Put simply, VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and means having a phone conversation using the internet rather than via BTs exchanges and has some really great uses.

You can have as many lines as you like but only need one phone line there are no monthly line rental charges on the VoIP lines you only pay for the calls you make and you can also buy packages of minutes each month as well.

You can use what’s called a softphone which is an application running on your PC and use a microphone and speakers to chat to people but if the app is not running people cannot get in touch with you – This has the advantages of being free to startup as the software is free.

You can go up to a DECT/VoIP phone package, Norfolk PC Rescue recommends the Siemens Gigaset range specifically the S685IP which can be bought as a single phone or in a pack of up to 5 handsets.

Each handset can operate as an individual phone line or all the handsets can ring but it will show which line is being called.  You can also manage the contacts from Outlook so your Outlook contacts can be transferred to the phone.

The S685IP connects to your broadband AND your BT line and is a total replacement for your existing phone, on dialling you can choose to dial out over BT or over any of 6 VoIP providers you can have setup at any one time.

The S685IP can handle 2 VoIP and 1 BT calls at the SAME TIME so even if the kids are using it the main line remains usable by you.
 

Scenarios

You have teenage children at home who tie up the phone all the time and you’re worried about the cost and want to get things under control.  

Using the gigaset each person can be allocated their own handset with it’s own phone number and only that phone will ring when someone calls for that person.  You can then load their VoIP accounts up with a certain amount of minutes each month (or let them do so) once it runs out that’s it in the same way pre-pay mobiles work.  Incoming calls are unaffected by credit and will always work.

Work in a small business and you want a PBX system on the cheap but can’t afford multiple line or ISDN lines as well as an exchange?

You can use the S685IP the same way extensions for Sales, Support, Customer Service etc you can transfer between handsets just like a full PBX system.

More complex systems can also be created with virtual hosted PBX systems where all the hardware is hosted at a data centre with no difficult configuration to worry about locally.
 
Norfolk PC Rescue has several calling plans available and very reasonable call rates inc international calls.  We can supply and install the hardware ready configured to plug in and use, full training is provided during install.
The number of simultaneous VoIP calls that can be made is dependant on the speed that your broadband syncs to, if in doubt please ask and if your broadband is very slow there is every possibility we can help rectify that with an engineer visit.