Q:  In reviewing the Voip services listed I see OOMA is not included.  Can you tell my why?

A: We reviewed the ooma service back in late 2007.  While we liked the ooma service at that time, we ultimately removed the review from our comparison.  We believe that services like Vonage are a better option for consumers that are looking for a true land line replacement.  However, ooma may be a good fit for consumers that are looking for an unconventional alternative to land line phone service.

You can read our current comparison and reviews of VoIP services to learn more.

This is somewhat hard to believe given all the benefits of VoIP over traditional phone service. For example, VoIP services typically cost significantly less per month than traditional phone service and offer many features, such as access to voicemail over the web and free long distance, that traditional phone just can't match.

The good news for consumers that are interested in VoIP service but aren't quite ready to give up their traditional phone service is that so VoIP providers are developing solutions that allow a traditional phone line to live in harmony with VoIP technology. This trend is in full swing in England and we are starting to see similar offerings in the United States.

For example, ooma, one of our top rated VoIP service providers, offers two different versions of its service- one that only uses your broadband connection and one that integrates both broadband and your standard telephone line. The main benefit of such an option is that it allows consumers to maintain a traditional phone line which typically means keeping their existing phone number and having access to phone service in the case of a broadband outage.

Frankly, we feel that the quality of the top VoIP providers is so good that the extra line is typically unnecessary. That being said, it is important to some people and we always see more options for consumers as a good thing.

We expect to see more developments in this area in 2008 and will be chronicling all new VoIP services and features as usual. In the meantime, check out our in-depth coverage of VoIP service providers at NextAdvisor.com.

So, why the tremendous growth in number of VoIP subscribers? There are probably several important factors. For one, VoIP has become an established technology thanks to companies like Vonage, our top rated VoIP service provider. Well over 2 million households subscribe to Vonage service in the United States alone, so we are well past the early adopters here.

The availability of cheap and reliable broadband Internet connections also helps the VoIP industry grow since VoIP calls are made through cable or DSL modems. In fact, the same eMarketer report estimates that more than 45% of households with broadband Internet connections will also be subscribed to VoIP by 2011.

Ultimately, the most compelling feature of VoIP service to most consumers is probably the same reason we like it so much- the monthly savings versus traditional phone service providers. We have been reviewing VoIP services for quite some time now and have found time and again that VoIP service will save most consumers hundreds of dollars per year.

Ben Macklin, senior analyst and author of the eMarketer report, agrees

"Early indications suggest VoIP will be very popular worldwide simply because VoIP calls are cheaper."

We are big fans of VoIP services like Vonage and voip.com. With the explosive growth of VoIP in the United States it is a better time than ever to make the switch from traditional phone service. Read our in-depth VoIP service provider reviews and comparisons to learn more.