like cable or ethernet, there are occasionally times of very high data transfer and during those times, the VoIP quality will be poor.

2. External Factors like Weather Conditions

Heavy rains, thunderstorms and snowstorms can cause increased static on broadband lines. Sometimes turning off the VoIP setup and turning it back on can resolve this problem. The other solution is that your VoIP service provider can replace these cables with higher quality cable to reduce the static. These cables are expensive. It is your decision whether to replace it or not.

3. Compression Software i.e., Codec

The technical details of the codecs are out of scope for this article. You can find more details about codecs on Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codec). Here is brief explanation of codecs with respect to VoIP – VoIP compresses the voice data packets before sending them. The reason for compression is that the compressed data packet sent or transmitted is not heavy i.e., if the data packet is heavy, then the transmission will be too slow and ineffective. Codec is the software that is used for such data compression purposes. If the codec is not of good quality, then audio quality will suffer.

4. VoIP Hardware and its Location

The VoIP hardware has huge impact on the VoIP audio quality. The most important one is the ATA/Router. VOIP ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptor) brings traditional telephones to the networked world. It connects phone handset-to-Ethernet adaptor and hence interfaces regular analog telephones with VoIP telephone networks. More details about ATA can be found on Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_telephony_adapter).

ATAs in general should have support for Firewall and security, compression technologies and echo cancellation. Many technicians have found out that VoIP equipment interfere with each other and create some type of buzzing noise or feedback and sometimes dropped calls. Contrary to the belief that VoIP hardware/ equipment must be as close as possible to each other, the ATA should not be placed very close to the broadband internet router! Placing these equipment away from each other can improve the VoIP phone service’s audio quality.

5. Computer Hardware and Maintenance

Regular de-fragmentation, availability of more memory on your computer, high quality of speakers and microphone etc. can positively affect the VoIP quality.

6. VoIP Phone Type/ Frequency

The phone type and frequency can affect the VoIP quality. Contrary to the belief that higher frequency delivers better VoIP quality, sometimes using a lower frequency phone may be better suited to your connection. So if you experience a lot feedback in the audio, then it is a good idea to try a phone with lower frequency.

Overall VoIP has a great promise for providing excellent communication at very low costs. VoIP services are not a fad – they are here to stay. A lot research has been done by major corporations to resolve some of the disadvantages of VoIP and also to improve the quality. Every few months, there is some improvement in the VoIP quality.

Ever heard of VoIP Phishing? Yes, that is the mode of phishing attacks by hackers! Believe it or not, VoIP has made telecommunication very affordable but at the same it has made users more vulnerable to VoIP Phishing or Vishing (as it is popularly known). Fear not, there are ways to avoid being a victim of vishing.

Phishing is any type of personal data obtained by surreptitious means. Here a hacker will either send an email or voicemail making it appear like a genuine message from an authorized person or organization – either from a bank or an online financial account like Ebay auction site, PayPal or Western Union. This message will request your personal information like account userid and password and thus the hacker will harm you.

An example of phishing on the phone would be – you receive a voicemail from your internet bank stating that someone has hacked into your account and it requires you to call a certain number and verify your userid, password and also the secret security questions. The voicemail is really not from your internet bank but it is made to believe so. Typically, users panic when they hear such voicemails and forget to analyze the situation and think rationally. They immediately call the number stated in the voicemail and give out all the details. Thus they become victims of phishing!

Why is it easier to hack with VoIP rather than a traditional landline?

Let us examine how VoIP makes it easier for hacker and why hackers didn’t attack via the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network or the traditional landline).

* With VoIP, hackers can tamper with the caller ID and make the caller’s number appear like it came from your bank. It is much easier to tamper the caller number with VoIP when compared to PSTN.

* With VoIP, any mediocre programmer can call potential victim’s number without compromising his / her identity. i.e., it is easier for the hacker to mask himself / herself.

* VoIP phone numbers can be quickly generated and destroyed before the authorities can trace the hackers.

* With VoIP, a hacker can simulate an international call using a virtual phone number and then call local numbers for phishing purposes.

