VOIP Entourage. Devices You Will Need

To make VOIP possible, users will have to start with looking through the choices of VOIP providers. Depending on a user's need for free calls or not, a service provider will only work with the right device. Some service provides specifically have devices to use with their service while others are compatible with any device a user is comfortable using.

The IP or Internet Protocol phone is probably the most common device needed in using VOIP. These phones have 56kpbs modems built into them which enable these phones to connect to the Internet. The capacity and speed of these phones would depend if they are on dial-up or broadband. Similar to what a normal telephone looks like, these phones are able to communicate through the internet to another phone or computer.

Using the normal telephone is still possible with VOIP providers. Analog telephone adapters or simply ATA, are small devices that can transform any telephone into an IP phone. However, free calls are not guaranteed. Users may also choose from either a dial-up or broadband ATA device. All users need to do is to plug the telephone cord into the device to be VOIP enabled.

Another device is called the USB phone. By name itself, this device is simply made of a conventional-looking hand-held phone and a cord that can be plugged into a USB port. With a computer connected to the Internet, all a user needs to do is to connect the USB phone to the computer to start making calls.

Different types of communications with different types of messages to be exchanged require different types of technology nowadays as well. Of course VOIP providers offer the variety that customers can easily choose from.