How Does VoIP Faxing Work?

Q: I have a fax machine that I depend on for work. If I switch to VoIP would I still be able to use my current fax machine?

A: Good question! You might be able to continue faxing on your fax machine, depending on the service you choose. Most of our reviewed business VoIP services offer traditional faxing with an additional line or Internet fax — which is usually included for free with the service. Internet faxing is completely paperless, so there is no need for the physical machine. Faxes are sent as a PDF  attachment via email, a web-based interface and/or dedicated software. Visit our Internet Fax FAQs to learn more about how Internet faxing works.

Please be aware that some home VoIP services — such as Vonage — do not offer any faxing with their home VoIP services, while others — including VOIPo — only allow one-way faxing, meaning you can only receive faxes with their home VoIP service.

However, if you work from home and need the ability to send faxes, you still have the option to change your home phone service to VoIP and send faxes by signing up for an Internet fax service. Even with two different services for calls and faxing, you will save money because both VoIP and Internet fax services are cheaper options to traditional phone lines and traditional faxing.

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What Is The Required Internet Speed for VoIP?

Q: I have high-speed Internet from Comcast at my home. Will my Internet work well with VoIP?

A: Since you have high-speed Internet, VoIP should work well for you because all the the VoIP services work the best on high-speed. Below are the exact download and upload speeds required for each of our home-VoIP services in case you'd like to double-check your Internet speed. If you're unsure of your current Internet speed, you can get the details by calling your Internet provider.

Vonage: Our top-rated VoIP service requires a minimum of 1 Mbps download and 180 Kbps upload speed in order for their service to work correctly.

VOIPo:  Our other top-rated VoIP service requires a minimum of 1.5 Mbps download and 125 Kbps upload speed.

Phone Power: This VoIP service requires a minimum Internet speed of 768 Kbps download and 128 Kbps upload.

Phone.com: The minimum Internet speed requirement for Phone.com is  2.5 Mbps download. Phone.com doesn't have a requirement for upload speed because the upload speed that automatically comes with the download speed will work fine with the service.

Via:Talk: This VoIP service requires a minimum speed of 128 Kbps download and 128 Kbps upload.

AXVoice: The minimum Internet speed requirement for AXVoice is 128 Kbps download and 128 Kbps upload.

Voip.com: This VoIp service requires a minimum speed of 128 KPS upload and 728 download.

Lingo: The minimum Internet speed requirement for Lingo is 2 Mbps download. Lingo doesn't have a requirement for upload speed because the upload speed that automatically comes with the download speed will work fine with the service.

Skype: This VoIP service requires a minimum speed of 512 Kbps download and 256 Kbps. Skype requires different Internet speeds depending on how you intent  to use their service. This speed is for the basic plan.

Check out our Home-VoIP compare page to learn more about our reviewed VoIP services.

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Will I Lose My Home VoIP Service
If the Power Goes Out?

Q: I'm very interested in getting VoIP, but I live in a somewhat secluded area where the power goes out relatively often. I'm worried that if I sign up for VoIP that I'll lose service every time we have a power outage. Is that a legitimate concern? Do these VoIP companies completely lose service when the power goes out?

A: Great questions! In the event of a power outage you technically would lose the VoIP service at your home because you would lose access to the Internet. However, all of the services that we review do offer features that allow you to still have access to your service in the event of a power outage.

These features are call forwarding or emergency forwarding, depending on the service you choose. Both of which do not cost you any additional money if you choose any of VoIP  plans that we review. Call forwarding feature — which is what most services use during a power outage — forwards your call from your VoIP number to an alternate number of your choice. Most of the services — such as Vonage and VOIPo, among others — offer this service all the time, and not only when the power goes out. Other services — such as Phone Power and Voip.com, among others — offer emergency call forwarding which will only forward calls in the event of a power outage or any other emergency when you would have a loss of service.

Both the call forwarding and emergency forwarding features allow you to forward calls to a mobile or land line, so in the event of a power outage, you can still get your service on your cell phone.

Check out our Home VoIP compare page to compare all the home VoIP services or visit our VoIP FAQs to get answers to any other questions you may have about VoIP.

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Is VoIP Right For My Business?

Q: I'm looking for a phone service for my new business and am unsure about what phone service will be best for me. I have ten employees and need desk phones for eight of them. Would it be cheaper for me to get a traditional phone line or VoIP business?

A: Good question! VoIP is definitely the cheaper option when it comes to business phones because the service uses your high-speed Internet to send and receive calls and faxes. Depending on the service that you choose, you can spend as little as $21.95/month per user. There are numerous benefits, besides the price, that make business VoIP appealing to small, medium and large businesses.