* All VoIP hardware like IP phones and routers have become very affordable and can be moved anywhere and used. This makes it easier for hackers to move around and not get caught.

In general, the VoIP system makes it easier for the hacker to mask his / her identity. PSTN is the most secure system where the hacker has to be an expert to mask his or her identity.

Four Steps to Avoid being a VoIP Phishing Victim

1. Never give out any personal information to an automated telephone system. Usually, the hacker’s voicemail will make it appear that it came from your internet bank and request you to call a phone number wherein you will be received by an automated phone system asking you to enter your password, social security number and other personal details. If you receive such a voicemail, call the number listed on your bank’s website (instead of the one stated in the voicemail) to verify the information in your voicemail or just walk up to your bank office location and let them know about the voicemail.

2. Use anti-phishing software along with your PBX, which will filter out all the suspicious calls.

3. If you suspect phishing, report it by sending an email to reportphishing@antiphishing.org.

4. Create awareness among your friends, relatives and coworkers about VoIP phishing. This step itself can prevent and discourage hackers in a very significant way.

VoIP is a great invention, providing very affordable long distance communication for individual users, small businesses and large corporations. With some awareness about VoIP phishing or vishing, you can avoid being a victim and also prevent others from becoming victims.

Voice over internet protocol or VoIP, the breakthrough technology that allows people to make broadband phone calls possible is now being geared up to take over the future of internet communication and people connectivity. More and more companies are seeing the potential of this new technology and have started to plunge onto the bandwagon and offer broadband phone services to people all around the world.

The popularity can be attributed in part to the ease of use of these phones. The phones actually work like a normal landline or mobile. When the phone rings, you pick it up as you would any other phone. The advantage lies in the savings you make on your call costs. Because these phones run thru your internet or broadband line you normally get minimal line rental if any and cheaper national and international call rates.

There are several things to consider though before getting a broadband phone. Most broadband phone systems have no complicated switches or plugs or voice converters. These are all usually integrated into the system. A phone bundle would have hardware and software coming with it. Hardware for broadband phones systems use an adapter to make your old landline phone unit useable for the system.

The hardware is connected to a router that is found in your network or through the USB 2.0 port in your computer. Usually, hardware connected via a router use the ethernet connection thru a plug and play installation. The software is simply a bridge between your computer and the hardware.

Broadband phones or IP phones use a technology called voice over internet protocol or commonly termed VoIP. This is simply a way to transmit voice data signals thru the internet rather than thru your normal telephone copper line. The systems converts your analog voice signal into digital packets and converts it back into analog signals as they reach the receiving phone on the other end. This happens whether you are connecting to a landline number or a mobile phone.

Since there is a fair amount to data conversion happening in the background what you will need is a high speed internet connection. The faster your internet connection, the better.

Keep in mind that broadband connections normally pass thru checkpoints called nodes. When these checkpoints are overloaded or choked this would affect the quality of your phone connection. Having a good quality internet provider helps in this situation.

With a high quality internet provider and easy installation there should be no reason not to enjoy cheaper call rates thru broadband phones.

People are intrigued by VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Many of the forums, VoIP internet groups, VoIP customer service etc. receive some questions that are common among prospective VoIP users. Here are answers for those frequently asked questions (FAQ).

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. These are voice calls routed over internet networks using the internet protocol. IP serves as the base of the internet on which all internet applications like website pages, emails, instant messages etc. reside.

How reliable is VoIP service?

The short answer is – VoIP is less reliable than the landline phone. VoIP is relatively newer technology and so there is still a lot of ongoing research and development to improve the reliability of VoIP. Whenever there is a disruption of the broadband internet connection, the VoIP service will be negatively affected. If there is a power outage, then there will be no VoIP service. Installing a UPS (Universal Power Supply) will solve this problem by ensuring uninterrupted supply of power.

What is the cost of VoIP?

VoIP is definitely cheaper than a landline phone. This is the most attractive feature. If VoIP were not considerably cheaper than the landline, then VoIP would be non-existent! Typically, if you purchase VoIP from your broadband internet provider, then it will be much more inexpensive.

What are the items you need in order use VoIP?

