VoIP is Voice over Internet Protocol. Standard telephone lines are referred to as PSTN or the Public Switched Telephone Network. PSTN works on circuit switching. A good example of circuit switching is the old switchboard operator who would connect callers to receivers by the use of electrical circuits.

VoIP is Packet Switching. Packet Switching consists of data packets, or packets of information being carried across the Internet, from your computer to either another computer or PSTN telephone. VoIP operates in different forms. For instance, you can use VoIP when you use an Instant Messaging program with voice on your computer. These are very popular and now Yahoo, AOL, MSN, ICQ, and even Google have VoIP Instant Messaging programs.

The benefits of these programs are that they are free to download off of the Internet, and by using a microphone and your speakers; you can talk over the Internet with any of your buddies. As long as your friends and family members download the same program, you will be able to talk with them as long as you like, and absolutely free. You can talk to anyone, anywhere in the world with VoIP Instant Messengers.

Another method of VoIP technology is to use a VoIP service provider for your basic telephony needs. A very familiar company is Vonage. For a monthly fee, you will receive VoIP services, the same as you pay for your regular telephone services. You can choose to use your VoIP service over the Internet, or you can choose to connect your VoIP to your standard telephone.

By connecting a VoIP phone adapter to your modem and standard phone, you will be able to use your VoIP service and your telephone as you would with any other telephone service provider. Many people prefer to use a VoIP service provider because the cost of local and long distance calling with VoIP is very inexpensive. Many providers offer unlimited calling plans.

There are other features that are often bundled with your service plan. Features such as Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Transfer, and 3 Way Calling are often included for free in your selected VoIP plan. By choosing your VoIP service provide and installing a phone adapter, you will be on your way to making low cost VoIP calls in minutes.

You can also purchase a specialized VoIP phone. These phones come in both cordless and corded styles. The cordless VoIP phones work the same as standard cordless phones. Many of these phones also come with conferencing features and are suitable for small or home business needs.

Another form of VoIP telephones are the VoWiFi phones. These are wireless VoIP phones. This is the same technology as VoIP, only you are not limited to a plugged in connection. You can use your VoWiFi phone wherever there is a wireless High Speed Internet Connection. These phones are more expensive then mobile phones, and haven’t had all of the kinks worked out yet. However, they are still a cost effective choice for those who would like to save a little money.

VoIP has proved to be a viable source of telecommunications. Many companies are now offering VoIP services and those who aren’t have plans to do so. Companies such as Verizon and Sprint offer VoIP services. Other companies are working on creating VoIP phones and VoWiFi phones.

There are Hybrid phones on the market, which allow for both VoWiFi and Cellular calling. These phones have many people excited. They can work in a network range as a cellular phone, and then, they can work as a VoWiFi phone, avoiding all roaming charges.

The FCC has issued some regulations regarding VoIP and the ability to call 911. Because VoIP uses the Internet and not a landline phone, when a call is made to 911 from a VoIP connection, the operator who receives the call receives none of the caller’s pertinent information. This includes address or location of the call. Some service providers do not supply 911 at all; others have what is known as Enhanced 911 services.

To use these services you may need to activate your service, as well as register your information with 911. However, you will need to sign a statement when you apply for your VoIP services stating that you understand your 911 capabilities may be limited.

Wireless and VoIP have joined forces. Installing a WLAN network card into your computer uses wireless technology. After installing the card, your computer will become ‘wireless’. This means that you will be able to enjoy an Internet connection without the use of cables and cords.

VoIP is the technology that allows the transmission of audio files by transmitting them into data packets across the Internet. By integrating Wireless and VoIP a new generation of audio telecommunications has been birthed. By having a VoIP service and a wireless connection, you can enjoy the best of both worlds- wireless VoIP connections.

Wireless networks are activated by what is known as a ‘hotspot’. A hotspot is an area where there is an access point. Wireless connections are basically created by radio signals. An access point is where the network has established their main signal. It is possible for wireless users to basically ‘jump’ from hotspot to hotspot and utilize various networks access points.

The combination of Wireless and VoIP has led to another invention-VoWiFi. VoWiFi stands for Voice over Wireless Fidelity. VoWiFi has also produced the new VoWiFi phones. These phones operate like cell phones, only they use VoIP technology, (transmit over the Internet) and are wireless, operating in various hotspots.

VoWiFi phones are very inexpensive to use, as is all of VoIP technology. It is much cheaper to submit audio as data packets over the Internet and it uses considerably less bandwidth. This is a reason why VoIP technology is gaining in strength and momentum.

Many people are choosing the freedom that is offered by VoIP. VoIP can offer nearly free or free long distance phone calls. Since VoWi Fi operates from hotspot to hotspot or network-to-network, you may think that there are roaming charges involved. Well, this is not the cellular network that you love/hate. There are no roaming charges involved with VoIP. That’s right, you can take your VoWiFi phone from hotspot to hotspot, maintaining your connection (provided you easily go from hotspot to hotspot) absolutely free.

