As VoIP is becoming more widely available, many people are now considering switching to internet telephony. The main advantage is that by sending calls through a broadband internet connection rather than a traditional telephone line you can make really cheap calls. You do not have to be a technology wizard to get started with VoIP either. The average person can have a VoIP phone set up and be making calls in about half an hour.

One area where it will pay to do some research before taking the plunge is in the selection of a VoIP provider. There are a growing number of VoIP service providers that you can to sign up with and it is important to select one that will meet your needs.

Choosing a VoIP provider can be a bit different from choosing which electricity, gas or other service provider to use. Issues such as reliability, features, flexibility and quality of service all come into play as do the technical requirements and the price. So here are a few tips to help you decide who to sign up with.

1. Firstly, check who offers the basic services you want and make sure you have the technology to use those services

2. Then make a comparison to assess what you are getting for your money. One VoIP provider may offer a number of different packages and price plans, while others take a single standard approach. Some are willing to offer separate deals for personal users and home businesses but others do not.

3. Some VoIP service providers like Vonage also offer a call bundle allowing you to make unlimited calls to UK and Ireland landlines for a fixed monthly fee. It is also worth investigating significantly cheap international call costs, if you make a lot of them. Some VoIP services offer bundles of international minutes at advantageous rates for heavy users.

4. It is also useful to have access to other features, such as a second line or being able to add a virtual phone number in another city to your VoIP service. When someone calls you on the virtual number from a landline, they only pay their local call rate to reach you, even if you are overseas. If this sounds like something that you may be interested in then look into what each provider offers.

5. Any good service provider will offer technical support and effective customer service to get you started. They will also include services to manage your connections, such as call diversion or configuring voicemail, as well as bill management services.

6. Many VoIP services provide easy to use web interfaces where subscribers can manage their accounts, set up diversions and voicemail on the fly, listen to voicemail messages, and order additional lines or other services.

Once you have gathered all this information you will be in a position to make your choice based on the range of services offered by each individual provider. This research should ensure that you select the most appropriate provider for your needs.