Use your Computer to make Cheap Long-Distance Telephone Calls

History 1877 - The very first permanent outdoor telephone wire was completed. It stretched a distance of just three miles.

What is ‘VoIP'?

Simply put, VoIP refers to the carriage of voice signals over the Internet. PC to Phone VoIP refers to using your 'Internet-connected' computer to make calls to conventional telephones around the world. Whereas traditional telephone calls take place over fixed line ‘circuit switched' networks, VoIP calls are routed through the Internet using a far more efficient method known as ‘packet switching'.

Whilst carrying voice data more efficiently via the Internet is a benefit, the main advantage that VoIP has is one of cost. For example, a typical PC to Phone VoIP call to a telephone in the United States from anywhere in the world generally runs at just a few cents per minute. Keep in mind, the clarity/quality of PC to Phone calls is usually as good and in many cases better than that of a comparable Phone to Phone call.

History 1918 - was estimated that approximately ten million Bell system telephones were in service throughout the U.S.

How can it be so cheap?

Herein lies the beauty of PC to Phone calls. By using the Internet to route your calls, long-distance charges imposed upon you by the major telecommunications companies (Bell, Sprint, AT&T, etc) are all but eliminated. Furthermore, many of the governmental levies and fees associated with using the highly regulated ‘traditional' telephone networks are also avoided. The result? Extremely cheap, long distance calling to conventional telephones around the world with little or no loss of call quality.

History 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

So how does it work?

In a typical PC to Phone call, your computer receives your voice input via a microphone and then translates your voice into a ‘data packet'. This packet of data is then transmitted via the Internet to as close as possible to the physical destination of the telephone you're calling. Your voice ‘data packet' is then switched to the conventional telephone network and routed to the phone that you are calling. All of this data transmission, translation and switching takes place transparently and extremely quickly. Chances are that the person whom you're calling would have no idea that you're talking to them using your computer.

So what do you need?

In order to start making long-distance telephone calls using your computer, you'll need a computer that's connected to the Internet, a microphone and speakers (a headset with a boom microphone is ideal). It's worth mentioning that although there are several companies that support both the Linux and Macintosh platforms (e.g., www.skype.com), the vast majority of PC to Phone software is designed for use on Windows' compatible PCs. As far as your Internet connection goes, the faster the better (e.g., high speed Cable or ADSL). However, PC to Phone does also work on dial-up Internet connections (the way I access the Internet).

History 1911 - American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

The next thing to do is choose a PC to Phone Service Provider. These are the companies that provide the software and infrastructure necessary for you to make calls to conventional telephones via the Internet. There are many Service Providers and each have their own benefits and rates so it's a good idea to shop around. Almost all of them allow for pay-as-you-go usage (i.e., on a per minute basis) however some also offer unlimited calling plans to certain destinations for a low monthly fee. Some of the better known Providers include

History 1936 - Research into electronic telephone exchanges began and was eventually perfected in the 1960's with the electronic switching system (SES).

net2phone.com

iconnecthere.com

skype.com

Once you've chosen a Service Provider, you'll need to open an account and deposit funds into that account. If you're reluctant to use your credit card online, many of the PC to Phone companies offer alternative forms of payment (e.g., PayPal, direct deposit, wire transfer, etc.). Next, you'll need to download the ‘softphone' application from your service provider. A softphone is merely the interface program through which you dial the number of the person you're calling and usually only takes a few minutes to download on even the slowest ‘dial-up' Internet connections.

Softphones generally resemble the keypad on conventional telephones and work in much the same way. Depending on your service provider, the manner in which you ‘dial out' will vary. Typically, the softphone will take into account where you are in the world and adjust the dialing settings accordingly. In other words, you'd dial the exact same series of numbers into the softphone that you would if you were using a conventional telephone.

History 1900 - First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

Once you've made a few calls to friends and family around the world using your computer, you'll quickly realize the fantastic cost advantages of making ‘PC to Phone' calls versus ‘Phone to Phone' calls.

So what's the catch?

Whilst PC to Phone is terrific, it isn't perfect. There are some disadvantages that you should be aware of and these include:

History 1955 - Saw the beginning of the laying of transatlantic telephone cables.

a) Quality: If you access the Internet via a ‘dial-up' connection (i.e., through a normal telephone line), you may experience call quality degradation if you are surfing the web and talking to someone via PC to Phone at the same time. In other words, the ‘bandwidth' or ‘capacity of your Internet connection' may be limited and this could affect your calling ability.

