So, chances are you've heard something about broadband phones. What are these phones? How do you use them? Let's go over some broadband telephone basics. Broadband telephones can either be adapters which connect to standard phones, or regular all-in-one phones which have a built-in adapter. In either case, hardware connects to your PC and allows you to make and receive phone calls just as you normally would. There are software options for your broadband phone, but the service is generally so poor that we will not cover them here. Setup for a broadband phone can occasionally be problematic. Once the phone is up and running though, the call quality is generally better than mobile phones. Another perk is that with Internet phones, since they are not tied to any land-based phone lines, you can choose whatever area code you would like. Having a broadband phone is generally half the price of a regular landline plan. For now, while Congress debates the issue, taxation on Internet phones is lower than on regular phones - once again coming out as a plus for the consumer. There are some problems with having a broadband phone. One of the biggest is power outages. Regular phones are powered by the telephone networks and have their own power during black outs. A broadband phone will go down with any power outage. All in all, picking a broadband phone over a regular telephone is becoming a clearer choice to more and more consumers. |
Broadband Phones
