A lot has been said and written about the virtues of the mountains of possible VOIP solutions and how VOIP technology is one of the best inventions since sliced bread and canned beer. All the advertisements and marketing hype would have you believe that all VOIP solutions are good ones but none of them talk about what is right for you, and when a VOIP solution from ANY VOIP service provider may not make sense. VOIP is not a "one size fits all" solution.

First of all, please realize that VOIP is not a cure-all for anything. It does not get whites whiter or colors brighter. It is a technology that allows you to make and receive phone calls using your high-speed Internet connection. That's it. Granted, it is cheaper than the phone company in most (but not all) cases, but when is it not a good idea?

One of the things that VOIP providers do not emphasize (and should) is that the quality of the VOIP conversation on the phone is highly dependent on the quality of your high-speed Internet connection. For home VOIP, that is usually DSL or cable Internet, and if your connection is not stable, reliable, and good without hiccups, your VOIP experience from any VOIP provider on the planet is not going to be good. The VOIP provider does not include the high-speed Internet connection with their service, but rather they assume you already have it and it is stable and reliable and truly high-speed.

This is the first mistake. Not all residential Internet service falls into the category of being able to be termed stable and reliable without hiccups. In fact, especially with DSL, if you are located a long ways (more than 15,000 feet) from the DSL distribution center, chances are good that your DSL speed is not a whole lot better than dial-up speeds, and you are not going to have a pleasant experience if you venture into the VOIP world.

If the only high-speed Internet connection available to you is satellite, you are also not going to be happy with your VOIP solution. Satellite Internet service was not designed for that, and especially with the high latency times that are inherent with a satellite Internet connection, satellite is not going to work well for you with VOIP.

Business VOIP is very much the same, since the same core technology is used. A business that wants to use a VOIP solution with their DSL circuit, even a "business class DSL" circuit, is asking for problems. One of the problems is that the VOIP solution provider, when you call to complain, is going to be able to fix the problem, because DSL was just not designed for this purpose and is inadequate for all but the most modest VOIP requirements.

For business VOIP, a fractional or full T1 line is required for your high-speed Internet access. A T1 provides guaranteed bandwidth and guaranteed availability of that bandwidth, which interestingly enough, is also a requirement for VOIP. Do you see the connection between those requirements? You say a T1 line is too expensive? That is a whole topic unto itself, but from a Tier 1 carrier that can guarantee the service, a T1 that can handle VOIP in most parts of the country can be had for under $400 per month, and in more than 90% of the country, for under $550 per month.

But do you really NEED a VOIP solution, or are you really implementing technology for the sake of technology? Some say, even for home or business, that one automatically saves money. Let me tell you that there is nothing automatic about it, and I recommend that you create a small spreadsheet and compute the real costs. Yes, VOIP usually includes unlimited long distance, but how much long distance do you use, really? Would you really use that feature, or is it only for bragging rights? Yes, a good VOIP solution usually includes features like voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, and others, but would you USE those features?

Make no mistake about it, a good VOIP solution can save you a ton of money, but it will require that you understand your own calling habits and how you will use the service. It also requires a solid high-speed Internet connection so that people you call won't think you are phoning them from the bottom of your bathtub. You need to evaluate the costs and then make a financially smart decision based on your individual and unique needs, whether you are seeking a VOIP solution for home or for business.