With the introduction of World Wide Web, meeting people and building relationships throughout the world became simple, easy and accessible. The introduction of other technologies such as online video chats and internet phones make online dating even more attractive.

The chances of building stable and sound relationships also extend wider then ever because these technologies virtually reduce distances, miles and meters. If both of you have computers and install broadband connection or Internet phone software, you may speak to your sweetheart for free just whenever you want to do it.

Most often, when the technology or service is just introduced and especially when it is promoted as cheap or even free of charge, people feel distrustful of it and prefer old but already checked methods. Hence, you may have heard about Internet phone services but you still ignore them because you are not convinced yet that you can use it for your benefit.

However, Internet phone services develop and spread around so fast that some analysts consider they will entirely exchange the majority of phone services existing today by the end of 2010. Internet phone services are exceptionally valuable for people who make a plenty of international phone calls because they can efficiently save their cash.

Well, I would like to review in brief some major questions that people ask about Internet Phone services, in particular What Internet Phone technology is, how to use it, and how much it costs.

The most advanced Internet Phone technology today is VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). VoIP is the technology that most often uses high-speed internet connection such as cable or DSL (Digital Subscriber Lines) that are capable of efficiently transmitting voice signals.

 There are several providers currently offering VoIP phone services such as Skype, Vonage, lingo and others. By the way, known to everyone and everybody  online auction website, EBay recently stroke a bargain with Skype Technologies as to provide its users, sellers and customers with the possibility to communicate with each other over the Internet phone.

So, what is next?  

In general, VoIP is available in three variants:
 
1)ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptors):
This kind of VOIP is offered by such providers as Vonage, lingo, and packet8. The process of technology installation and usage includes the following steps.
 Your phone is plugged into special router, which, in its turn, is connected to the internet. This router converts analog signals from your phone into digital packets of data, which are sent through a high-speed internet connection.
If the person on the other end of the line also has VOIP, these packets of data are transferred through the internet only. If you're calling a regular phone, then a part of the data travel is made through regular phone lines. As your voice travels mostly via the internet, these calls are much cheaper than regular calls.

2)IP(internet protocol) phones:
 These phones are similar to standard phones, but they are connected to an Ethernet cable, which plugs right into your router or broadband modem.

3) Computer to computer:
Today this type of VoIP technology is the most popular among others because it is either free or available with a small fee. In addition, this technology is offered by Skype provider mentioned above.
All what you need to make a call is a microphone and a speaker on your and your interlocutor’s computer. Since this technology uses exclusively the internet connection for a voice to travel from one end of the line to the other, no cost is involved. Calls to regular phones are available for a small fee.

The calling rates range from $10 to $30 a month. Most plans offered to customers have unlimited long distance calling and several free services such as caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, etc. Depending on the provider, other merits of using VoIP may include video conferencing, text messaging and data transferal. Hence, VoIP may be successfully used instead of fax and e-mail services. 

Perhaps, there are only two obvious drawbacks of using VoIP. The first is that emergency calls are not available with many VoIP providers. The second is that your phone calls depend on your computer and if it is turned off, you cannot receive phone calls.

But do you find land-lines and cell phones ideal?

• International calls are expensive from both cell phones and regular phones;
• Cell phones depend on accumulator and thus on electric power as well;
• Regular phones fail in number and quality of services.

I suppose that’s enough to see the black and white of it, what’s your choice?