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Features
Many people make the switch from a regular telephone service to VoIP telephony because of all the useful features offered by the latter. From basic features like call waiting and caller ID to more advanced technology like distinctive ringing and international blocking, you will be surprised at how many advantages VoIP telephony offers its users.
First, you should familiarize with the basic features that typically come with your VoIP service. These will be similar to those offered by a regular telephone company. For instance, you will be able to easily redial your last outgoing call, use call waiting, see an incoming caller's ID, forward your calls, get 411 directory assistance, make a three-way call, access your voicemail and dial 911 for emergency.
One of the reasons people hesitate to give up their normal landline is because they think that VoIP telephony must be lacking in some department. Not true. As indicated above, you won't be missing out on any of your regular telephone features when you make the switch to VoIP. In fact, you will be gaining a lot more features and they will often come free from your VoIP service provider.
Advanced VoIP features are plentiful and include the ability to block anonymous calls, easily change your phone number, choose distinctive rings for specific callers, choose any area code, keep a phone number indefinitely, block telemarketers, make free long distance calls to other VoIP users, block specific numbers from anywhere in the world and leave a "do not disturb" notice to would-be callers.
Another very important VoIP feature, which deserves special notice, is Enhanced 911. Also known as E911, this service will instantly route your specific address to the nearest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). This will immediately alert the PSAP to your whereabouts. However, you need to first register your address with the PSAP, as they need to have your location on file.
Most, if not all, of the above features will be available to you for no extra charge. Depending on your VoIP service and equipment, you may receive even more features than the ones listed above. As the technology advances, who knows what's in store for VoIP users. As it stands, you will be afforded many advantages with this newer telephony service.
Featured VoIP Providers
Types of VoIP Features
Have you ever needed to talk on the phone with two people at the same time? This can be achieved on a VoIP phone with 3-Way Calling. The feature is offered by most VoIP providers and is very...
Find VoIP providers that offer 3-Way Calling »Individuals located in the United States and Canada have dialed 4-1-1 for decades to reach local directory assistance for decades. One exception was in the Pacific Northwest, where people dialed 1...
Find VoIP providers that offer 411 Service »Though VoIP telephony offers many advanced features that aren't available from a traditional phone company, there can be limitations when accessing 911 service. While you can dial 911 from your...
Find VoIP providers that offer 911 Service »Call forwarding, also known as 'call diverting,' allows the user to divert incoming calls to one phone to be sent to another phone or phone number. This service can replace voice mail for a person...
Find VoIP providers that offer Call Forwarding »Call Return service, also known as "Call Back", "Return Call", or *69 service, is a telephone feature code provided by telephone service providers to allow the called party the opportunity to...
Find VoIP providers that offer Call Return »When you make the switch from standard telephone service to VoIP service, you will not have to sacrifice call waiting. Better yet, this feature is offered at no additional cost by most VoIP...
Find VoIP providers that offer Call Waiting »VoIP Caller ID is a feature that allows users to identify incoming callers by phone number and sometimes name. This feature is not unlike the caller ID application that is available from...
Find VoIP providers that offer Caller ID »As if VoIP wasn't expedient enough, the Click-to-Call feature will allow you to dial someone's number with a simple click of a button. Yes, it's the VoIP version of "speed dialing," though it is...
Find VoIP providers that offer Click-to-Call »Email rarely needs an introduction, as this feature has become so ubiquitous to the private and public sectors that it has become embedded as a near-traditional form of communication among...
Find VoIP providers that offer E-mail »When people communicate through a VoIP telephone, audio signals are transported in packets of data. Should a hacker retrieve one of those packets while they are traveling, an unprotected packet...
Find VoIP providers that offer Encrypted Calling »Fax over IP (Internet Protocol), or FoIP, allows users to fax documents over the Internet instead of using a standard fax machine. Many VoIP services provide this feature, so it may seem a logical...
Find VoIP providers that offer Fax over IP (FoIP) »Tired of unnecessary fees and hidden charges from your phone company? Most of us are and that is one of the many reasons why people are switching to VoIP. There are numerous free VoIP services to...
Find VoIP providers that offer Free VoIP »Instant messaging, also known as "IM" or chat, is a technology that allows users near real-time text based communication between two or more parties over a network connection. Although the ability...
Find VoIP providers that offer Instant Messaging »If you’re ready to cut your phone costs on international calls, you can look to your PC to help you out. In most cases, you’ll use your PC to connect to another PC. In some cases you can use your...
Find VoIP providers that offer International Calling »IP PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch eXchange) is a telephone switching system that allows people to speak internally within a local network, as well as externally to other phone lines. Those...
Find VoIP providers that offer IP PBX »If you are making the transition from an analog telephone to VoIP telephony, you will have the ability to keep the same telephone number when you change services. Even if you are moving to a...
Find VoIP providers that offer Keep Your Number »PC to PC calling is touted as the best way to make free phone calls; however, PC to PC calling has its share of problems. First, the person you want to talk with must be online when you call....
Find VoIP providers that offer PC-to-PC »Today you can call from your PC to a traditional phone for free, and you also can get a free number where others can call you from a phone. Your PC connection will be the only limiting factor,...
Find VoIP providers that offer PC-to-Phone »The 1st generation of Toll-Free phone calls began in 1967 when AT&T used this method as an alternative to collect calling to reduce the need for paid operators. This service, called INWATS, or...
Find VoIP providers that offer Toll-Free Number »Many people no longer need to justify the deployment Voice over IP (VoIP) — it works, it saves money, and it enables communication across global boundaries. What else can VoIP do for folks who...
Find VoIP providers that offer Video VoIP (VVoIP) »A Virtual Phone Number, or Virtual Number, is a telephone number that exists without an associated phone line. These numbers may be programmed to be forwarded to either a Voice over IP service (...
Find VoIP providers that offer Virtual Phone Numbers »With the voicemail feature from a VoIP provider, you will be able to retrieve messages left for you by incoming callers. This system is not unlike the voicemail offered by cell phone and analog...
Find VoIP providers that offer Voicemail »VoIP gaming allows voice over IP telephony during gameplay, which may be a healthy or unhealthy experience depending upon the players involved. The reason behind this rationale is that gamers no...
Find VoIP providers that offer VoIP Gaming »