Telephone services have long existed as circuit switched networks that ran off of electric circuits. Today, with the onset of High Speed Internet, people have changed the way they use telephones. One of the biggest changes to ever hit the telephony industry is VoIP. VoIP is the technology known as Voice Over Internet Protocol. VoIP enables consumers to access the Internet and conduct phone calls. When VoIP first hit the market, no one was sure how it would fare. The audio quality wasn’t the best and people weren’t sure if anyone other than tech users and programmers would be interested in using their computers to make phone calls. However, VoIP offered a feature that could not and would not be overlooked and ignored- the ability to make unlimited free long distance calls.

When VoIP first appeared on the web, there were many programs available that would allow users to make free, unlimited long distance calls. As people explored these options it became apparent that there was indeed a valuable market for VoIP. Slowly, the free VoIP services gave in and began to charge monthly fees. Today, there are only a few truly free VoIP services available on the Internet and most of the Internet free VoIP programs have been reserved for various Instant Messaging programs.

Slowly but surely, VoIP providers began gaining recognition and respect and people began dropping their local telephone provider in favor of the new and more cost efficient VoIP. Commercials began to appear advertising how people can lower there monthly telephone bills, make unlimited free long distance calls, and also receive all of the usual “paid” features bundled with their VoIP plans, again at no extra cost. Business began booming and VoIP customers began to embrace this new era of telecommunications.

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