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VoIP is a method of turning analog signals into digital signals. The normal phone sends analog signals and the normal computer sends digital signals. The reason you would want to turn analog signals into digital is to get cheaper or free phone calls by by-passing phone companies.

There are three ways of using VoIP:

1. ATA: Analog Telephone Adaptor

   This is a device that connects to a normal home phone and a computer. It is very easy to set up however compared to the other ways it is the bulkiest.

2. IP Phone

   This is just a normal phone but instead of having a normal phone connector it has an Internet connector. These phones connect straight to a router. They are harder to set up but there better then an ATA if you use computers a lot.

3. Computer to Computer

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   Works pretty much the same way as a chat website. Not a good phone replacement but its better then nothing.

VoIP has a few advantages. One is VoIP uses packet switching instead of the normal circuit switching, this is the main advantage. Packet switching is much more efficient then circuit switching and allows a lot more calls to be made at the 1 time. This makes it cheaper for phone companies and governments.

VoIP isn’t a miracle but. It has its disadvantages. Normal home phones don’t use house power they use phantom power. This phantom power comes from the phone line, so when there is a black out the phone will go as well as the power.

Since VoIP is an internet based connection there is the usual problems associated with the internet. It’s completely normal for an internet site to stop working for a while but it’s unusual for the phone to loose a connection.

With VoIP the phone will stop working for what seems like no reason just like the WWW. The last major disadvantage is that VoIP calls are not traceable. Emergency companies will not be able to see the location that the call was made.