You may be wondering why not just use cellular? Why go wireless? Well, for those who travel a lot or are consistently out of their cellular range, roaming charges will apply and can be expensive. By using your VoWiFi in hotspots while you are traveling, you can pick up a connection and make your calls for free.

Be careful not to confuse a VoWiFi phone with a cordless VoIP phone. They are two distinctively different products. A VoWiFi phone will enable you to access hotspots, but a cordless VoIP phone is simply a way to have a cordless phone in your house that is compatible with your VoIP service provider.

VoWiFi phones are hitting the market and companies such as Vonage are soon to debut their new VoWiFi phones.

An interesting trend is the creation of the hybrid phone. If someone is a traveling salesman, or just simply travels frequently and is on their cell phone, then leave their network range- they can take advantage of the new hybrid phone. The hybrid phone, which is part cellular, part VoWiFi, will be able to access hotspots, and pick up a signal. Voila- no more roaming charges!

Wireless VoIP does show promising signs towards the future and many look anxiously awaiting new products and increasing performance by these products. You will have to have a VoIP service provider before you can access VoWiFi. However, you can still find many free hotspots that will give your phone a connection.

Both Wireless and VoIP are relatively new technologies that have a lot of kinks that need to be worked out. The products are hitting the market at increasing speed, while rules, regulations, and security issues seem to be taking second place. That is the nature of telecommunications technology though, and we can expect that the face of Wireless VoIP will look very different in the next few years. Major corporations are already embracing this technology, creating services, phones, hybrid phones and plans that center on VoIP while the FCC races to determine where in fact VoIP technology’s classifications lay.

There have been significant issues regarding wireless VoIP and security and 911 services. Well the good news is, that while these issues are battled out, agreed upon, and rewritten, we can still take our phones and lily pad our way from hotspot to hotspot- free of roaming charges.

Mobile VoIP phones are known as VoWiFi. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP is the technology of sending audio as data packets over the Internet. Wi Fi stands for wireless fidelity. This is the technology used to create wireless networks. VoWiFi stands for Voice over Wireless Fidelity. It is the combination of using wireless VoIP networks to communicate on VoWiFi enabled telephones.

Wireless devices include laptops, PDAs, and wireless mobile phones. Wireless VoIP phones connect to an Internet connection through various access points or hotspots. The phones operate on radio signals and when they are in the vicinity of the network’s access points, they will pick up the signal, access the Internet, and log on.

Because of a lack of overall security with many wireless networks, VoWiFi still has a ways to go before it is convincing people in droves to sign up for its services. In fact, it is frequently known that when someone is using a wireless network, they can easily jump on another Internet network connection simply by visiting another ‘hotspot’. Before VoWiFi can really become a serious challenge to cellular phone users, the issue of security not only needs to be addressed, but it will also need to be corrected. There are other issues that also need to be addressed. For instance, since a hotspot only has a length of 90 Meters before losing connection, many users do not see VoWiFi immediately replacing their cellular carriers.

Yet, many users are finding it productive to carry Hybrid phones. These phones are both dual VoWiFi and cellular. By using a Hybrid phone, users can take advantage of their cellular phone service, and then they can easily jump onto a network using their VoWiFi and the applicable hotspot, and save fees on roaming charges. For example, a user may be speaking on their cellular phone, then if they get in their car and drive out of the range provided by their telephone provider, they would be charged roaming fees. If however, they can find an access point, they can jump onto a Wireless Network and avoid roaming fees altogether. Currently, there are no taxes or roaming charges associated with any of VoIP services.

There will be many more advances in the future for VoWiFi. There are already many companies embracing VoWiFi, and other companies are addressing the needs for more stringent wireless security. For example, there are higher security networks in place now, that will decrease the chance of others tapping into your access points. For many wireless users, this has been the preferred method of wireless access.

As it is now, a VoWiFi phone is still more expensive than a standard cellular phone, but as the technology advances, price will most likely go down. Everyone is embracing the ability to integrate video, data, audio, and web browsing capabilities with their phones. VoWiFi also integrates wireless VoIP networking to the package. Since this method is extremely cost efficient as well as beneficial, there is no reason to suspect that this service will decrease in the future.

As with the future of all VoIP products and services, the FCC and US government is racing to provide rules and regulations. It truly is a technology that is on the cutting edge of innovation. In the past, all of the nation’s telephony needs were Circuit Switched and based on the PSTN network. Today however, VoIP is rewriting the rules of telecommunications. And just when it seems that cellular phone services have worked out all of their issues, along comes mobile VoIP with a whole new set of problems.

Besides security issues, there are other problems besetting VoWiFi, such as weak batteries, the inability to sustain a connection outside of a hotspot or 90 meter range, and the cost of a VoWiFi phone is still expensive. Yet the idea of integrating video, digital cameras, web cams, Email, web based applications, and mobile phones is exciting consumers world wide. And the onset of VoIP is even more thrilling for the potential benefits and savings. The conception of the two technologies into one super phone is hardly a surprise. In the next few years, expect to see many new hybrid and VoWiFi phones appearing on the local consumer market for sale.