There are three main categories of VoIP phones available. In this article we will discuss each type and give you some pointers on the positives and negatives of each. For most users you can setup a voip system at home for a very minimal fee or even for free using services such as Skype you can read our Skype Review for more information.
1. Soft Phone
The first type and generally the cheapest is a soft phone. This is short for software phone. With a software phone, you run a program on your computer that acts as the VoIP conversion device and you input the sound via a microphone and output sound via your speakers. This setup is preferred by users who are always on the go but take their laptop with them. There are a number of voip providers who allow you to setup a soft phone account along with your regular account. You simply enter in the data your voip provider gives you and you are ready to begin sending/receiving phone calls. The downside with a soft phone is that you have to be at your computer or a computer with the soft phone software installed in order to make/receive phone calls. This is not always the most convenient method to use.
2. Regular Analog Phone
With the use of an ATA device, you can plug in your normal home phone handset into a small box that acts as the translation unit between the digital internet signals and the analog voice signals. These devices are relatively cheap (do a search on eBay for pap2 device and you can find a number for less than $50). In most cases these devices require you to have a voip provider which you can choose from at http://www.voiprater.com. A number of providers will also include a device for free if you setup your account with them. Check with the providers first to ensure they provide this device if you would like to have phone service throughout your home.
For home service, you can disconnect your outside line and then plug in a regular phone line from your ATA device into a phone jack. This will pass the phone signal throughout your entire house and allow you to use the VoIP service like your normal home phone you are used to having. You will want to find a nice place near your internet router and a phone jack to make this work properly. If you are using DSL this is not a great option for you as you would have the active phone line (DSL requires one). In the case of DSL I recommend a cordless phone that has a base unit and multiple handsets. Then you just plug the base unit in and setup handsets throughout the house.
3. VoIP specific phone
Many companies are not producing VoIP enabled phones that plug in directly to your internet network or can connect wirelessly using 802.11b/g (I would only recommend G or N for this as the connection is much better). You will also want to make sure your phone is not placed near another device that uses radio signals in the same mghz frequency as your phone to limit the amount of interference. These phones are quite expensive for what they are, so if you have the option I would recommend using the base unit and cordless handsets as described in option 2.
The first step to getting started is to take a look at our VoIP Phone Providers List and pick which provider best meets your needs. Enjoy your new phone service. For more information on providers, pricing and support options, please see our VoIP Reviews.
