VoIP Hardware and Services Quick Tutorial

Complete VoIP Guide available here

VoIP FAQ

VoIP Getting Started Guide

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. All that means is, quite simply, making and receiving phone calls over your broadband Internet connection.

Why do I need it?

Its cheaper to make calls to mobiles and landlines. You are not limited to making only a single phone call at a time through the same line. You can use the same service from anywhere in the world using a VoIP Phone or a laptop/PDA that you take with you. You can obtain different incoming numbers from different parts of the world. Calls to other VoIP users are 100% free.

In summary, using VoIP you are no longer tied to a particular country or phone line address, people will be able to reach you more easily and you will save money.

What do I need to get started?

The easiest way to try VoIPtalk is with the free VoIPtalk easySPEAK Softphone. The easySPEAK softphone will create a VoIPtalk account and configure everything for you automatically - highly recommended for beginners. Within a couple of minutes you’ll be able to make and receive calls and it won’t cost you a penny.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, keep reading and have a look at the options below. Before you can use any of them, you’ll need to sign up for a free VoIPtalk account.

Signing up – is there a catch? No, you can sign up for nothing. We won’t take any payment details. In fact, we actually give you 20p free credit. If you do, at a later date, sign up to any of our monthly packages you’ll find most, if not all of them just have a 30 day notice period.

After that, you’ll need a way of using your new VoIPtalk account. There are three main ways of using VoIP: Softphones, Analogue Telephone Adaptors, and VoIP Phones.

Softphones (and USB phones) Guide price: Free - £30	Analogue Telephone Adaptors (ATA) Guide price: £30 - £70	VoIP Phones Guide price: £40 - £250
Softphone is short for Software Telephone. A softphone is a program that runs on your computer. You usually dial numbers and manage the phone through your keyboard and mouse and use your PC’s speakers and microphone for the audio. A lot of people prefer to use softphones with a USB phone. A USB phone plugs into your computer’s USB port and works just like a normal telephone handset – dialling numbers, hanging up calls, audio, etc is all done through the handset. Pros Very low cost - often completely free Easy to set up No hardware needed Highly portable Cons Your computer needs to be on when you make or receive calls	An Analogue Telephone Adaptor, or ATA for short, is a mobile phone sized device which plugs into your broadband network. You then plug a conventional/analogue telephone into the adaptor and you are ready to start making and receiving calls over VoIP. More recently, manufacturers have started combining ATAs and broadband/ADSL routers. We sell a range of routers with ATAs built in. Look out for these if you are after an all-in-one solution. Pros Use your existing phones Independent of your PC works whether its on or off Low cost Easy to set up Portable Combined ATA and router devices present a convenient all in one solution Cons Advanced features (e.g. call transfer, hold, etc) are not easily accessible through a conventional handset	VoIP phones are to VoIP what a conventional phone is to the analogue telephone network. A VoIP phone plugs straight into your network (some wireless phones connect to WiFi networks instead of plugging in). These phones are very well featured and are generally considered to be the best option by business users. Pros Very easy to use Independent of your PC Easy access to advanced calling features (e.g. hold, call transfer) Easy to deploy in office environments Cons More expensive than a softphone or ATA

Why should I use VoIPtalk?

Because VoIPtalk’s low call rates will save you money. Not only that, but if both you and the person you call are on VoIPtalk, the call isn’t just cheap, it’s completely free.

If that’s not enough, VoIPtalk has a range of features to make your life easier. You can use it from anywhere in the world and you will still pay the same call rates, you can take your phone number with you when you go travelling, you get a voicemail service which not only lets you dial in from anywhere to listen to your messages, but also emails you when you get a message and attached the message so you can listen to it. But that’s not an exhaustive list, there’s much more!

So, take a look at the options and go for the one that suits you best.

VoIPtalk packages

If you have tried the VoIPtalk service, used up your free credit, and you are happy with the services, take a look at our calling packages. There are no setup fees.

Standard Tariff Pay As You Go	Prepay Silver £2.99 per month	VoIPtalk Unlimited £9.99 per month
No monthly charge, pay only for what you use Low call rates	A huge range of features including voicemail-to-email Free UK geographic number for people to call you on Even lower call rates	Free calls to destinations across the globe Free UK incoming number All the features of Prepay Silver

VoIPtalk do not just offer residential packages. We’ve installed office solutions with thousands and thousands of extensions so, if you’re company is looking for a solution, contact us to find out how we can help you.