Here are the some of the benefits of using business VoIP:

Features: One of the main reasons why businesses opt to sign up for VoIP, besides the budget-friendly price, is that the plans include features that you'd pay extra for with a traditional phone service. These features can vary depending on the service you choose, but the basic features usually include call forwarding, voicemail, conference calling, virtual PBX for menu-based call routing and Internet faxing. If you're looking for a feature-heavy business VoIP service, you might want to check out Alliance Phones. That service includes a lot of special features — such as custom on-hold music and voicemail-to-email — that other business VoIP services charge for.

Equipment: Because VoIP uses the Internet to connect calls, you can literally use it anywhere. All of the business VoIP services we reviewed sell phones that are compatible with VoIP, however a handful of the services — such as Alliance Phones and 8×8 — are also compatible with your computer or smartphone, so you don't even have to purchase extra equipment to use the phone. Some services — such as Ring Central, Nextiva and Phone Power— even allow you to use your current phone and just connect an adapter that makes it compatible with VoIP. If you decide to purchase IP phones for your business, they usually start at $70 and raise in price depending on the type of phone you choose.

No contracts: All of our VoIP services that we review offer month-to-month options that require no contract or long-term commitment. Services such as Phone Power and 8×8 also give you the option to sign up for  long-term contract, if you decide that you'd prefer the long-term commitment.

No activation or set-up fees: Unlike traditional phone services, all of the business VoIP services that we review don't charge for activation or set-up. And, if you decide that business VoIP isn't the right service for you, nearly all of our reviewed business VoIP services offer some sort of money-back guarantee.

For more information about business VoIP check out our Business VoIP compare page, and use our Business VoIP Quote tool to get a free quote as well as see which VoIP service will best fit your needs.

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Why Aren't All Countries Included
in Vonage's Unlimited Calling?

Q: I've been thinking about signing up for Vonage World, but I am hesitant because the country that I want to call, Costa Rica, isn't included in the unlimited plan. That means I'd have to pay per minute for each call to my family. Why aren't all countries included in Vonage World's unlimited calling?

A: Good question!  Vonage World does not offer unlimited calling to all countries because some countries are too expensive to call. Vonage negotiates the rates of phone calls with the countries and telecommunications in other countries, and if the rates are low enough, then Vonage can offer unlimited calling to that country's landlines, mobile phones or both. If the rates are too high, then Vonage cannot offer unlimited calling to that country.

Vonage World is a good option for people who have family members in another country. Even though unlimited calling isn't offered to every country, VoIP service is still offered to all countries for prices ranging from 5¢ to $13.92 per minute depending on the country that you're calling.

Check out our full review of Vonage World to learn more about the service, and check out our VoIP Services compare page to see how Vonage World stands up against our other reviewed VoIP services.

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Must My Computer Be Turned On
for VoIP to Work?

Q: I have been thinking of getting VoIP for a while now. I am hesitant because I've heard that my computer will have to be turned on in order for VoIP to work. Is that correct?

A: Great question! No, you do not need to have your computer on in order for VoIP — or voice over Internet protocol — to work correctly. That is a common misconception about VoIP. These services work just like a traditional telephone — you pick it up and dial or answer it when it rings. Instead of using a telephone wire, like traditional phones, VoIP uses a broadband Internet connection — which can be cable, DSL or satellite — and a telephone. The VoIP services we reviewed provide you with an adapter that you will plug into your modem or router and also plug it into your phone. Once you have connected the adapter, you'll be all set to start talking.

VoIP is a great option for someone looking to save a little money on their monthly phone bill because VoIP costs less than traditional home-phone services. Most VoIP services offer unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada, and some VoIP services, such as Vonage World, even offer international calling to more than 60 countries, so it can help you stay connected with family members or friends all over the world. Prices of VoIP services vary depending on the service and plan you choose.

Check out our compare page to see a side-by-side comparison of all our reviewed VoIP services, and also check out our FAQs to learn more about how VoIP services work.

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Does VOIPo Allow Calls to Mexico?

Q: I've had VOIPo for a long and I've been happy with the service. Recently my service was shut off and when I called the customer representative told me that VOIPo has cut off service to parts of Mexico. Why did VOIPo do this? Is there another service that I can use to call my family in Mexico?

