Phone over IP- Review of Phone Power Digital Phone Service

‘Phone Power Digital Phone Service’ offers ’VoIP’ services for home and business use. When you sign up, they send you an adapter that you link to your modem and router (you can also plug it directly into the router if the preferred setup does not work). Then you plug your phone into the gadget and use the phone as you normally would. They also provide IP phones that connect to the adapter in the same way as a standard phone. Given below is a list of some of the phone features that you can expect with ‘Phone Power’ and  the drawback that I could find during my  research on Phone Power Digital phone service.

Features

Free Phone Line: You can get a second phone line for free with one residential line. The line can be used to make and receive calls just like the first one. Both lines have the same telephone number.

Voice mail in Email: Allows you to access your voice mails through email.

Anonymous Call Rejection: Gives you the option to reject calls from people who do not display their caller ID information.

Block List: Allows you to specify numbers that should be blocked. You can either forward the call directly to voice mail or set it so that the calling party hears a busy signal when calling.

Advanced 911 Service: Automatically send your name, address and geographical information by dialing 911.

Forward Calls when Busy: This feature will forward all calls to voice mail when enabled.

Out of Area Number: You can have a N.Y number in L.A with this option. So people living many miles away can call you at local call charges.There are other options available as well like multiple numbers, call waiting, 3-way conference calling etc.

Drawbacks

The ’setting up’ process can be frustrating. Both the phone signal and internet connection setup can take some time even with the help of the tech-support staff at Phone Power.

Note: Any company that offers a service plan for around 18$/ month , should draw a comparison chart on their website. But the problem with their chart is that it shows flat-rates for all companies like T W Cable and Comsat (two companies that I checked) whose rates vary with customer location. So the chart does not serve the purpose of a comparison between company rates. Ask the customer support team for details on the conditions of their no contract policy.

Internet Phone Service / VoIP is the New International Call Leader

The latest statistics show that Internet phone service / VoIP has become the preferred method of placing international phone calls globally. No longer are callers turning to their landline phone service provider to make long distance calls; instead they are relying on the cheaper alternative of utilising VoIP.

What the Survey Shows

According to 2008 TeleGeography research, VoIP is extremely popular, especially in Western Europe. The company reported a 17% increase year over year between 2007 and 2008 in the number of consumers who now rely on Internet phone service / VoIP to initiate cross-border voice communications.

France is the country leading the way, with a 42% adoption rate in 2008. Spain is lagging behind, with only 2% increase in consumer implementation. By the end of this year, most countries are expected to show double digit gains in VoIP adoption, however.

Why VoIP is Gaining in Popularity

Traditional telephone service companies have long been losing revenue from long distance calls, particularly since the advent of the cellular or mobile phone. They are no longer contenders in the market; in fact very few consumers have reported using their land line to place cross-border calls.

The use of VoIP for international calls has skyrocketed mainly due to its extremely competitive pricing. After all, what business or consumer can afford to pay an exorbitant rate for voice communications when there are companies offering much lower pricing with the same reliability provided by traditional telephone companies? This relates to mere pennies a minute, as opposed to pounds.

Internet phone service / VoIP works with any type of device you might be calling. Your call may originate from your computer, but it can connect to a person on the other end who is still using a traditional handset, or a cell phone.

The Future of VoIP

Some governments have expressed concern that internet calls could be intercepted by terrorist organisations or other criminals. The United States has attempted to levy wiretapping rules, associated with land lines, on internet technology. European officials are coming on board to do the same thing.

The fact is, most internet phone service providers already have safeguards in place and many can emulate the “lockdown” security features of cell phones. The future of these regulation efforts remains to be seen.

The growth trend in internet phone service / VoIP is only expected to continue. More and more businesses are coming on board with the latest technology and lowest pricing available for voice communications. As with anything, the more common VoIP becomes, the cheaper the rates will become as well.