You've probably heard that you can make cheap phone calls abroad using a relatively new technology called Voice Over Internet Protocol, or Voice over IP, or even VoIP. But do you know about the multitude of other advantages of using VoIP to make international calls?

New VoIP technology is causing a revolution in the way people make international phone calls. The main reason that people tend to be attracted to VoIP is because it is a way to make cheap phone calls abroad. But there are many advantages to using VoIP for international communication. Here are a few of them.

1. It's mobile. VoIP technology means that your VoIP phone number, unlike traditional phone lines, is tied to a person - not to a place. So if you go away, whether it's for a day, a week, a month or more, and even if you travel outside the UK yourself and need to make international calls from another country, you can simply unplug your adapter and take it with you. As long as you've got access to a broadband connection and a handset, you'll be able to use your VoIP number as though you were still at home.

2. You could cancel your existing line. If you have a cable telephone service, you can cancel this altogether without affecting your broadband service (a broadband connection and phone handset are the only things you need to use VoIP). The savings in line rental costs would soon add up - and that's even before you've started using the service to call abroad.

3. VoIP phones usually work on andlsquo;call plans', not andlsquo;minutes'. VoIP providers can afford to offer a range of so-called andlsquo;call plans'. You usually have to pick one of these call plans when you sign to the VoIP provider. From then, you can make unlimited anytime calls to landlines (and sometimes to mobiles) in the countries listed in that particular call plan. If you only ever really call landlines in Europe, for example, you can choose a call plan that covers the relevant European countries. If you regularly call countries elsewhere in the world, there will doubtlessly be a call plan that bundles those together.

4. You get access to cheap international tariffs. Once you've signed up to a VoIP provider, you can also immediately get access to discounted tariffs to countries that aren't listed in your given call plan. So if you call some countries only occasionally, and your call plan doesn't include them, you'll still benefit from the VoIP provider's cheap international rates.

5. It's easy to set up. Getting going with Voice over IP is a doddle. You simply sign up with your provider of choice on-line. You can do this online. If your provider offers free PC-to-PC national and international calls, you just need to make sure that the person you want to call overseas is able to receive your calls. If you want to call phone-to-phone, your VoIP provider will send you an adapter as soon as you've signed up. You simply use this adapter to connect the base of your normal telephone handset to your router or modem. And that's pretty much all there is to it - you're ready to start making cheap phone calls abroad using VoIP.

6. It's handy. You can manage everything on line, from activating any one of the many free features that most VoIP providers include, to checking details of all international calls made and received. You can even get your voicemail by email, which can be extremely useful if you're somewhere else.

7. You may be able to add a andlsquo;virtual number' to your service. Some VoIP providers will offer you the chance to add a andlsquo;virtual number', once you've signed up to their service and you're set up with a VoIP phone number. For this virtual number, you can pick a country code that's local to someone else. So even though you're in the UK, you can for example add a virtual number with a US country code to your account. When the person in the US dials that US number, they'll pay only the cost of a national call. But their call rings straight through to your VoIP phone number back here in the UK.

8. It's flexible. Most VoIP providers will allow you to up-date your account at any time. They often offer a range of chargeable add-ons. These may include useful services such as the ability to make VoIP phone calls abroad from your laptop.

9. It's economical. VoIP providers offer you the opportunity to make telephone calls abroad by using your existing broadband service. Because of this, they don't need to charge for overheads such as expensive line rental, like traditional phone providers have to do. So VoIP providers can offer cheap tariffs for all international calls, to countries all around the world, as well as the UK. The world of VoIP means saying goodbye to traditional expectations of high international tariffs, shocking bills and clock-watching to keep the overseas call short. Cheap calls abroad - even free phone calls abroad - are now available to everyone who needs to communicate across borders.

10. There's not much stuff. Aside from a small adapter, you don't need any bits and pieces, no messy leads etc. To use VoIP, you just use your own home phone and your existing broadband connection, and connect the two using a small adapter sent by your VoIP provider.

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Article Submitted By: Costas Kariolis
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