A: We're sorry to hear that your service was unexpectedly cut off. VOIPo only officially supports unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada, so even though VOIPo also offers 60 minutes per month of international calling, the service doesn't support all countries. VOIPo has the ability to block areas at its discretion based on different factors set forth by VOIPo's security department. The service still does offer calling to certain parts of Mexico, but not all of Mexico. To see a list of the countries that VOIPo offers calling to, visit VOIPo's website and click on "click here" at the bottom of the International Rates box.

Another solid choice for VoIP service to Mexico is Vonage World. This plan offers unlimited calling to land lines in more than 60 countries — including Mexico — as well as unlimited local and long distance calling throughout the U.S. and Canada for $9.99 first three months. After the first three months, the price is $25.99 per month — not including fees and taxes. You can check out our full review of Vonage to learn more about the service, or visit Vonage's website to sign up. If you feel that Vonage might not be a good option for you, visit our compare page to learn about all the VoIP services that we review.

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Enter the NextAdvisor $500 Giveaway!

Need a little extra spending cash for the summer months? We are giving away a total of $500 to 4 of our lucky Google+ followers! We will be drawing 4 winners over the course of a month. The first winner, picked March 22, will win $50. The second winner, picked on March 29, will win $100. The third winner, picked on April 5, will win $150. And the last winner, picked on April 12, will win $200. You must follow all instructions below to enter. Good luck!

First, follow us on Google+:

Next, answer a few questions for us:

(OPTIONAL) Enter your email to sign up for our newsletter

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Facebook VoIP vs. VoIPo:
Which Service Is Best for Me?

One of our top rated VoIP services — VoIPo — goes head-to-head with Facebook's VoIP services to determine which service is best for consumers.

Call Quality: VoIPo service’s call quality overall is solid. The voice sounded fair and warm, and it lacked any noticeable delay or echo. On the other hand, Facebook’s VoIP service’s call quality was not very good. It sounded as if the person on the other end of the call was sitting in a tunnel, and there was a noticeable echo that began to get annoying after 30 seconds or so into the conversation.

International calls: Both VoIPo and Facebook say they offer unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada. Whether you get the 2-Year Unlimited plan for $6.21 per month or the monthly unlimited plan $15.00 per month, VoIPo truly does offer unlimited calling. Facebook’s VoIP service does offer unlimited calling, but only if you have unlimited data. Also, the call only works if both of the users are Facebook friends and have the most recent version of Facebook app or the Facebook Messenger app.

Bottom line: Both VoIPo and Facebook offer unlimited calls to the U.S. and Canada, however if you are looking for a dependable option that is more cost effective and has better call quality, we would recommend trying VoIPo for your VoIP needs.

If you'd like to compare the VoIP services we review, check out the compare page to see what each service offers.

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Facebook VoIP Review: Is It Worth the Data?

Facebook released VoIP services for its iOS users last week. The VoIP services are available with the most recent download of Facebook app and the Facebook Messenger app. Both apps are free in the Apple app store. Facebook VoIP services are easy to use, but that is the only good thing about the services.

Pricing: Even though the application itself is free, the VoIP services runs off the data of your current data plan with your cell phone provider.

How to call: It is important to note that in order for you to call a person, you must already be Facebook friends with them.

To call someone in the Facebook app, tap on a person's name from the chat menu (located on the top right of the home screen), this brings you to a private message with that person. Next, click the "Info" button on the top right of the screen, and click on the "Free call" button to begin your call.

To call someone in the Messenger iOS app, click on the person's name to pull up a private message with the person, then click on the "Info" button on the top right of the screen. Lastly, click "Free call" to begin your call.

Call Quality: When we first picked up the call, we didn't have high hopes. Once we connected, the sound was somewhat clear, but it sounded as if the person on the other end was sitting in a tunnel or far away from the phone. Their voice was still understandable, however there was a noticeable echo that began to interfere with the conversation after about a minute or two of converasation.

Features: The VoIP services offered through the Facebook iOS app, and Messenger iOS app are calls to Canada and the U.S. Both the caller and call receiver must be Facebook users as well as have downloaded the most recent version of the iOS app. The calls are free through Facebook, however they do use your phone data through your phone provider. So, if you have unlimited data, then you have unlimited use of the Facebook VoIP services.

Conclusion: Even though the Facebook VoIP services might be a good idea, it isn't the most ideal way to connect to Facebook friends in Canada or the U.S. The call quality isn't the best, and if you don't have unlimited data, then Facebook's VoIP services is an easy way to use up all your data and possibly go over your set data limit. Since you're already Facebook friends, I recommend staying connected with people through the traditional Facebook ways, like messages, sharing photos and writing on each other's walls.

If you want a better option for home or business VoIP services, check out our reviews of the services here.

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