Covad VoIP presented by Covad Communications Group
Tuesday, February 22 at University of Dayton Campus, Dayton, Ohio No charge.    Please bring a friend.    Guests welcome. Please join us Tuesday night, February 22, 2005 for this free presentation at the University of Dayton. Go to O'Leary Auditorium in Miriam Hall. We'll begin at 7:30 p.m. Bring a friend. What is VoIP/Internet Voice? by Bob Kwater

What is VoIP/Internet Voice?

VoIP allows you to make telephone calls using a computer network, over a data network like the Internet. VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that travels over the internet then converts it back at the other end so you can speak to anyone with a regular phone number. When placing a VoIP call using a phone with an adapter, you'll hear a dial tone and dial just as you always have. VoIP may also allow you to make a call directly from a computer using a conventional telephone or a microphone.

How Can I Place a VoIP Call? Depending on the service, one way to place a VoIP call is to pick up your phone and dial the number, using an adaptor that connects to your existing high-speed Internet connection. The call goes through your local telephone company to a VoIP provider. The phone call goes over the Internet to the called party's local telephone company for the completion of the call. Another way is to utilize a microphone headset plugged into your computer. The number is placed using the keyboard and is routed through your cable modem.

What Kind of Equipment Do I Need? A broadband (high speed Internet) connection is required. This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services such as DSL or a local area network. You can hook up an inexpensive microphone to your computer and send your voice through a cable modem or connect a phone directly to a telephone adaptor.

Is there a difference between making a Local Call and a Long Distance Call? Some VoIP providers offer their services for free, normally only for calls to other subscribers to the service. Your VoIP provider may permit you to select an area code different from the area in which you live. This means you may not incur long distance charges if you call a number in your area code regardless of geography. It also means that people who call you may incur long distance charges depending on their area code and service.

Some VoIP providers charge for a long distance call to a number outside your calling area, similar to existing, traditional wireline telephone service. Other VoIP providers permit you to call anywhere at a flat rate for a fixed number of minutes.

If I have Internet Voice service, who can I call? Depending upon your service, you might be limited only to other subscribers to the service, or you may be able to call any phone number, anywhere in the world. The call can be made to a local number, a mobile phone, to a long distance number, or an international number. You may even utilize the service to speak with more than one person at a time. The person you are calling does not need any special equipment, just a phone.

What Are Some Advantages of Internet Voice? Because Internet Voice is digital, it may offer features and services that are not available with a traditional phone. If you have a broadband internet connection, you need not maintain and pay the additional cost for a line just to make telephone calls.

With many Internet Voice plans you can talk for as long as you want with any person in the world (the requirement is that the other person has an Internet connection). You can also talk with many people at the same time without any additional cost. You should always check with the VoIP service provider you choose to confirm any advantages and limitations to their service.

There both business and personal VoIP plans available from various providers. This month we have as our guest a representative from Covad to discuss the business side. But there will be information presented that will be of value to the personal home user also.

With VoIP, your business's phone calls are sent over a broadband Internet connection via either a managed or unmanaged data network - such as Covad's private network or the public Internet - and then connected to the public phone system (PSTN). This efficient method of transport results in lower costs compared to traditional phone calls that tie up all of the capacity on a traditional copper phone line. Implementing VoIP in your business also requires substantially less capital investment than legacy PBX investments. Because VoIP travels over a data network, VoIP also supports new breakthroughs in voice applications.

These tools offer greater sets of calling features than traditional phone service and characteristically deliver these features online through a simple web-based interface. Reduce your costs by up to 40%, simplify administration and management and increase employee productivity with Covad VoIP, a business-class broadband service that truly integrates high-speed Internet and telephone service.

With Covad VoIP, small and medium sized businesses can now enjoy the same services traditionally afforded larger companies without investing in expensive hardware. For companies with multiple locations, you can enjoy these benefits without expensive interconnections between sites or hardware at each location required by traditional PBXs. If you already have a PBX, our services can work with your existing equipment - and still save you money. *

Covad VoIP combines Voice and Internet services to save up to 40% on TOTAL communications expenses. * Covad VoIP is a Managed service, delivering a Business Class Voice and Internet service. * Covad VoIP is flexible, and easy to managed with Web based call manager. You can easily manage and control your business communications if you can access the Internet. In addition, advanced calling features keep your business a step ahead. Covad VoIP Services Covad VoIP transforms telephone service and high-speed Internet access by combining these services over one connection to reduce costs up to 40% and add innovative calling features that increase productivity. For a demo of Covad VoIP and more information go to www.covad.com/voip/voip_demo.shtml.

Please join us Tuesday night, February 22, 2005 for this free presentation at the University of Dayton. Go to O'Leary Auditorium in Miriam Hall. We'll begin at 7:30 p.m. Bring a friend.

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Jim Rowe, Editor
The DataBus
editor@dma.org

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