History 1874 - Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

b) Echo: If you're using computer speakers to hear the person you're talking to, that person may hear an ‘echo' of their own voice. This happens for reasons similar to that encountered with the ‘speakerphone' function on conventional telephones. At the same time as you hear that person's voice coming through your computer speakers, your microphone will also detect the voice and re-transmit the signal back to the person you're talking to. This ‘echo' can easily be avoided by using either a computer headset or by turning your speaker volume down so as to minimize the chance of your microphone picking up and retransmitting the incoming voice signals.

History 1946 - Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

c) Cost: If you're calling relatively small and/or remote countries, you should check the rates of the PC to Phone Service Providers' to those countries before signing up for their PC to Phone service. For example, calling a country like Fiji in the Pacific Ocean is almost as expensive using PC to Phone as it is using a conventional telephone.

The reason for these high rates to certain countries is usually due to the PC to Phone Service Provider not having the necessary switching equipment (required for switching your call back to the traditional telephone network from the Internet) physically located in that country.

In these scenarios, your calls are routed through the traditional telephone network for a good proportion of the distance they travel and as such they attract many of the long-distance charges that the traditional networks impose. If you'd like to call one country in particular, it's definitely worth shopping around to find out whether prospective PC to Phone companies have the necessary switching equipment located in that country (and hence, can pass on the savings to you in the form of cheaper rates).

History 1888 - Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

So give PC to Phone a try. You've really nothing to lose and have the potential to save yourself a lot of money.

Nathan Smith

Nathan is the operator of http://www.netphonedirectory.com - a directory of PC to Phone and free PC to PC VoIP Service Providers. Nathan currently resides in New Brunswick, Canada

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Telephone Tips, Techniques and Etiquette

History 1888 - Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

Whether using the telephone for business or personal use, using this communication tool effectively means being timely, communicating clearly and having the other person's interest in mind.

1 - Plan and schedule your telephone calls so that you can allow time for off-track discussions. If you plan a 10:30am telephone call "schedule" it like you might schedule a face to face meeting: a little extra time, particularly for those you know like to talk!

2 - At the beginning of your call, mention you know you can cover the points needed within time enough for you to make your next appointment, at a stated time. Then as you want to wind up the conversation you can backtrack to restate the appointment you mentioned. Or, you may find that someone will remind you, "Oh, you have to get on to that appointment, right?"

3 - Maybe you prefer to wait until you are into the conversation before needing to ask for an exit. As you near time to say goodbye and find it difficult to end, try saying, "Oh my gosh, I have a long distance call I need to take. Can you hold while I take it?" Your customer or friend will likely say the conversation can pick up later. And, once again, it is the other person who ends the call.

4 - If you have to leave a voice mail, certain elements are important to include: your name, when you are calling, a brief message about your purpose, and a telephone number to return the call to you. If you work in a staffed office and there's another extension of someone as an alternate contact, leave his or her name and extension as well. This last point is being considerate of the other person's time.

5 - When leaving a voice mail make it easy for the person who is taking and likely writing down this information. First, you can say the number slowly by area code, exchange and last digits. For example, say it just as you might write it in the United States: 777-555-1234. Alternately, or even in addition to the divided method, you can repeat your telephone number a second time. Or, you can combine both methods!

6 - Your outgoing message (om) is as important to etiquette as the message you leave when you are the caller. For business protocol it's wise to identify yourself by name. At home, if you want more security, you may want to just state, "You have reached, 777-555-1234." In either environment, state for the caller to leave their name, telephone number and a brief message. If you include the date, "Monday, February 21st," in your om, be certain you change it everyday. If you ever have anyone run out of time with leaving his or her message, you may also want to include, "and there is a 30 second (or whatever time) for your brief message."

7 - The cliché that "time is money," is particularly true for the working person. That we all have the same amount of time is true for everyone. Return your telephone calls on a timely basis, within 24 hours is professional and considerate in either a business or personal setting. Try one of these tips next time you find yourself wanting to be in charge of the telephone.

History 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

Copyright© Patricia Weber, http://www.prostrategies.com.

