Shopping for VoIP service may seem confusing, but in the long run, the advantages of switching to a VoIP service provider can save you money, reduce your long distance costs and provide a number of features that are normally not included through your traditional telephone service. The biggest benefit comes to residential home customers, small business and home offices.

Consider that broadband internet services, such as dsl or cable internet, have become mainstream in home and business use, Voice over IP phone service becomes a viable option for making local and long distance telephone calls over the Internet.

There are many VoIP service providers to choose from, but the advantages of working with the big ones remain clear: customer service, features, reliability, pricing and more. Some one the major VoIP providers are: Lingo, SunRocket, Vonage, Verizon, ViaTalk and ZingoTel. Although the pricing per service plan may seem similar, spend some time in evaluating common features and service details.

The items to consider when considering a VoIP service provider are: pricing, VoIP features, call quality, customer service and support, VoIP hardware and ease of use.

VoIP pricing

Many VoIP companies now offer an 'unlimited' pricing plan where you can make unlimited calls during the day or night of a fixed price per month. This is great for home or business because you can always budget what your communication costs will be. Most common 'unlimited' pricing plans range from $15 per month to $30 per month and include a variety of features within the service plan.

Standard VoIP features

The majority of VoIP companies offer features that are usually not included through a regular telephone service plan. These features are: voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding, online
account management, detailed call logging, 3 way conference calling and more. Voicemail alone on some standard phone plans will cost $5 a month.

Contracts vs. No Contracts

Another option to consider when selecting a VoIP provider is whether they have contracts or no contracts that you are locked in to. Many providers now offer month to month service with charges if you cancel or disconnect before a certain period of time. Review the terms of the contract wisely before signing up for a service. In some cases it may cost you more to cancel a service that it did to sign up with one.

VoIP Hardware

With certain VoIP service, hardware many also be provided such as IP phones and ATA adapters. IP phones are telephones that you plug straight in to your high speed internet connection and start making calls. ATA adapters are devices that you can plug in a standard telephone, which then connects to a dsl or cable modem allowing you to make long distance calls using a standard home phone.

Promotional offers

Many services offer great promotional and rebate offers to get you to try their service. These include 1 or 2 months free of service, coupon codes, manufacturer rebates on hardware and more.

Where to purchase or get VoIP?

In most cases you can purchase VoIP service and get the hardware required through any one of the VoIP service providers. It is possible to purchase the equipment through retail store, but considering that the hardware is supplied direct from the provider, it would be wiser to sign up online and have the hardware mailed out to your location. Nine times out of ten, the hardware or routers are pre-configured with settings for the service provider and you will probably not need to do a lot of set up and configuration.

For more information, tips, articles and where to get Voice over IP service, visit http://www.HowVoIPWorks.com and get your questions answered about the basics and benefits of VoIP service.