You need the following things to use VoIP:

- Internet service: Preferably a broadband connection is needed. Dial-up connection will allow you to use VoIP but the quality will be very poor.

- VoIP Software: This will allow the computer to make calls through the modem connection to the internet.

- Adapter: This is needed only if you want to convert the home phone to make VoIP calls.

Can one surf the internet while using the VoIP phone?

Yes.

Can one use the current phone number after switching to VoIP?

Yes.

How secure is the VoIP service?

VoIP is somewhat less secure compared to a landline phone. The landline phones can be tapped (wiretapped) but it requires some kind of physical access. This is a difficult process. On the other hand VoIP calls can be intercepted by network attackers (hackers) easily. Installing a network security system can minimize such risks in VoIP.

How good is the VoIP service quality?

Currently (this is year 2008), the VoIP quality is very good. Earlier it was not so good and there were constant complaints from VoIP users about dropped calls or some background noise. But these disturbances do not occur anymore as the VoIP quality has improved over the years. The credit for improved VoIP quality goes to the telecommunication companies that are constantly researching ways to improve the quality.

What makes VoIP inexpensive compared to Landline?

VoIP runs on the internet. If you already have an internet service, then VoIP is just another application like email, instant message etc. These can be distributed over the internet for free.

Why are some VoIP services free and some cost money?

Ahh! Good question. The answer for the previous question makes it appear like VoIP should always be free! But that is not the case. If the VoIP call is made from one computer to another, then it is free. But usually, people want to make phone calls to landline phones and cell phones and in such cases the VoIP companies have to pay access fees to those other phone carriers. This is the reason why there is some cost to VoIP service.

Which VoIP service provider should be used?

It depends on your necessity. There are VoIP providers that offer per minute rates and there are those that are flat rates. If you make very few calls, then it may be best to use a per minute service otherwise the flat rate plan is better. There are many other features that are offered, which can increase the VoIP charges. If you don’t need those extra features, then it is best that you don’t purchase such service packages.

This is an oversimplified explanation of choosing a VoIP service provider. Choosing a provider requires a lot of research and a detailed description is out of scope for this article. It is highly recommended that you research the internet with keywords like “how to choose a VoIP provider”, “choosing VoIP service provider” etc. to get more details about how to choose a VoIP service provider.

Can emergency numbers be called using VoIP?

The question is whether the emergency service provider can determine your address from the phone call without the caller mentioning the street address. Currently, the 911 number in the US and the 112 number in the European Union are supported by VoIP. i.e., there are alternative ways wherein the emergency service provider can determine the street address from the phone call itself. The VoIP user has to register the address associated with the VoIP phone on the internet and so whenever a call is made from the VoIP phone, the address from the internet site is displayed to the emergency staff.

This FAQ provides some basic information and clarity about VoIP. VoIP is an emerging technology and there are lots of money spent by all major telecommunication companies for research and development in order to improve the quality and reliability of the VoIP service. The best of VoIP is yet to come.

As more and more consumers learn about Voice over Internet Protocol phone services, they are trying to find a definitive answer to one burning question: Is this thing reliable enough to replace the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) they grew up with and have built their lives around?

There are, in fact, a great many positive reasons to switch from POTS to VoIP:

1. It’s cheaper. Way cheaper. From about $9.95 for the most basic service (still far better than POTS) to $39.95 for residential; business plans usually run from $49.95-to-$99.95 and include a separate fax number.

2. The free VoIP “modem” is shipped to you in 5 to 10 days; buy it at a store for same-day service and the VoIP firm will reimburse or credit it against your bill.

3. “Extra” services widely standard: VoiceMail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-Way Conferencing, Call Forward, Repeat Dialing, Call Block, unlimited calling (local and LD) – in short, virtually every option ever offered – for an additional fee – by any POTS company.

4. No charge for incoming calls from anywhere, unlike US cellular providers; same for outgoing “local” calls (depending on plan; some use a cellular-style monthly minutes package).

5. With VoIP, “local” in North America almost always includes both the US and Canada; some also include Western Europe, parts of Asia and parts of Latin America. For those countries not included free, international plans are available for far less than standard LD companies. Or you can make occasional calls without a plan for far lower per-minute charges than most LD plans. This generally applies – more or less in reverse – for VoIP services in Europe, Asia and elsewhere, as well.