Pat Weber is a coach, certified telelcass leader, and corporate trainer. With her incisive, effective communication skills, her services can help you to accelerate professional and personal results you want, by helping you increase your choices and build your self-confidence. With personal coaching, a teleclass, an online email course or on-site workshop, get what you want, more easily and more often. Visit her website at http://www.prostrategies.com. Contact her for a free coaching session.

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Telephone - Cell Phones

History 1911 � American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

In this article we're going to discuss what is arguably the greatest invention since the first telephone was made over 100 years ago, the cell phone.

The telephone was certainly a great invention. No question about it. We could make calls to our friends to invite them over for dinner, our boss to tell him we'd be out sick and our spouses to tell them we'd be home late for dinner. But once we were out of reach of a phone, our communication with the outside world came to a complete stop. If we had to make an emergency call while out on the road we had to either find a pay phone or some business kind enough to let us use theirs, which wasn't likely.

History 1946 � Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

Today, that has all changed with the invention of the cell phone. Actually, the concept of the cell phone began in 1947 when researchers looked at crude mobile car phones and realized that if they used small cells they could increase the traffic range of mobile phones. Unfortunately, the technology needed to do this did not exist yet.

History 1900 � First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

It wasn't until 1973 when a man by the name of Dr. Martin Cooper, a former GM for Motorola, made the first call on a portable cell phone in April of that year. He made the call to a rival of his, Joel Engel, who was Bell Labs head of research. Ironically, though, it was Motorola that were first to incorporate to the technology into a portable device, the first one to be designed to be used outside of the car.

History 1874 � Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

In 1977 AT&T and Bell Labs constructed their first cellular system. A year later were the first public trials of this new system with over 2000 trial customers. Two years later, in 1979, the first cellular system was put into use in Tokyo.

It wasn't until 1982 that the FCC finally authorized commercial use of cell phones in the United States. One year later the first cellular phone service was established in the United States called the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS). It was made available in Chicago by a company called Ameritech.

History 1876 � Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

In spite of the incredible demand for cell phones, it took cell phone service 37 years to become available in the United States. But by the year 1987 there were over one million cell phone subscribers and the airwaves were already overcrowded. Because of this, improvements needed to be made, which included increasing frequencies allocation, splitting of existing cells and improving the technology.

Today, we have probably the most sophisticated cell system that anyone could ever want, including cell phones that even take photos. But this hasn't come without many prices to the consumer and the general public around them.

History 1877 � The very first permanent outdoor telephone wire was completed. It stretched a distance of just three miles.

Aside from the high cost of cell service, especially if you go over the minutes allocated to you, there are the increased hazards and annoyances that these phones cause to others, such as going off in the middle of the big finale at a Broadway play or the danger of people using these phones in places like hospitals where the operation of sophisticated equipment can be affected.

Yes, we have our cell phones and all the wonders and headaches that go with them. Like they say, you don't get nothing for nothing.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Telephones -------------------------------------------------------

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Telephone - Answering Machines And Services

History 1888 � Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

In this article we're going to discuss one of the most important inventions to compliment the telephone since its creation, the answering machine.

The telephone was invented for the purpose of one person being able to call another person and speak to them. For the person making the call, well, they're the one making it so their role is already completed. But what about the person at the receiving end? They do have to pick the phone up in order for the call to be completed and therein lies the problem with this system. It isn't exactly fool proof. The person on the other end could be in the shower or out of the house altogether and end up missing the call, leaving the person on the calling end frustrated. Can't even leave a message to call them back.

History 1911 � American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

The answering machine to the rescue.

Even though the answering machine is a fairly new invention it actually goes back to something that was created way back in 1898. In that year, a Danish telephone engineer by the name of Valdemar Poulsen patented what he called a telegraphone. This was the first practical machine for magnetic sound recording and reproduction. It was actually able to record telephone conversations. On a wire, it recorded the varying magnetic fields produced by a sound. The magnetized wire was then used to play back the sound.

History 1946 � Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

However it wasn't until 1935 that we got the first automatic answering machine which was invented by Mr. Willy Muller. The first answering machine was laughably huge at three feet tall. It was very popular with Jewish people who were not allowed to answer the phone on the Sabbath.

History 1955 � Saw the beginning of the laying of transatlantic telephone cables.

But the first answering machine sold in the United States was the Ansafone, which was created by inventor Dr. Kazuo Hashimoto for Phonetel. It figures that it would be the Japanese would be the first to come up with our first commercially used answering machine.

