VOIP
For the past few days, the topic "VOIP" keep appearing on my mind. I was exploring the benefits, advantages, disadvantages, substantiality and whether it is realizable or not.
VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. Basically, it means you can make and receive voice calls through the Internet protocol. The same protocol which you use to browse the Internet.
Since I'm free, let me blog my opinions on VOIP in Singapore.
Starting from the very basic, an account. Signing up for a VOIP account is free. I use Gizmo as my VOIP provider because it's reliable and working closely with Nokia.
VOIP phone. Some mobile phones in the market already have the capability to support VOIP calls. Alternatively, purchasing a VOIP phone that connects to the computer works fine and cheap too. Actually you can just use your computer's speaker and microphone to make phone call too!
Settings. This can get a little tricky if you are a little dumb. For my Gizmo on N80, all I need to do is to key in my username and password. The configuration is done automatically. The list of supported hardware and its settings can also be found on the website. Follow through and you won't go wrong.
Cost. According to Gizmo's price list, making calls to Singapore number is priced at 2 US cents per minute (3 SG cents). Logically, it's cheaper than what M1, SingTel or StarHub can offer now. 10 Euro dollars give you 500 minuter of talktime.
If you want people to call/contact you via your Internet number, you got to apply for it. Gizmo is charging 35 US dollars for a 12 months subscription (53.80 SG dollars). With this, anyone (with or without VOIP service) can call you with the Internet number.
While the number may look expensively high. Let me do the analysis.
Say, you buy 500 minutes of talktime a month. (Unused talktime doesn't expire every month) That's SGD 15.40. The Internet number is about SGD 4.50 a month. This is only SGD 19.90 (or round of to SGD 20) a month. Is this amount lower than your current handphone bill?
Sounds good? Time to cancel your mobile line and throw away the SIM card? Not really.
SMS? Sadly, VOIP is only for... voice. There's no option of you being able to send/receive SMS through VOIP. This is perhaps why SIM card is still a must.
Another problem is Internet availability. The whole Singapore is still not yet covered with wireless Internet. This means you cannot make/receive calls when there's no WIFI signal.
I suggest that the 3 mobile providers should start wiring Singapore with wireless Internet. This is the number 1 step that makes VOIP a success.
Next, providing cheaper and more competive cost for the VOIP services. This should of course include a wide range of value added services too.
Phone manufacturers (eg Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Panasonic, Motorola) should also launch more of VOIP mobile phones.
I believe that VOIP is the future of mobile communications.
VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. Basically, it means you can make and receive voice calls through the Internet protocol. The same protocol which you use to browse the Internet.
Since I'm free, let me blog my opinions on VOIP in Singapore.
Starting from the very basic, an account. Signing up for a VOIP account is free. I use Gizmo as my VOIP provider because it's reliable and working closely with Nokia.
VOIP phone. Some mobile phones in the market already have the capability to support VOIP calls. Alternatively, purchasing a VOIP phone that connects to the computer works fine and cheap too. Actually you can just use your computer's speaker and microphone to make phone call too!
Settings. This can get a little tricky if you are a little dumb. For my Gizmo on N80, all I need to do is to key in my username and password. The configuration is done automatically. The list of supported hardware and its settings can also be found on the website. Follow through and you won't go wrong.
Cost. According to Gizmo's price list, making calls to Singapore number is priced at 2 US cents per minute (3 SG cents). Logically, it's cheaper than what M1, SingTel or StarHub can offer now. 10 Euro dollars give you 500 minuter of talktime.
If you want people to call/contact you via your Internet number, you got to apply for it. Gizmo is charging 35 US dollars for a 12 months subscription (53.80 SG dollars). With this, anyone (with or without VOIP service) can call you with the Internet number.
While the number may look expensively high. Let me do the analysis.
Say, you buy 500 minutes of talktime a month. (Unused talktime doesn't expire every month) That's SGD 15.40. The Internet number is about SGD 4.50 a month. This is only SGD 19.90 (or round of to SGD 20) a month. Is this amount lower than your current handphone bill?
Sounds good? Time to cancel your mobile line and throw away the SIM card? Not really.
SMS? Sadly, VOIP is only for... voice. There's no option of you being able to send/receive SMS through VOIP. This is perhaps why SIM card is still a must.
Another problem is Internet availability. The whole Singapore is still not yet covered with wireless Internet. This means you cannot make/receive calls when there's no WIFI signal.
I suggest that the 3 mobile providers should start wiring Singapore with wireless Internet. This is the number 1 step that makes VOIP a success.
Next, providing cheaper and more competive cost for the VOIP services. This should of course include a wide range of value added services too.
Phone manufacturers (eg Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Panasonic, Motorola) should also launch more of VOIP mobile phones.
I believe that VOIP is the future of mobile communications.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home