6. No computer needed, just plug a standard phone cable from the VoIP box to your regular desktop phone or portable base station.

7. Activate every phone jack in the house – just plug the VoIP modem into any existing wall jack, after first disconnecting your house’s internal phone wiring from the POTS world at the phone box outside, probably on your front wall. This option generally is not available to apartment dwellers. Sorry.

8. Virtual Phone Numbers: For a low price (usually about $5), you can have a phone number in almost any area code, so friends or family can dial a local number that rings on your phone. You can’t use it for outgoing calls because it isn’t a “real” line.

9. Low-cost 800 Numbers: Want to make it free for a lot of callers without bankrupting you? Most VoIP providers offer cheap 800 numbers – free to the caller, fixed monthly rate for you (varies, but roughly $5 for the first 100 minutes each month, then 4.5-cents or so per minute beyond that).

10. Find Me: Some include a system that, if you don’t answer, will call three or more other numbers you designate, in sequence or simultaneously, then go to voicemail if you still don’t answer.

11. And this is THE KICKER: Take your home or office “phone” with you when you travel. Just pack the VoIP modem in your suitcase; on arrival, plug it into any high-speed Internet connection (hotel room, friend or relative’s house, airport, whatever) and, bingo, you can place and, more importantly, receive calls made to your regular phone number. And that is true anywhere in the world (with charges based on your home location). Go to Bora Bora and someone calling your home or office number in Des Moines will never know you’re not in Iowa when you answer; call someone and your usual Caller ID shows.

For every ying, of course, there must be a yang – so now for the downside:

1. If you have a cable Internet connection, your downline is 2 to 10 times faster than your upline. As a result, you may hear the other person clear as a bell and they may not hear you at all. This will lead to them hanging up on you (they don’t know you’re there) or demanding you “get off the speaker” or “hang up your cell and call me from a real phone”. And those are the polite ones.

The VoIP companies insist 256K up should be more than enough for a clear signal; that does not appear to be the case in actual use. There are ways to overcome this, if you get a knowledgeable VoIP support tech.

2. High-speed connections vary in quality based on a host of factors, from how many other users are sharing that cable line to how far it is from the nearest DSL booster node. Which means day-to-day, even call-to-call, VoIP quality is going to vary, as well – sometimes to wild extremes.

3. When no one is speaking, there is a “dead” silence that makes most people, accustomed to the slight “buzz” of a POTS signal, think the connection has been broken. If you don’t want to hear a constant “are you still there?”, explain this to everyone at the start of any conversation.

4. If you try to “activate” a new credit card by calling via VoIP, the computer at the other end may insist you are not calling from your home phone. “Why?” is an as-yet unanswered question from the VoIP providers.

5. Never, ever, let anyone put you on silent hold. If your VoIP service doesn’t hear something on that line for several minutes (how many seems to vary), it may simply disconnect you, apparently on the theory your phone is actually off the hook.

6. If your up-line signal is not strong enough, your call won’t go through, leading to an annoyingly frequent “Your call cannot be completed at this time” recording.

7. Occasionally, your VoIP will just stop working. The fix varies slightly by provider, but basically involves a lot of unplugging and replugging of VoIP modem, router, cable/DSL connection, in a specific sequence provided by the VoIP company.

8. Last, and by far, worst: If your Internet connection goes down for any reason, you have no phone service. Anyone depending entirely on VoIP is strongly encouraged to keep a cellphone handy (keeping in mind you can set VoIP up to automatically call your cell if you don’t answer the VoIP line).

Bottom line: Commercial VoIP is a real telephone service, unlike computer-based “messengers” or even Skype (which clearly states it is not telephony); marks against, include no video (yet) and a lot of bugs yet to resolve. Still, at a savings of $30 to $100 a month, these problems aren’t so severe you can’t learn to live with them. It’s a bigger issue for your office, but add a cellphone to the mix for back-up and you may soon join the growing number of consumers who have gone all-VoIP, with no intention of ever going to POTS again.