The contributions by Phonetel weren't the end of our progress with answering machines, however. Casio actually created what is known as the first commercially viable answering machine in 1971. They created what was called the Telephone Answering Device (TAD) which was the model 400, now seen in the Smithsonian Institute.

History 1876 � Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone, beating Elisha Gray by a matter of hours.

Also in 1971 Phonemate gave us its first answering machine which was also the model 400. It worked a little different from Casio's machine in that it weighed 10 pounds and held up to twenty messages on reel to reel tape. It came with an earphone that allowed the user to retrieve messages privately.

The first digital TAD was given to us by the same person who gave us the first Ansafone. He invented it in 1983 and it was given Unites States patent number 4,616,110 and was called Automatic Digital Telephone Answering.

History 1877 � The very first permanent outdoor telephone wire was completed. It stretched a distance of just three miles.

Other enhancements and additions were made to answering machines which now include what is known as voice mail, which was actually created before the digital TAD patent (patent number 4,371,752) but didn't become popular until afterwards. Voicemail was actually invented in 1979 by Gordon Matthews. He sold the first system to 3M company.

History 1874 � Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Telephones -------------------------------------------------------

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Samsung SGH-x427m Portable Digital Telephone

History 1946 � Worlds first commercial mobile phone service put into operation. It could link moving vehicles to a telephone network via radio waves.

Switching cell phone providers allows consumers the opportunity to purchase [or get for free after rebates] a new phone periodically. I recently made the switch and was given the usual list of phones to choose from. Being the thrifty guy that I am, I chose the one that had the least cost to me once rebates were factored in. No, I did not get the plain jane freebie model, rather I snagged Samsung's SGH-x427m phone. Let's take a look at this unit and see how it stacks up.

History 1936 � Research into electronic telephone exchanges began and was eventually perfected in the 1960's with the electronic switching system (SES).

When I showed the Samsung phone to a friend, he asked me if it was a camera phone. Nope. However, it does have multi media messaging capabilities unlike its companion model the SGH-x427. The phone's main features include 40 ring tones, a calendar, a 500 name phone book, a to-do list, a memo pad, and a wireless Web browser. Most cell phones boast a speakerphone, which the Samsung curiously does not have. The screen is bright and colorful and the buttons are easy to access.

The SGH-x427m weighs a paltry 2 1/2 ounces. It is a flip phone housed in a tiny, but attractive gray case. This particular model was made for Cingular, a similar model was made for AT&T, and the cost of the phone retails for around $100-120. With rebates your outlay should be minimal if not free. Of course, that means signing up for the two year plan with Cingular.

History 1888 � Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

Reception has been good with few dropped calls. I haven't experienced much static, but then again all my calls have been in the vicinity of a metropolitan area.

For the features that this phone offers, the price, the cell phone plan and for battery life -- which is good -- I give this phone a 3-star rating. It isn't the plain jane freebie model, nor is it the top of the line can-do-everything model. Consumers interested in something better will want to shop elsewhere.

History 1874 � Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

When Matt isn't doing product reviews he runs the Aviation Employment Board at http://www.aviationemploymentboard.com and the Corporate Flight Attendant Community at http://www.corporateflyer.net and http://www.cabinmanagers.com

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Telephone - Caller ID Any Good?

History 1877 � The very first permanent outdoor telephone wire was completed. It stretched a distance of just three miles.

In this article we're going to discuss the pros and cons of a fairly new invention in relation to how long the telephone itself has been around, caller ID.

The first thing, for those who may not know exactly what caller ID is and how it works, is to give a brief explanation of caller ID.

History 1874 � Principal of the telephone was uncovered.

To trace caller ID's history you have to go back to the 1980s. During this time, state public utility commissions from all over the country were trying to agree whether or not to approve telephone company requests for Caller Number ID service (CNID) which had come from the ever increasing annoyances of telemarketing and prank calls. At the time Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) brought up some concerns that were published in their news letters and newspapers printed around the country. Because of these concerns, Public Utility Commissions (PUC) decided that they better get involved in the proceedings that were taking place across the country.

The decisions of each state varied. Some agreed with the CPSR analysis that not having the ability to block one's number from being identified led to right to privacy issues that we are still battling today. In California they actually requested that CNID would not be allowed in their state. The commission however decided to allow it with the provision that the number would only be visible if the person making the call gave permission for this to be done. By default, no numbers would be shown, which effectively made caller ID in California pretty useless. Because of this restriction, telephone companies in California decided not to offer caller ID at all. Meanwhile, in Oregon, certain privacy concessions were made so that the caller ID service was approved.

