Whether or not VoIP is going to be useful to you is likely to be based on two factors: cost and convenience. Consider the kind of calls you regularly make, or would like to make, from your landline. Here are two scenarios that might help you to decide:
Do you regularly call anyone who also has a broadband Internet connection? If so, being able to phone them for free whenever you want, with little or no initial set-up cost, might be a perfect reason to start using VoIP. In particular, if you have family or friends overseas, VoIP can offer you the ability to keep in touch more regularly without running up the usual bills.
Are your monthly phone bills particularly high, or do you make a lot of international, mobile or long-distance calls? If so, a subscription to a VoIP provider who charges a fixed monthly rate or offers discounted call rates could save you a substantial amount, particularly on overseas calls.
To summarise then, it’s unlikely that VoIP will completely replace landline telephones in the near future. Instead, many of us will choose to use the two systems side-by-side as a way to save money on our calls. Whether or not you decide that VoIP is useful to you right now, expect to hear a lot more about it in the future!