History 1911 � American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

Because of the problems that they faced in many states, telephone companies petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue rules on CNID that would apply nationwide. What this ended up doing was just making things worse. The FCC decided to make number blocking the default nation wide, which actually overruled many of the individual state's decisions. Many of the states appealed but the FCC denied all their appeals. This cleared the way for telephone companies to offer CNID with weak privacy protections nationwide. That is what we have today.

History 1955 � Saw the beginning of the laying of transatlantic telephone cables.

But what good is caller ID anyway? Most numbers that call us we probably won't recognize anyway unless they are close friends. What if a company we actually do business with tries to call us? We may not recognize the number. Do we answer the phone or not? The truth is, and many people believe this, answering machines do a better job of screening calls than caller ID. The machine actually answers the call and then if it's important the caller will leave a message and a phone number so we can get back to them.

History 1936 � Research into electronic telephone exchanges began and was eventually perfected in the 1960's with the electronic switching system (SES).

The bigger problem with caller ID is that this allows businesses to collect phone numbers for marketing purposes, which brings up the privacy concerns again.

Whatever side of the fence you're on, caller ID will certainly be a greatly debated topic for many years to come.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Telephones

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Buying a Business Telephone System

History 1911 � American Telephone and Telegraph (AT & T) acquire the Western Union Telegraph Company in a hostile takeover. They purchased stocks in the company covertly and the two eventually merged.

When buying a new telephone system, it's absolutely vital to go with a major name brand. Would you spend $3,000 on a new big screen TV from a company you never heard of? How about $25,000 on a new car from a no name company? Of course you wouldn't and you shouldn't risk your business on a phone system from a manufacturer you've never heard of either and here's why.......

History 1900 � First coin operated telephone installed in Hartford, Connecticut.

Choices....

Major brands, like Toshiba, Panasonic and NEC, have rigorous screening processes for dealers. Teleco http://www.teleco4.com is New Jersey says "It takes a huge commitment of time and resources to become an authorized dealer." This helps ensure that you'll be buying from a reputable company. There are also many dealers in every state. NEC has over 50 dealers serving NJ alone. This assures you competitive pricing, fast service, and a host of options. Teleco http://www.teleco4.com also says "Sometimes it's a disadvantage for us. We often quote against the same system being offered by 3 or even 4 other dealers. That makes price really important. But while it's not great for us sometimes, it's great for the customer."

History 1936 � Research into electronic telephone exchanges began and was eventually perfected in the 1960's with the electronic switching system (SES).

No name brands often have protected territories. That means that your dealer might be the only one for 50 or 100 miles. If you have any problems with your dealer you might find your self with a system that can't be serviced or service that is extremely expensive. This also means that there is a limited supply of certified technicians. The more dealers for a system, the more technicians are qualified to work on it. That will make a big difference 5 or 10 years after your purchase.

History 1918 � It was estimated that approximately ten million Bell system telephones were in service throughout the U.S.

Longevity......

Major brands, like Toshiba and NEC, sell hundreds of telephone systems a week. This allows them to support systems for many, many years. Major brands make new parts for discontinued systems for 5 to 7 years. This means you will always be able to get parts in the future. Remember, a telephone system should last at least 10 years, so you need to be sure you will be able to get support for a long time.

Features........

Just about every feature is standard on all telephone systems made today. A few features may require optional equipment, but just about every feature imaginable should be standard or at least available on all telephone systems made today. The most common question I hear is how do I decide what's the right system for my business. The answer is there is no right or wrong system. All telephone systems are designed to work perfectly for a wide range of businesses from doctor's offices to factories to retail stores. The only thing you need to worry about is size. You just need to make sure the system will handle any growth that might occur. Beyond that, just look for a major name brand, a good price, and a vendor your comfotable with.

History 1888 � Common battery system developed by Hammond V. Hayes, allows one central battery to power all telephones on an exchange, rather than relying on each units own battery.

www.telephonesystems101.com

Andrew Taub http://www.teleco4.com is an expert in the sale and set up of PBX, Hybrid, and Key business telephone systems. For over 10 years, Andrew has sold various brands and set up complex installations.

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